This was a clear and detailed look at Chinese history! It did a great job summarizing the big moments, but not glossing over any major details. There was a lot in the book, and I think if I didn't have a base knowledge of Chinese history it might have been overwhelming. But overall, well done and I learned a lot, and I can't wait to share with my high school students.

I'm so grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

A thoroughly researched & thoughtfully explained history of China.
Great for anyone who wants to swiftly catch up on centuries and learn more about the world!
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Shortest History of China is a comprehensive and easy-to-read beginners guide to Chinese history. Well written and short for simple absorption. A great gateway read for anyone interested in Chinese history.

Well written and informative, The Shortest History of China is a valuable resource for students, travelers, and Americans in particular. It provides explanation of how the Chinese culture developed and how that affects world society today.

This book had a lot of information in a small amount of pages. I learned a lot about the history of China from reading this. I would recommend this book to people interested in learn about Chinese history, as well as history in general.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this!

This is exactly what we need right now... a well-written, concise (meaning hopefully more people will read it!) history of the most important country to understand now. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS! You will learn what you need to know to understand why China does what China does.

Well-done. Buying copies for my Staff. The author nailed it.

What a blessing this concise, readable history is for my students. I teach AP World History to high school sophomores and China is always a daunting task. Enter The Shortest History of China. In fifteen relatively brief chapters, the author present thousands of years of history they would have feared learning. This will serve nicely as a Fall Break reading assignment that won't seem punitive! I was lucky enough to get an advanced readers copy and was able to build it into this year’s curriculum. Thanks, #Netgalley and @experimentbooks for making this high school teacher's life a little easier!

China has definitely been frequently in the news lately. If you are curious about the world’s longest written history, you could spend an eternity reading books about the various dynasties. Or you can read The Shortest History of China in an afternoon and understand our number one trade partner’s history in a flash.

Beginning about 780,000 years ago and continuing to 2020, The Shortest History of China at 252 pages is amazingly compact for packing in so many details. Some of the eras depicted are sure to incite further research. Overall, a fast and easy way to learn about China and how it became the megapower it is today. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Thanks to The Experiment and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I learned so much about China reading this.I recommend for anyone interested in China

China's history spans tumultuous centuries. It includes periods of great cultural and scientific advancement interspersed with eras of unspeakable violence and wanton cruelty. It's simply not possible to condense 3,500 years of recorded history into under 300 pages, but Jaivin does her level best. The breakneck speed (Confucius himself merits only three pages) does slow somewhat as it nears the modern day: 1900 to the present is allotted a third of the book. The compressed time frame makes the historical cycles and cultural through lines quite noticeable. Very readable and it does just what it says on the tin.

Lives up to its name: Short but highly informative

I love this book. I like the writing style with its clarity and conversational tone. Considering the time span and magnitude of the subject matter, there is an astonishing depth of information in what is actually a relatively concise book Obviously, Linda Jaivin couldn’t go into a lot of details, but I feel like she covered all the major ones. I also found that each era was treated equally with no undue emphasis on one or another. The book is fast-paced and impossible to put down, yet it doesn’t feel rushed. This is a great introductory book for anyone interested in the history of China and for people who want to better understand China’s current role in the world. Thank you to Netgalley and The Experiment for the advance reader copy.

A wonderfully written introduction to Chinese history, helpful for orienting those completely unfamiliar with the area