A roundup of some of the most interesting new or recently reissued China books:
Beijing Blur: A head-spinning journey into modern China by James West#
"This flamboyant portrait of the Chinese capital was written by James West, an Australian journalist who ended up inside the Great Walls because of work. He chronicled his days in Beijing with a narration somehow as if they were all blog entries, this book putting you right in the middle of Chinese society more than anything else. It is funny without being obvious, and witty with just the correct amount of cynicism." (BlogCritics)
Luxury China: Market Opportunities and Potential by Pierre Xiao Lu and Michel Chevalier#
"Illustrated with concrete business cases in different product categories such as high fashion, leather goods, watches, spirits and wines, Luxury China analyzes the current market and its possible future...Luxury China will be a useful reference tool for practitioners and students interested in luxury brand management and markets." (China Daily)
China Counting: How the West Was Lost#
by Alex Mackinnon and Barnaby Powell#
"Chinese business decisions are dependent on international and domestic forces, reflecting our corporate focus on facilitating hybrid strategies. China Counting, in extending the arguments made in China Calling, emphasises the need for constructive engagement. As a help for those dealing with Chinese global expansion both books make thought- provoking reading." (Amazon)
An Australian In China#
by G .E. Morrison#
"Australian-born foreign correspondent George Ernest Morrison (1862-1920) became a legend in his lifetime for his brilliant dispatches from Peking, published in he Times, and for his unique influence on the course of Chinese diplomacy. When Morrison first arrived in China in 1894, he set out on what he described as "a quiet journey across China to Burma". Dressed as a Chinese and engaging guides and servants as needed, he travelled by riverboat, sedan chair, mule, pony, and mostly on foot, across the largely unexplored terrain. In this book, Morrison describes his journey with the same vivid and precise vision that would later make him world-famous."
In China, My name is...#
by Valerie Blanco and Ellen Feberwee#
"In China, My name is...” introduces the reader to dozens of Chinese people and their reasons for selecting their English name. Apple, Henry, Molly, Phoenix and Zat are among the nearly 200 names—some deeply personal, some random, some humorous—discussed in the small-format, 176-page book." (Book website)
Learning From Hangzhou#
by Mathieu Borysevicz#
"Mathieu Borysevicz has put together an impressive photographic collection in Learning from Hangzhou (which has previously been featured on the Wall Street Journal’s China blog)." (The China Beat)
Amazon link