Modern Chinese History: Revised and Expanded Second Edition

David Kenley’s Modern Chinese History is a great introductory text to understanding China’s history for the last several centuries. Kenley wove together economic, political, cultural, and religious history into a short, cohesive, and thoroughly approachable book. As an ELA/Social Studies educator, this was a nice introductory resource for me. I highly recommend this book for those interested in acquiring a basic understanding of contemporary China and recent history. With such a large swath of history covered in such a short book, many of the nuances and details are lost. Regardless, Modern Chinese History is a great starting point for investigating and understanding Chinese history.

The author David Kenley has taken the complicated story of Chinese history from the beginning of the Qing dynasty to current times with finesse. He shares content on government, diplomatic relations, history and key individuals that shaped China. Worth the read and a great resource.