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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Discerning Buddhas
Kevin Buckelew
An overview of the weaving of Buddhist and Chinese religious traditions in Song-period China.
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
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
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.
BuyRecent Politics Books
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
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
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
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.
Buy
The Book of Politics
China in Theory
Michael Dutton
A theory of politics that seeks to transcend the traditional antagonistic notions of friend and enemy, drawing on Chinese and Western political thought.
Buy
On Xi Jinping
How Xi's Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World
Kevin Rudd
An analysis of how Xi Jinping's political philosophy, 'Marxist-Leninist nationalism,' differs from that of his predecessors and shapes modern China.
Buy
Manipulating Authoritarian Citizenship
Security, Development, and Local Membership in China
Samantha A. Vortherms
An examination of how autocrats use institutions to create particularistic membership in citizenship in China.
Buy
Taiwan and the Cause of Democratization in China
Inspiration and Support
Chen Jie
An overview of the importance and declining agency of Taiwan in Chinese politics.
Buy
Beyond Power Transitions
The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations
David Kang, Xinyu Ma
An examination of the labor politics of the Chinese working class.
Buy
Community Governance in China
History and Reality (China Perspectives)
Wu Xiaolin
An analysis of historical and modern approaches to community governance in China.
Buy
Geopolitics and China’s Patronage Strategy
The Wary Patron, the Autonomous Client, and the Vietnam War
Dalton Lin
An analysis of how geopolitical circumstances lead China to adjust its regional resource patronage strategies.
Buy
In Search of Admiration and Respect
Chinese Cultural Diplomacy in the United States, 1875-1974
Yanqiu Zheng
An examination of the institutionalization of Chinese cultural diplomacy in the period between high imperialism and the international ascendance of the People's Republic of China.
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
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
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
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
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.
Buy
The Conscience of the Party
Hu Yaobang, China's Communist Reformer
Robert L. Suettinger
A biography of the Chinese Communist Party's most avid reformer and its general secretary for a part of the 1980s.
Buy
A Catalog of Benevolent Items
Li Shizhen's Compendium of Classical Chinese Knowledge
Li Shizhen (tr. Paul U. Unschuld)
A distillation of 10 volumes, 4 dictionaries, and 1,800 years of knowledge into an introduction to the Ben cao gang mu, an encyclopedia of natural history and medicine published in China in 1593.
Buy
My Grandfather Duan Qirui and the Review and Reflection of the Century
Naihui Zhang, William Chang, David J Liu
A biography of former Beiyang Army commander and leader of the Republic of China Duan Qirui.
Buy
Media and Truth
French Media and the Depiction of China
Maxime Vivas
A picture of China drawn from the perspective of the French media and France's political class.
Buy
China and the Palestinian Organizations
1964-1971
Shai Har-El
An exploration of the relations between China and the Palestinian organizations and their development during the period between 1964 and 1971.
Buy
Not Just a Man’s War
Chinese Women's Memories of the War of Resistance against Japan, 1931-45
Yihong Pan
A look at the stories of ordinary Chinese women during WWII, told through interviews, published reminiscences and oral histories.
BuyRecent Society/Culture Books
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Queer Literature in the Sinosphere
Eds. Hongwei Bao, Yahia Zhengtang Ma, Jamie J. Zhao
An English-language study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer themed literature and culture in the Chinese-speaking world.
Buy
‘Unruly’ Children
Historical Fieldnotes and Learning Morality in a Taiwan Village
Jing Xu
An exploration of morality through fieldwork conducted by anthropologists in a martial law era Taiwanese village.
Buy
At the Jincheng Hotel
Drawings from China
K.G. Subramanyan
An exploration of China's cities, small towns and villages, highlighting landscapes and everyday life.
Buy
The China Business Conundrum
Ensure that "Win-Win" Doesn't Mean Western Companies Lose Twice
Ken Wilcox
An account of the struggles and surprises when forming a financial joint venture with China.
Buy
From Click to Boom
The Political Economy of E-Commerce in China
Lizhi Liu
An explanation of how states guide institutional development through outsourcing, focusing on how China developed its e-commerce market.
Buy
Take Charge of Your Own Ageing
Growing Old in Hong Kong
Jean Woo
A look at the diverse array of challenges associated with the elderly population in Hong Kong society.
Buy
The Man Who Loved Dragons
My China Curios and the Gates of Dreams
Trevor Hay
An exploration of the author's China curios, both the tangible and the intangible.
Buy
The Everything Hong Kong Cookbook
Simple Hong Kong Recipes from Street Food to Family Dinners
Chality Wright
A cookbook with recipes ranging from street food snacks to fancy restaurant meals.
Buy
The History and Compilation of Zhang Zhongjing’s Wu Zang Lun
Five Viscera Theory
Qiang Cao, Yun Xiao
The collected Treatise on the Five Zang Organs by historical acupuncture practicioner Zhang Zhongjing.
Buy
Elegies for Empire
A Poetics of Memory in the Late Work of Du Fu
Gregory M. Patterson
A mapping of a poetics of memory in the poems of Du Fu, from his prolific period of residence in Kuizhou.
Buy
The Girl Who Dreamed
A Hong Kong Memoir of Triumph Against the Odds
Sonia Leung
A memoir from Sonia Leung's childhood in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Buy
Trans-Generational Trauma After the Chinese Cultural Revolution
Transforming Wounds into Work Across Three Generations
Yao Lin
A psychoanalytic examination of the trauma caused by the Cultural Revolution and how it has passed between generations.
Buy
Fighting Stars
Stardom and Reception in Hong Kong Martial Arts Cinema
Kyle Barrowman, Mark Gallagher, Yiman Wang
An examination of martial arts film stars and how they can be used to analyze the cultural significance of the 20th century Hong Kong film industry.
BuyRecent Fiction Books
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
The Night Ends with Fire
K.X. Song
A fantasy adventure inspired by the legend of Mulan that follows a young woman determined to choose her own destiny.
Buy