China Books Review is a digital magazine on all things China and bookish. We are a literary review for all general readers interested in China and the Sinophone world, publishing reviews, essays, excerpts, profiles and book lists, as well as a monthly podcast and comprehensive lists of all China-related books. Based at Asia Society in New York, we also host regular book talks, a bimonthly book club and an annual book prize, and publish a physical yearbook.
We were founded in October 2023, by Orville Schell of Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations and David Barboza of The Wire China. Our editor is Alec Ash, author of multiple books on China, with associate editor Alexander Boyd, formerly of China Digital Times, and contributing editor Yi Liu. The site was designed by Ben Shmulevitch, with illustrations by Ellie Foreman-Peck. In 2024 we won a Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for “Excellence in Opinion Writing.”
Scroll down for our masthead and FAQ.
Publishers
Our team
Columnists
Advisory board
FAQ
Why did you start this magazine?
For the full rationale, read our opening letter from October 2023.
How often do you publish?
We are a semi-weekly publication, with features (reviews, essays, excerpts, profiles) dropping on Thursdays, and columns (book lists, archive picks, podcasts, book talks, Q&As) on Tuesdays. Every two weeks there is a new cover story and newsletter mail-out of the last four pieces, constituting a new “issue.” We take four weeks off each year for public holidays.
How do you decide which books to cover?
We endeavor to list all new China books, broadly conceived, in our comprehensive listings. Feature articles (reviews, essays, excerpts, profiles, curated lists) selectively cover certain books, with a view to publishing content that adds original value to the conversation around China and the Sinophone world, including lesser-known topics or angles. We aspire to highlight diverse voices, including Chinese-language books.
What do you mean by “China”?
Our remit is broad, including not just the People’s Republic of China but also the greater Sinophone world, including Taiwan and the Chinese diaspora. Our definition of a “China book” is any English-language book whose subject or setting is China or the Sinophone world, including works translated from Chinese. By featuring or listing a work, we make no political claims about the territory it is about or from.
How do you avoid favoritism?
We avoid publishing reviews by contributors with too close a personal connection to the author, or who have otherwise promoted their book. Please see our contributor guidelines for more detail. Selections of which books to cover in feature articles are made solely with interest for the reader in mind. All contributors have full independence to voice their opinion of works, and we encourage both credit and criticism where due.
Do you make money?
No. We are a non-profit endeavor, and all content on the website is free to access. We make no money from advertisements or publishers, though you can donate to support our work.
How are you funded?
We are funded by Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations, a non-profit dedicated to promoting an open and collaborative relationship between the United States and China, and The Wire Digital Inc., a startup that publishes the business magazine The Wire China and runs the data platform WireScreen. We also receive grants and donations.
Where are you based?
We publish out of Asia Society’s headquarters in New York, with a roster of diverse contributors based all over the world, including many in China and other parts of Asia.
How do I follow the magazine?
Sign up for our biweekly newsletter here, alongside links to our social media. Or bookmark our homepage to see when we post a new article or update our books lists.
How can I get in touch?
Feel free to contact us, or see how to submit (including our rates).