China: A History

An authoritative account of five thousand years of Chinese history Many  nations define themselves in terms of territory or people; China  defines itself in terms of history. Taking into account the country's  unrivaled, voluminous tradition of history writing, John Keay has  composed a vital and illuminating overview of the nation's complex and  vivid past. Keay's authoritative history examines 5,000 years in China,  from the time of the Three Dynasties through Chairman Mao and the  current economic transformation of the country. Crisp, judicious, and  engaging, China is the classic single-volume history for anyone seeking to understand the present and future of this immensely powerful nation