This page lists all recent China books, defined broadly as any English-language book on or from China that was published in the last year. We update this list on a biweekly basis (monthly in the summer). If you think we have missed a book, please contact us at listings@chinabooksreview.com, with the publisher link. The categories below are designed to present a large quantity of books by broad groupings, not as a perfect classification, and carousels are capped at 25 titles. Blurbs are dapted from publisher copy.
Most recent
American Paradiplomacy and Chinese Power
Demystifying US-China Subnational Relations
Czeslaw Tubilewicz
An investigation of contemporary U.S.-China subnational relations.
Buy
The Road to China’s Economic Powerhouse
Zhanbin Zhan
An exploration of China's transformation from a planned economy to a global economic leader.
Buy
Common Prosperity
A Chinese Approach to Inclusive Growth
Yongnian Zheng (tr. Liu Jia)
An analysis of China's drive for common prosperity from an insider's perspective.
Buy
The Identity Factor in Chinese Relations with Europe
China and the Barbarian Civilization
Bjørnar Sverdrup-Thygeson
An analysis of the identity factor in China-Europe relations.
Buy
Contemporary Art Cinema Culture in China
Xiang Fan
An exploration of the dynamic networks of art cinema in China in the 21st century.
Buy
Discovered but Forgotten
The Maldives in Chinese History, c. 110-1620
Bin Yang
A look into China's relations with the Maldives and Sino-Indian Ocean interactions, offering new ways to understand Chinese maritime exploration and the global history of the Indian Ocean.
Buy
The Second Journey
Joel Bigman
A Chinese-Jewish historical fantasy following the monk Xuanzang, Monkey and Pigsy on an adventure to get the Hebrew Scriptures.
Buy
Three Impeachments
Guo Xiu and the Kangxi Court
Robert K. Guy, R. Kent Guy
A probe into corruption in late imeprial China.
Buy
Chinese Mythology
Legendary Tales of Heaven, Earth, Humanity, and Beyond
Aaron Hwang (illus. Adela Li)
An illustrated collection of Chinese myths for children.
Buy
Confucianism at War
1931-1945
Shaun O'Dwyer
A study of wartime Confucianism, providing insights into key developments in Confucian thought and ideology in East Asia in the 1930s and 1940s.
Buy
China’s Digital Expansion in the Global South
Eds. Richard Heeks, Christopher Foster, Ping Gao, Xia Han, Nicholas Jepson, Seth Schindler
An analysis of China's digital impact in Latin America, North Africa and Asia.
Buy
The Politics of Language in Hong Kong
Jean-François Dupré
An investigation of the politics of language in Hong Kong from a multidisciplinary perspective, showcasing original studies on language use in protest movements, written Cantonese, language attitudes, literary creation, mass media and popular music.
Buy
The Myth of War in the Taiwan Strait
Taiyi Sun
A proposed framework of the "Yizhou dilemma" to capture the conundrum faced by a hegemony (the U.S.), a rising power (Mainland China), and the weaker third entity (Taiwan).
Buy
Neoliberalism or Neocollective Rural China
A Critique and Prospect
Xinyu Lu (tr. Yinhao Zhang)
A critique of neoliberal interpretations of global agricultural development.
Buy
The Lonely Generation
Unraveling China's Population Crisis After the One-Child Policy
Ting Wang
An exploration of China's one-child policy aiming to uncover and interlink various elements of how China's cultural and structural norms have shaped women's lives and choices in contemporary China.
Buy
Rebirth of Historical Cultural Village in China
Case Study of Wuyan Ancient Village
Guiqing Yang
An architectural analysis of traditional Chinese villages.
Buy
China’s Logistics
From Laggard to Innovator
Paul Clifford, Christopher Logan
An analysis of the rapid development of China's logistics industry over the past several decades.
Buy
New Stories Told While Trimming the Wick
Qu You, Zhenjun Zhang, Sidney Sondergard, Trever McKay
A collection of English translations of classical Chinese literature ranging across three millennia and the entire Sinitic world.
Buy
The Archaeology of Han China
Alice Yao, Wengcheong Lam
An overview of the archaeology of the Han Empire.
Buy
The Regulation of Prostitution in China
Law in the Everyday Lives of Sex Workers, Police Officers, and Public Health Officials
Margaret L. Boittin
An exploration of prostitution in China and how it shapes the lives of those involved in it, using a case study of the role of law in everyday life and its impact on female sex workers, police officers, and public health officials.
Buy
The Origin of Chinese Cultural Genes
An Archaeological Perspective
Shengqian Chen
An exploration of the roots and development of Chinese culture.
Buy
Feminist Activism in the Post-2010s Sinosphere
Identifying Issues, Sharing Knowledge, Building Movements
Eds. Elisabeth L. Engrebretsen, Jinyan Zheng, Hongwei Bao, Jamie J. Zhao
An examination of feminist activism in Xi-era China.
Buy
Maoism with Italian Characteristics
China's Global Influence and the Italian Left, 1956-1976
Marco Gabbas, Lorenzo M. Capisani
A historical study investigating why Mao's thought took root in Italy, how it developed, and its emergence in opposition to the Italian Communist Party.
Buy
Why We Celebrate Chinese New Year
Everything to Know about Your Favorite Holiday
Eugenia Chu (illus. Javiera Mac-lean)
A festive introduction to Chinese New Year for kids ages 6 to 9.
BuyRecent Politics Books
American Paradiplomacy and Chinese Power
Demystifying US-China Subnational Relations
Czeslaw Tubilewicz
An investigation of contemporary U.S.-China subnational relations.
Buy
The Road to China’s Economic Powerhouse
Zhanbin Zhan
An exploration of China's transformation from a planned economy to a global economic leader.
Buy
Common Prosperity
A Chinese Approach to Inclusive Growth
Yongnian Zheng (tr. Liu Jia)
An analysis of China's drive for common prosperity from an insider's perspective.
Buy
The Identity Factor in Chinese Relations with Europe
China and the Barbarian Civilization
Bjørnar Sverdrup-Thygeson
An analysis of the identity factor in China-Europe relations.
Buy
China’s Digital Expansion in the Global South
Eds. Richard Heeks, Christopher Foster, Ping Gao, Xia Han, Nicholas Jepson, Seth Schindler
An analysis of China's digital impact in Latin America, North Africa and Asia.
Buy
The Myth of War in the Taiwan Strait
Taiyi Sun
A proposed framework of the "Yizhou dilemma" to capture the conundrum faced by a hegemony (the U.S.), a rising power (Mainland China), and the weaker third entity (Taiwan).
Buy
Neoliberalism or Neocollective Rural China
A Critique and Prospect
Xinyu Lu (tr. Yinhao Zhang)
A critique of neoliberal interpretations of global agricultural development.
Buy
China’s Logistics
From Laggard to Innovator
Paul Clifford, Christopher Logan
An analysis of the rapid development of China's logistics industry over the past several decades.
Buy
America First, The World Divided
Trump 2.0 Influence: Disrupted Multilateralism, Shifting Alliances and the Legacy of Trump
Ahmed Fathi
An analysis of how Trump's "America First" policies have challenged alliances, reshaped global institutions, and empowered rising powers like China and Russia to redefine the geopolitical landscape.
Buy
Everyday Democracy
Civil Society, Youth, and the Struggle Against Authoritarian Culture in China
Anthony J. Spires
An argument that, despite China's overarching authoritarian rule, in everyday life democracy is already practiced in various forms.
Buy
The U.S.-China Conflict
Redefining the Future of Global Trade
Fred Pierce
An examination of the U.S.-China trade conflict that sheds light on its historical roots, key events and global implications.
Buy
Mexico-China Relations
Cultural Encounters in a Global Age
Francisco Antonio-Alfonso
An analysis of contemporary Mexico-China relations as a complex cultural encounter.
Buy
US-China Rivalry
Great Power Competition in the Indo-Pacific
Brian C.H. Fong
An analysis of the unfolding of US-China competition in the Indo-Pacific through the lens of neo-offensive realism.
Buy
Chinese Foreign Relations
Reflections on Knowledge Production
Ming Wan
A reflection on the field of Chinese foreign policy.
Buy
Korea-US-China Trilateral Relations in the Xi Jinping Era
Complexity, Conflict, and Interdependence
Eds. Duck Koo Chung, Byung-se Yun
An examination of the complex trilateral political relationship between Korea, the U.S. and China.
Buy
The United States, China, and the Competition for Control
Melanie W. Sisson
A consideration of whether the United States and China have irreconcilable visions of world order.
Buy
Engineering Stability
Rebuilding the State in Twenty-First Century Chinese Universities
Xiaojun Yan
An analysis of the efforts undertaken by the Chinese Communist Party to control and manipulate Chinese universities in the post-Tiananmen era.
Buy
Authoritarian Absorption
The Transnational Remaking of Epidemic Politics in China
Yan Long
An examination of the state's rebuilding of China's pandemic response system through its anti-HIV/AIDS battle from 1978 to 2018.
Buy
The China-Russia Relationship
The Dance of the Dragon and the Bear
Robert Hamilton
An approach to examining the relationship between China and Russia, arguing that the best way to understand the ties between the two is to watch their interactions on the ground in regions of the world where they both have important interests at stake.
Buy
Appearance Politics
Legitimacy Building in Late Imperial and Modern China
Lex Lu
An academic analysis of managing optics as a political tool in Chinese history and contemporary politics.
Buy
Vampire State
The Rise and Fall of the Chinese Economy
Ian Williams
An account of China's economy that argues that the CCP's obsession with exercising uncontested power has led to pervasive corruption and unintended consequences for China's population and the world.
Buy
The Taiwan Question in Xi Jinping’s Era
Ed. Suisheng Zhao
An edited volume examining Beijing's Taiwan policy, the support for armed reunification among the Chinese people, and how Taiwan's internal dynamics and external relations have changed in response to Beijing's evolving Taiwan policy.
Buy
Confronting China
U.S. Defense Policy in an Era of Great Power Competition
Eds. James H. Anderson, Daniel R. Green
A collection of analyses from national security practitioners on the different dimensions of China's growing power.
Buy
Is the Chinese Economy a Miracle or a Bubble?
Lawrence J. Lau, Lawrence Juen-yee Lau
A collected volume of Professor Lawrence J. Lau's papers looking at the growth of the Chinese economy over the past decades.
Buy
China and America’s Spheres of Influence
A. B. Abrams
A look at the global conflict for influence between China and the United States.
BuyRecent History Books
Shenyang F-7
China's Fighter for the World
Holger Müller
A look at the technical development of the J/F-7 aircraft family and its actual or potential use.
Buy
Discovered but Forgotten
The Maldives in Chinese History, c. 110-1620
Bin Yang
A look into China's relations with the Maldives and Sino-Indian Ocean interactions, offering new ways to understand Chinese maritime exploration and the global history of the Indian Ocean.
Buy
Three Impeachments
Guo Xiu and the Kangxi Court
Robert K. Guy, R. Kent Guy
A probe into corruption in late imeprial China.
Buy
Confucianism at War
1931-1945
Shaun O'Dwyer
A study of wartime Confucianism, providing insights into key developments in Confucian thought and ideology in East Asia in the 1930s and 1940s.
Buy
The Archaeology of Han China
Alice Yao, Wengcheong Lam
An overview of the archaeology of the Han Empire.
Buy
Maoism with Italian Characteristics
China's Global Influence and the Italian Left, 1956-1976
Marco Gabbas, Lorenzo M. Capisani
A historical study investigating why Mao's thought took root in Italy, how it developed, and its emergence in opposition to the Italian Communist Party.
Buy
Images of War
The Cultural Construction of Qing Martial Prowess
Ma Ya-Chen
A history of Manchu rule informed by art history.
Buy
Ancient China
An Illustrated Introduction to the History, People, Culture and Beyond
Zhaoyang Zhang, Yi Zou, Biyan Li
An illustrated book chronicling major events which led to the rise and fall of Chinese dynasties.
Buy
Tea, Fragrance and Music
Ephermeral Arts and the Formation of Scholar-artist Communities in Northern Song China
Kin Sum Li
A study on the formation of scholar-artist communities.
Buy
Ancient Salt Roads of China
Kui Zhao
The comprehensive story of the ancient Chinese salt industry.
Buy
The Friendship Store
A Memoir of 1970s China
Andy Kirkpatrick
A memoir detailing what it was like to live in China in the mid-1970s.
Buy
A Short History of China
From Early Dynastic Rule to Modern China
Alex Bugeja
A brief overview of Chinese history that helps to understand China's pivotal role in the world today.
Buy
Her Lotus Year
China, the Roaring Twenties, and the Making of Wallis Simpson
Paul French
An account of the Duchess of Windsor, Bessie Wallis Warfield's, year in China.
Buy
New Vocabularies of May Fourth Studies
Eds. Carlos Yu-kai Lin, Victor H. Mair
An introduction to new vocabularies that expand and challenge the conventional narrative of the May Fourth movement.
Buy
More Swindles from the Late Ming
Sex, Scams, and Sorcery
Zhang Yingyu (tr. Bruce Rusk, Christopher Rea)
A collection of stories of scams, trickery and fraud from a seventeenth-century Chinese writer.
Buy
Form Follows Fever
Malaria and the Construction of Hong Kong
Christopher Cowell
An in-depth account of the turbulent years of initial urban settlement and growth of colonial Hong Kong across the 1840s.
Buy
A Brief History of Chinese Imperial Porcelain
From Song Dynasty to Qing Dynasty
Chongnian Yan (tr. Yuan Zhang)
An overview of the Porcelain Road as well as an introduction to the types of Chinese porcelain.
Buy
The Politics of Medicine in China
The Policy Process, 1949-1977
David M. Lampton
An examination of changes in Chinese health care policy during the 1949-1977 period.
Buy
The Great Transformation
China’s Road from Revolution to Reform
Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian
A history tracing the causes of China's turn from the Cultural Revolution to Reform and Opening and recounting life during the period.
Buy
Emperor of the Seas
Kublai Khan and the Making of China
Jack Weatherford
A history of the technological and political accomplishments of Kublai Khan.
Buy
Shaping the Blue Dragon
Maritime China in the Ming and Qing Dynasties
Ronald C. Po
An examination of China's relationship with the maritime world from the Ming through the Qing, following the stories of ordinary and extraordinary people engaging with the blue domain.
Buy
The Origin and Evolution of China’s Names I
The Reigning Dynasties
Hu A-Xiang
A linguistic and historical two-part analysis of the development and proliferation of the different names for China across the globe.
Buy
The Origin and Evolution of China’s Names II
Domestic and Foreign Appellations
Hu A-Xiang
A linguistic and historical two-part analysis of the development and proliferation of the different names for China across the globe.
BuyRecent Society/Culture Books
Contemporary Art Cinema Culture in China
Xiang Fan
An exploration of the dynamic networks of art cinema in China in the 21st century.
Buy
Chinese Mythology
Legendary Tales of Heaven, Earth, Humanity, and Beyond
Aaron Hwang (illus. Adela Li)
An illustrated collection of Chinese myths for children.
Buy
The Politics of Language in Hong Kong
Jean-François Dupré
An investigation of the politics of language in Hong Kong from a multidisciplinary perspective, showcasing original studies on language use in protest movements, written Cantonese, language attitudes, literary creation, mass media and popular music.
Buy
The Lonely Generation
Unraveling China's Population Crisis After the One-Child Policy
Ting Wang
An exploration of China's one-child policy aiming to uncover and interlink various elements of how China's cultural and structural norms have shaped women's lives and choices in contemporary China.
Buy
Rebirth of Historical Cultural Village in China
Case Study of Wuyan Ancient Village
Guiqing Yang
An architectural analysis of traditional Chinese villages.
Buy
New Stories Told While Trimming the Wick
Qu You, Zhenjun Zhang, Sidney Sondergard, Trever McKay
A collection of English translations of classical Chinese literature ranging across three millennia and the entire Sinitic world.
Buy
The Regulation of Prostitution in China
Law in the Everyday Lives of Sex Workers, Police Officers, and Public Health Officials
Margaret L. Boittin
An exploration of prostitution in China and how it shapes the lives of those involved in it, using a case study of the role of law in everyday life and its impact on female sex workers, police officers, and public health officials.
Buy
The Origin of Chinese Cultural Genes
An Archaeological Perspective
Shengqian Chen
An exploration of the roots and development of Chinese culture.
Buy
Feminist Activism in the Post-2010s Sinosphere
Identifying Issues, Sharing Knowledge, Building Movements
Eds. Elisabeth L. Engrebretsen, Jinyan Zheng, Hongwei Bao, Jamie J. Zhao
An examination of feminist activism in Xi-era China.
Buy
The Chinese of Sukabumi
A Study of Social and Cultural Accommodation
Mely G. Tan
An exploration of the historical and contemporary experiences of the Chinese in Sukabumi, Indonesia.
Buy
Why We Celebrate Chinese New Year
Everything to Know about Your Favorite Holiday
Eugenia Chu (illus. Javiera Mac-lean)
A festive introduction to Chinese New Year for kids ages 6 to 9.
Buy
Caricatures of Hong Kong
Jason Hall
A collection of 100 cartoons in Jason Hall's style that take you to Hong Kong.
Buy
Artistic and Intellectual Practices in Contemporary China
China as an Issue
Carol Yinghua Lu
An edited volume of English translations of key lectures and essays delivered at Beijing's Inside Out Art Museum over the past decade.
Buy
Young and Restless in China
Informal Economy, Gender, and the Precariat
Xiaoshuo Hou
An exploration of the institutional and individual processes that lead to informal employment and the clustering of migrant workers in urban migrant communities.
Buy
Chinese Fantastics
A Firsthand Reflection on China in the Early Twentieth Century
Thomas Steep
A collection of stories and observations from the author's travels through China during the window between the fall of the Qing dynasty and the rise of the Communist era.
Buy
The Troublemaker
How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic
Mark L. Clifford
The story of the businessman Jimmy Lai who became one of Hong Kong's leading activists for democracy.
Buy
Farmer in Hong Kong
Captivating Images Showcasing Traditional Agriculture Scene and Daily Life In Urban Settings
John Stephenson
A photo book showcasing the essence of farming in Hong Kong, highlighting traditional techniques and modern innovations.
Buy
Travels in China
Nicolae Milescu-Spataru
A Moldovian scholar-diplomat's account of his assignment in China.
Buy
An Analysis of Class Structure in Modern China
Li Lulu, Qin Guangqiang
An analysis of the structure, nature and influence of social classes in contemporary China.
Buy
Eternal Offerings
Ancient Chinese Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Eds. Robert Bagley, Li Xueqin, Jenny F. So, Zhu Fenghan, Liu Yang
An illustrated catalog with essays showcasing the collection of ancient Chinese bronzes at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Buy
Imagined Neighbors
Visions of China in Japanese Art, ca. 1680-1980
Ed. Frank Feltens
An analysis of paintings that explore Japanese artists' relationship with China.
Buy
Discerning Buddhas
Kevin Buckelew
An overview of the weaving of Buddhist and Chinese religious traditions in Song-period China.
Buy
Chinese Medicine for the Mind
A Science-Backed Guide to Improving Mental Health with Traditional Chinese Medicine
Nina Cheng
An instructional text for utilizing traditional Chinese medicine for mental health benefits.
Buy
Hans Scharoun and China
The East Asian Depth of Neues Bauen
Liyang Ding
An overview and analysis of the connection between the German architect Hans Scharoun and China.
Buy
China Pop!
Pop Culture, Propaganda, Pacific Pop-Ups Hardcover
Sheng-mei Ma
An examination of the strains of propaganda that run through Chinese pop culture.
BuyRecent Fiction Books
The Second Journey
Joel Bigman
A Chinese-Jewish historical fantasy following the monk Xuanzang, Monkey and Pigsy on an adventure to get the Hebrew Scriptures.
Buy
Cloud Labour
Sabrina Huang (tr. Lin King)
A story set in an unspecified dystopian future in which people known as 'Proxies' are paid handsomely to remove negative emotions from their clients.
Buy
Wu River Variations
Pang Bei (tr. James Trapp)
A novel about PLA codebreakers during The Long March.
Buy
Taiwan Travelogue
A Novel
Yang Shuang-zi (tr. Lin King)
A bittersweet story of love between two women, nestled in an exploration of language, history and power.
Buy
Be Careful, Xiao Xin!
小心 小心！
Alice Pung (Il. Sher Rill Ng)
An illustrated children's story of a little boy who must learn to overcome his fears.
Buy
The Conspiracies of the Empire
A Judge Dee Investigation, 2
Qiu Xiaolong
A mystery set in ancient China, featuring the semi-fictional historical character Judge Dee.
Buy
Sunset at Lion Rock
A Novel
Matthew Wong Foreman
A novel that navigates a shifting culture on the eve of the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China.
Buy
Nothing but the Now
Seven Short Stories by Wen Zhen
Wen Zhen (tr. Dave Haysom)
A collection of of seven short stories that offer a look into various facets of contemporary life in China.
Buy
The Choice
Zhang Ping (tr. James Trapp)
A novel of corruption and deceit set in a Chinese manufacturing town.
Buy
Masquerade
A Novel
Mike Fu
A queer coming-of-age mystery about a lovelorn bartender and his complex friendship with a volatile artist.
Buy
Hutong Heartthrobs
How an American Academic and a Chinese Migrant Worker Found Love in Beijing's Alleyways
Tammy Treichel
A story about an American academic and a Chinese migrant worker who find love in Beijing.
Buy
Faces in the Crowd
54 Extraordinary Tales of Tianjin
Feng Jicai
A collection of 54 short stories set in Tianjin at the time of the Boxer Rebellion.
Buy
Fate Rewritten
Dong Xi (tr. John Balcom)
A novel following the journey of a top student struggling to escape his humble roots and break into the upper echelons of Chinese society.
Buy
Shan Song Xiao
English Edition
Xifu (tr. Jane Li, Paul Royster)
An English translation of Xifu's novel about three generations of daughters over the past century, traveling from a rural village in northeast China to an overcrowded urban metropolis.
Buy
The Good Women Of Fudi
Liu Hong
A novel of loves lost and gained, set during the aftermath of the Opium Wars.
Buy
The Unfilial
Four Tragic Tales from Modern China
Yao Emei (tr. Honey Watson, Martin Ward, Olivia Milburn, Will Spence)
Four short stories shining a light on the crumbling foundations of the Chinese family unit.
Buy
Sinophagia
A Celebration of Chinese Horror
Ed./Tr. Xueting Christine Ni
An anthology of chilling tales from contemporary China, translated into English for the very first time.
Buy
Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue
A Literary Translation of the First Chinese Novel, Wu Yue Chunqiu
Olivia Anna Rovsing Milburn
A new translation of the oldest surviving novel written in the Chinese language.
Buy
The Phoenix and the Firebird
Alexis Kossiakoff, Scott Forbes Crawford
A young adult fantasy novel set in warlord-era China.
Buy
Love Becomes Her
A Fable for the Ages
Yun Rou
A magical-realist depiction of Lao Tzu as a legendary figure in search of a soulmate.
Buy
A Trip to China and Taiwan
Discovering Ancient Wonders and Modern Marvels in the Heart of Asia
Bulat Hametov, Aroosha Saeed
A children's tale whisking young readers away to China and Taiwan.
Buy
The Logoharp
A Cyborg Novel of China and America in the Year 2121
Arielle Emmett
A science fiction story of a Chinese journalist who can see the future.
Buy
Murder in the Maloo
Paul Bevan
A murder mystery unfolding in the gritty underworld of nineteenth-century Shanghai.
Buy
The Barter Trade
A Novel
Chris Ruffle
A Le Carre-esque drama of love and espionage in 1980s China.
Buy