Great, informative book

Gives a very good overview over the important events and people in 4000 years of history. Not dry and dull, but with many interesting personal accounts following diaries, family tails, or other historical accounts.

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Author is definitely going to be reeducated by CCP

The book is a complete overview over the history of the chinese civilization from the bronze age beginnings to the current red dynasty. It explains the beginnings of the chinese political system and the origins of the mandate of heaven, then retells the history of the early archaic dynasties, the first unification of all under heaven through Qin Shi Huang and his Qin dynasty, the classical Han dynasty, the medieval Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties, the Mongol conquest and the Yuan dynasty, the restoration of Han rule in China during the Ming-dynasty, as well as the Manchu conquest and the Qing-Dynasty. the last third of the book puts a focus on the opium wars and the forceful opening of the country of through the British and other foreign powers, and the long decline of the Qing during the century of humiliation, the fall of the empire, the republic, civil war, japanese invasion and ursurpation of power by the communist party, the great famine and the economic reform under Deng Xiaoping.
The main focus of this book is to paint a detailed picture of chinese history, its resulting relationship with and opinion of the western world, in order to convey to the reader its current economic and political situation as well as its aims for the future.

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Unctously read, but still very intriguing

The history of China in just 15 hours reminds of tourists doing Europe in three days. But this history has much more depth, and the inventions and sufferings of China‘s people has gigantic dimensions, even in the toll of human lives. Particularly intriguing are the historical roots of the communist party and the remarkable change by Deng Hsiao Ping.
It took me some time to get used to the unctuous narrating style of the author which reminded me of an uncle reading fairy tales to children…

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Lots of stories, little history

If you are looking for a narrative history of China, turn away. You won't find it this book. I cannot find trace of the "sparkling narrative which migles the grand sweep with local and personal stories" claimed in the Summary. This book is basically an anthology of common and not-so-common people stories, and time-traveller tourist brochures ("how charming Beijing during the Ming"), glued together by casual mentions of when a dynasty is falling and another is rising. Battles, geopolitics? Not to the author's taste. The book change pace and style for its last third (XIX and XX centuries), but not enough to save it from mediocrity.

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Schrecklich

Der Sprecher ist unerträglich. Man hört ständig Schmatzgeräusche. Das Buch befasst sich mit absoluten Anekdoten und strukturiert die Ereignisse teils unchronologisch.

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