History
Telling the Truth in China
A Book Review of Sparks
At its most basic level, Sparks presents readers with a host of remarkable women and men who persist in talking about what really happened. In an environment focused on silencing certain aspects of the past, these are the stories of the Chinese citizens who say the quiet part out loud.
Thoughts in Response to the End of the “Golden Age”
If Christian workers, foreign or local, were aware of the cyclic historical pattern, they might be less surprised by the recent retightening of religious policy after four decades of reform. It was just a matter of time.
A Visit to Shaoshan and What I’ll Not Forget
Many Chinese see Mao Zedong as a hero, while many Westerners see him as anything but. However, to understand China's new era, we must try to understand why the Chinese people continue to honor Mao and his legacy.
Essential Information for Understanding
Eurasian Crossroads—A Book Review
Eurasian Crossroads—a detailed, but panoramic, picture of this ancient, but still very robust, Turkic civilization and its homeland.
When Nixon Went to China
Fifty years ago on February 21, 1972, Air Force One touched down at Beijing’s Capitol Airport. President Richard Nixon, his wife, and a rather large entourage of officials were onboard. That this visit was momentous is an understatement as it marked the beginning of a thaw that would not only change the relationship between the US and China, but would change the world.
Making History
A Review of From Rebel to Ruler
A reflection on Party history from seeds planted in late imperial China to the present day. . . . a broad overview of the main characters, movements, and ideologies that have shaped the CCP.
Destination Peking
A Book Review
Tales of 18 expats who lived, at least for a time, in the Peking of the early 20th century.
Long Peace Street
A Book Review
I’m always interested in new and fresh ways of framing history, and I loved this story of Beijing (and China itself) as told through the road. For Chatwin, it is a history that is ordered “not chronologically, but geographically.”
The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom
A Book Review
The rather battered and dog-eared cover to my copy of Pomfret's book is testimony to both prolonged and careful reading.
7 Reasons I Liked “China: A History” (and 1 Warning)
A go-to resource for those wanting a brief overview of Chinese history or are looking for an engaging textbook for young students.