An excellent short introduction to Chinese history as a sequence of chapters on successive stable dynasties from the Shang to end of the Qing in 1912. In addition to a brief account of the dynasty's rulers as it rose and fell, each chapter also has a focus on a few features of the time - such as pottery and poetry, education and the civil service, international connections and religious movements.

I have been coming back and forth to China for 20 years, and for the last 3 years have been living permenantly in Beijing. In that time my husband and I have amassed a large number of books on China, its history and culture.
This book by Bamber Gascoigne is the best introduction to Chinese history I have found. He originally wrote it in 1973 but this edition was been revised in 2003, with Chinese names changed from the Wade-Giles romanization used in the past, to the standard Pinyin used today. He has also ;iadded a very thought provoking postscript to the book covering the period after 1912 and the Mao years, and putting them in perspective.

The book does not overwhelm the reader with a mass of historical information, something easily done when covering the 3000+ years of Chinese history. It provides a logical and coheasive narrative, making sense of the complexities of the Chinese dynasties. Gascoigne writes in a clear and approachable style, leading the reader through the ages with the lightest of touches, and keeping the massive amount of detail to a manageable level.

For anyone interested in China and its history this book is the perfect introduction, and I have recommended it to many people. ( )