Kynge describes the breakneck rise of China, the extraordinary problems the country now faces, and the consequences of both.
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reviews
Jan 20, 2012
Henk-Jan
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James Kynge werkte ruim 19 jaar in Azië voor de Financial Times, waarvan hij in totaal 12 jaar in China woonde en werkte, voordat hij zijn impressies en visie op China in het boek China zet de wereld op z'n kop verwoordde.[return][return]De onstuimige economische groei van de laatste decennia, de verstedelijking en de invloed van China op gevestigde en verouderende industrieën in het westen spreken tot de verbeelding, maar roepen ook vragen op. Hoe speelt het land het klaar om - hoewel afscheid
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Oct 22, 2009
Sidra
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If you are interested in China and it's inner workings, or why it has becomes the world industrial zone, and what this means for America's future (since our country now owes them a lot of money!), then this is a great read. The author is a British journalist who has lived in China since studying at Beijing University in the 1980's, so he has seen how China has gone from 19th century to the 21st century in less than 30 years. I loved the whole book, but a part at the end reminded me of living in
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Jul 25, 2010
Mary
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I'm afraid that I find this book a little hard to measure, as I am unused to reading anything written about China from an external perspective. While an alternative view is, of course, necessary, I cannot help but feel that there are very few people qualified to write about China. To write about China is to understand an incredibly complex country and its people.
James Kynge definitely makes an admirable effort, but the tone of the books is, at times, skewed and has a tendency to veer More...
James Kynge definitely makes an admirable effort, but the tone of the books is, at times, skewed and has a tendency to veer More...
Jul 28, 2011
kacie
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I really liked this one. Sure, Kynge is a journalist, not an academic, so this book may be more along the lines of something written by Peter Hessler -- they both have lived and reported in China, and both communicate well enough in Chinese to be able to have amazing experiences and conversations with all kinds of different people.
I liked this book because Kynge included a little of everything: reports from within China and around the world, a wide range of anecdotes, historical fa More...
I liked this book because Kynge included a little of everything: reports from within China and around the world, a wide range of anecdotes, historical fa More...
Mar 05, 2010
Matthew
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This review will probably say more about the reviewer (me) than about the book (most reviews probably do, if less blatantly). I felt compelled, disgusted, proud, in turn, yet in ways that are interesting if perhaps not quite unexpected -- rather, I feel like Kynge's writing so neatly synthesizes and brings to life a lot of what I already subsconsciously gleaned about China from years of living in Singapore (that red dot some mistake as part of China), that I find myself reacting in vaguely famil
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Mar 22, 2010
Guy
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Interesting, definitely. Entertaining, very. Eye-opening, in part (but if you don't know much about modern China, then probably extremely so). Profound... ah, well that's the problem. Kynge is a journalist. A good journalist who thinks about his subject and tries to go beyond the surface, but he is not an academic or, at least upon the evidence of this book, a deep thinker. As a result I was left with the feeling that I often have after reading articles in the Economist or the Atlantic Mon
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Jun 01, 2008
Eveline
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Really, really, really great, lively book with lots of engaging anecdotes and real-life examples to make all his points fun to read. It pulled a lot of sort of fragmented knowledge I had about business and economic issues in China into a more comprehensive picture. In particular there's this one section where he talks about the paradox of China trying to be communist & capitalist at the same time, and I found the way he explained it to be a really useful way of looking at the situation. I shall
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Apr 14, 2010
Phillip
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A book that combines both history, economic and social, and anecdotes from the author's years spent in China. James Kynge writes well and his knowledge of the country is both impressive and diverse. Despite this fact, for nebulous reasons I am having difficulty articulating, this book wasn't as satisfying as I was expecting. While the author's style is consistent, I found my interest wavering from one chapter to another, and struggling to find the interest to finish the book (though I did in
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Nov 26, 2007
Mike
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Written by the former China bureau chief of the Financial Times, this book is filled with well researched information. It talks about the recent history of China, including its incredible pace of development, extremely serious environmental problems, how a significant percentage of its economy is underground and how pervasive corruption is, and why China can be so competitive in so many markets.
This book will help you understand how important oil is becoming, and I am more concer More...
This book will help you understand how important oil is becoming, and I am more concer More...
Nov 14, 2010
Mccartjt
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A great read although it was written in 2004-5 and published slightly later. Even as its material was dated, it is still interesting to understand where the US is today vis a vis the Chinese export machine. Kynge explains how the Chinese have entered the 21st century and their devil may care attitude regarding Sino/US currency exchange rate policy.
Prior to reading this book I didn't know how ignorant I was regarding the sleeping monster, AKA China and their export prowess. I am now More...
Prior to reading this book I didn't know how ignorant I was regarding the sleeping monster, AKA China and their export prowess. I am now More...
Feb 08, 2010
Josh
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sounds like another cheesy business book, and in some ways it is, but it's wonderfully written and all i had to do was read the first chapter and i was hooked. don't want to ruin it but a chinese steel company buys a germany factory, takes it apart, ships it, and rebuilds it one bolt at a time. as my dad says 'many hands make light work' which is good for china.
Aug 18, 2008
Erin
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I learned a lot from this book, though I am not certain whether that is due to its inherent informational powers, or to my total blank slate of ignorance about the topic. On the one hand, reading this has fostered my sympathy towards Chinese workers -- a minimum wage job at McDonalds is a pretty sweet deal compared to what those guys have to put up with on an 18-hour-a-day-7-day-a-week basis. On the other hand, I also have a deeper understanding of why European and American companies are outsou
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Dec 12, 2009
Emily
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Really interesting book on modern China and the implications for its future if it continues on the path that it has. Gives real insight into many of China's economic and social problems from the perspective of a British journalist living in China for more than 25 years.
May 17, 2011
Kris
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An interesting book, terrible cover aside. The writing is great, it was surprisingly hard to put down, and it made a few clever points, but the overall picture wasn’t especially groundbreaking. A few of the chapters also meandered away from the point; the chapter on China’s lack of social cohesion somehow ended up talking about a case study of entrepreneurial success and advances in education policy. Still, worth a read.
Mar 08, 2010
Banayak yang bisa diambil hikmahnya, bahwa semuanya berawal dari satu langkah. gak ada yang instan.
dan gak bingung lagi, napa produk cina bisa murah dan mendunia
dan gak bingung lagi, napa produk cina bisa murah dan mendunia
Aug 06, 2011
great narration with convincing anecdotes, however it is a bit light on statistics and detailed argument, a fast and informative read
Jul 29, 2010
Sg
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This book had revealed me some knowledge. Global strategies. Many facts which we didn't know as civilians. Thanks to James Kynge.
Nov 19, 2007
Jenny
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This book offers an excellent introduction to present-day China. Kynge provides enough historical background to give the current economic, environmental, and political situations context, but not so much as to bog the reader down. The personal narratives and company histories make the bigger picture more understandable and interesting. Many of the issues raised in the last chapter, including Taiwan and Darfur, could have received even more coverage--but don't let that stop you from reading th
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Jul 07, 2008
Ben
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This is a cursory look at the current state of China, it's relationship to the rest of the world, and the problems and opportunities provided by it's emergence. The book provides information about a wide range of topics, and so is good for someone who isn't an expert.
The author uses a good mix of anecdotes and larger examinations of China. It helps a great deal that the author has lived in China for over twenty years, and speaks Chinese, allowing him to both understand the situat More...
The author uses a good mix of anecdotes and larger examinations of China. It helps a great deal that the author has lived in China for over twenty years, and speaks Chinese, allowing him to both understand the situat More...
Apr 12, 2009
Mang
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It shows something beyond the view of history made by KMT and CCP. I love the part of the country life.
Jul 18, 2009
Matthew
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Since living in Beijing (2003-05), I've become obsessed with China. I read everything I can get my hands on. The strange thing about James Kynge's book, is that it neatly chimes with many of my observations and feeling about about China's rise. His style is anecdotal yet informative. It's easy to read, carefully researched, gently opinionated, and illuminating. A highly recommended introduction to anyone who wants to understand the impact of China's rise more fully.
Dec 28, 2009
Dane
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Bringing back the nostalgia of what it was like to be in China, while providing an outlook of how China, its economy, and its politics will have a considerable impact on the world in the years to come.
Feb 03, 2009
Kay
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The man at Metro Books who's a real reader recommended this to me--said he couldn't put it down. Well, I have found it easy to put down and am only about halfway through......hmmmm. It is worth reading, though. His paean to the Three Gorges Dam was interesting to read before I went to see "Up the Yangtze" which was a film that was packed here in Anchorage, though I cannot figure out why. Anyhow, I was glad to see it and get two sides to the Three Gorges story.
Nov 08, 2008
Buyung
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David Kynge menceritakan kebangkitan Cina dalam narasi yang enak untuk dibaca dan dipahami. Buku ini mampu membuka wawasan kita mengenai latar belakang historis dan sosial Cina dan efeknya terhadap dunia.
Satu kekurangan yang menurut saya cukup fatal dari buku ini adalah David Kynge tidak memperhitungkan kekuatan pendidikan dalam sosial masyarakat Cina.
Satu kekurangan yang menurut saya cukup fatal dari buku ini adalah David Kynge tidak memperhitungkan kekuatan pendidikan dalam sosial masyarakat Cina.
Mar 24, 2008
ben
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This book freaked me out. China is going to be a huge, huge problem for a lot of reasons.
The anecdotes were poignant and well chosen but I felt like a lot of the chapters were pretty inconclusive and could have gone into a lot more depth. Maybe this book is more for CEOs than academics though.
It's like Thomas Friedman but a lot less optimistic.
The anecdotes were poignant and well chosen but I felt like a lot of the chapters were pretty inconclusive and could have gone into a lot more depth. Maybe this book is more for CEOs than academics though.
It's like Thomas Friedman but a lot less optimistic.
Sep 18, 2011
James
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The most interesting parts of this book are the personal account Kynge recorded in order to document China's rise in economic power and international status. His analyses are a tad cliche though. Recommended.
Jul 18, 2007
Kristen
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The author was the former FT Beijing bureau chief and I have enjoyed his writing for a long time. He travels both East and West in researching this book and I think it is a good introduction to both the stregnth and weaknesses of China's economy. He is a very good, concise writer.
