Every school and public library should update its resources on China with this engagingly written and succinct narrative history of China from prehistoric times to 2000. The world's oldest continuing civilization, China's technological, cultural, and philosophical developments have influenced the world throughout its long history. Wright, an expert on China, has written a fascinating history that not only makes the complex history of China clear to the reader, but weaves into each era of that history the thematic strands of diplomatic, cultural, and technological history.

Following a timeline of historical events, the narrative begins with a discussion of geography, government, and population. In successive chapters the chronological narrative covers China's early history, pre-imperial China, early imperial China, middle and late imperial China, the tumultuous 19th century, revolution and republic, the creation of the People's Republic to Mao's death, Deng's China, and China in the 1990s. The work closes with a discussion of China's challenges in the 21st century-overpopulation, a graying population, and economic development. Brief biographical sketches of notable people in the history of China, a chronological list of Chinese dynasties, a glossary, and a bibliographic essay of recommended books for further reading add reference value to the history.