Informative headnotes accompany the selections, helping readers with unfamiliar names, places, and events. With a chapter organization mirroring that of The Search for Modern China, this collection is the perfect supplement, providing a first-hand look at the modern Chinese society.
When it comes to school textbooks I hope the rest of mine are like this book. It's very informative, enjoyable an gives a solid second hand perspective on early 20th century China and how the country we know now became to be.
Will not fully covering each event to the best of its abilities it still gives you a great overview of the whole picture of what was going on in China and why. Which I found perfect as I was able to broaden my knowledge and understanding of the current events and if I wanted specific perspectives on different events I have a Launchpad of what era I need to start from to go do that research
Textbook for a course on Modern Chinese history, focusing on the question "is China modern?". Spence asks this question time and again. Through supplying ample historical and textual evidence, he forces the reader to come up with an answer - one that is never completely a yes or no, for each of the different stages he explores in this work. Also, the professor teaching the course could have something to do with this feeling.
Provides a great collection of primary source documents from 20th century Chinese history, with brief introductions to each document. Very informative book for those interested in studying actual documents from the place and time period.