Modern China: An Illustrated History,Used

Product Description This New History Of Modern China Begins In The Year 1800, With An Account Of China'S Approach To The Threats Of Foreign Imperialism And Internal Rebellion. The Main Themes Of This Late Imperial Period Include The Opium Wars And Their Consequences, The Rise And Defeat Of The Midnineteenthcentury Rebellions And The Frustrating Attempts At 'Selfstrengthening'. As The Twentieth Century Begins, The Book Offers An Evaluation Of The 1911 Revolution And The May Fourth Movement Which Produced Chen Duxiu'S Attack On Confucianism. The Main Focus For The Following Period Is The History Of The Guomindang And The Chinese Communist Party Until The Victory Of The Latter In 1949. The Final Section Surveys The People'S Republic Of China, Comparing The Estimates That Have Been Made Of The Leadership Of Mao Zedong And Deng Xiaoping And The Success Or Otherwise Of The Policies With Which They Have Been Associated. Written For The Nonspecialist And For The Student Looking For An Authoritative Introduction To Recent Scholarly Work On China, This Illustrated History Provides A Reliable And Highly Stimulating Account Of An Endlessly Fascinating Country Whose Development Is Of Paramount Importance For The West. From Library Journal Ironically, The Strength Of This Book Is Not In Its Illustrations, Since They Are Often Misplaced In The Text. Wellknown British Historian Roberts Does, However, Provide Excellent References And A Lively Discussion Of China'S Transition From A Dynastic System To A Communist Regime. Especially Interesting Is His Presentation Of The Roles Of Western Christianity And Japanese Aggression In The Emergence Of Chinese Nationalism. The Last Three Chapters?Dealing With The Political Struggles Within The Chinese Communist Party From Its Early Days To The Present?Are Not Well Developed, Although They Do Provide Important Information About China'S Powerbrokers (E.G., Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping, And Hua Guofeng). A Solid Companion To Colin Mackerras'S Dictionary Of The Politics Of The People'S Republic Of China (Lj 5/1/98), Which Intermingles History And Current Events But Does Not Have Roberts'S Engaging Style.?Peggy Spitzer Christoff, Oak Park, Ilcopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Roberts, A Specialist In East Asian History, Has Provided An Informative And Easily Digestible Survey Of The Past 200 Years Of Chinese History. Unlike Many Western Historians, Roberts Generally Avoids The Trap Of Viewing Events Through A Eurocentric Prism; He Frequently Reminds Us That An Immense Nation Such As China Can Resist Outside Influences While Following Internal Dynamics. General Readers Will Find The Text Easy To Follow, Yet Historians Who Wish To Gain A More Specific Knowledge Of Chinese History Will Not Be Disappointed. A Perfect Public Library Choice. Jay Freeman About The Author J. A. G. Roberts Is Principal Lecturer At The University Of Huddersfield, Specializing In The History Of China And Japan.