Description: "It has been said that the twenty-first century will be China's century. Such a remark highlights the importance of being informed about China's long and tumultuous history. J.A.G. Roberts traces the main course of that history, from the earliest times, through the centuries of imperial government, to the present day. Chapters on China's imperial history identify the main political and economic changes, whilst introducting key social themes. Turning to the modern period, Roberts then traces the dramatic evenuts of the Opium Wars, the 1911 Revolution and the Republican era. The book ends with a detailed discussion of China under Communist rule and a wide-ranging review of new developments, including China's economic achievements and its costs. Thoroughly revised and expanded in the light of the latest research, and now featuring a helpful chronology, this up-to-date, authoritative overview of China's past is ideal for students and general readers alike"--Provided by publisher.
Brief description: J. A. G. ROBERTS is Visiting Research Fellow in History at the University of Huddersfield, UK.
Review Quotes: Praise for the second edition:
"An excellent book. Roberts' account of China over the last few years is fair, balanced, perceptive and comprehensive." -- Colin Mackerras, Griffith University, Australia
Praise for the third edition:
"A worthy successor to Roberts' earlier editions. This third edition brings the account up to the immediate present and continues to have the strength of integrating the insights of very recent scholarship on all periods of Chinese history." -- Anthony DeBlasi, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of East Asian Studies, University at Albany"