Review Essay

Can China Actually Go Green?

China’s environmental strides came out of the clash between grassroots activists and the state, argues a new book by a Chinese journalist. But now that the Party leads all, it's not so simple for economic development to stay green.

From the Archive

The Bomb is Back

The myth of China's nuclear restraint obscures the dangers of its rapidly expanding arsenal. A trio of recent books take us from the bomb’s origins in Lop Nur to the present arms race.

Changing China

Five new books deal with efforts to transform China: from the conquests of the Warring States to nationalist internet fantasies, all the way to campaigns against superstition.

Colonial Adventures

When a British diplomat was found murdered in southwest China in 1875, near the Burmese border, a political spat was triggered that would have wide-ranging ramifications.