 • Buy this item from our featured Merchant - Featured Price: $37.99
 |
Product Reviews:
The Cambridge Illustrated History of China (Cambridge Illustrated Histories) |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: Great 101 helicoptere view of Chinese History
Comments: Easy to read, this book accomplished what I was looking for: a complete high-level view of chinese history.
The few things I would have like to be a bit different:
- More maps, there are quite a few of them, however more would have helped
- Less on art, I did not care about history of Chinese art, however about China and Chinese people
- I was surprised that events like the building or the great wall or the decision to cut itself from the rest of the world by burning its navy was treated so quickly. I think some key events like these should have had a bit more time dedicated to them.
However, all-in-all, I am glad I read this book. It reads like a novel, not a class textbook, and for the 1st time allowed me to have a better understanding of the Chinese history, beyong the last few decades I had learned in High-school.
I now need to find an equivalent book on India... |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: An interesting perspective on Chinese history
Comments: I am a Chinese living in China. Because of politicized history accounts in China after 1949 I have little interest in official history books in Chinese. however I like this book much; for me it supplies a totally new perspective on the evolution of our culture, peoples and economy etc. The rich pictures in the book make reading easier and more interesting. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Cambridge Illustrated History of China
Comments: Highly informative and readable; wonderfully illustrated both with photographs and maps. This was exactly what I had hoped for. |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: great Reference; Not Detailed
Comments: I used this book as a reference text for a course in Ancient Chinese History. The labeled illustrations are a pretty great reference for the components of the class that require us to identify and date archaeological pieces. Ebrey does a great job giving an overview of all the various things happening in China, however, it honestly only skims the surface. In addition, points of controversy are not really discussed. Among the academia, there is debate of1of the groups of Chinese people- the Xia. In this book, Ebrey identifies the Xia as a group that does exist. Depending on who your professor is, you might get a different spin on the situation and the Xia might be considered mythical. While this isn't a serious point of contention, there might be other discrepanicies like this between what Ebrey writes and what others think.
Now this may be nitpicky, however the book doesn't do well with sitting in a backpack. If you intend to take take it around with you, you'd be better of purchaseing a hardcover version. The binding comes loose relatively easily and it's printed on this beautiful, heavy, glossy paper.
purchase this book only if you are looking for a quick read and a great reference. |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: An excellent overview of Chinese history
Comments: As a single volume overview of Chinese history, you couldn't ask for much more than this book. It is clearly written, objective and readable. The almost all significan not events in Chinese history are all covered (albeit in only superficial depth, necessarily.) The book also tries to describe developments from the perspective of ordinary people, not just the emporers. Cultural and technological advances are covered as well as the major military conquests. Finally, each chapter is concluded with the author's analysis of the period and comparisons to other contemporaneous civilisations.
My only criticism is that the Japanese atrocities during World War II are glossed over, only the Rape of Nanjing is mentioned, and even then, only the lowest bound of the estimated death toll is given. If you read only this book, you might get the impression that the Japanese occupation was a relatively benign experience.
Overall, I highly endorse this book to anyone seeking an introduction to Chinese history. |
