It covers the period 1600 to 1989.[1] According to Spence, the goal was to explain how Modern China was created rather than writing about Modern China directly.[2] Spence stated that he chose 1600 as the starting point so he could "get a full sense of how China's current problems have arisen, and of what resources[...]the Chinese can call upon to solve them."[3]
Theresa Munford in Far Eastern Economic Review, described it as "more of a textbook" than The Gate of Heavenly Peace, which she described as lighter reading.[4]
There is one further reading list per chapter, and the book has some footnotes. She stated the items of photography "are refreshingly different from the ones that are normally reproduced in Chinese history books", "especially the black and white" ones.[4] There are 49 maps and 49 tables.[5]
Very little hanzi are in the book. According to Munford, the ones there "are so poorly printed as to hardly be legible."[4]
Frank Ching stated "This is by no means a book that can be read in one sitting."[6]
Receptionedit
George Jochnowitz of National Review wrote that the book had been "highly praised"; Jochnowitz added that he felt this was "deservedly so", citing the "relaxed and natural style" and "fascinating information".[7]
Munford praised how the book is "well-designed".[4]
Vera Schwarcz of The New York Times wrote that the book was "excellent" and praised its "thematic focus", "wealth of illustrations", and "narrative technique" that she stated were not present in other books.[1]
Frank Ching stated that of Spence's works, this was "the most ambitious".[6]
Arif Dirlik described the book's writing style as an "easy fluency that makes it accessible to the nonspecialist reader."[8]
Referencesedit
^ abSchwarcz, Vera (1990-05-13). "CHINA: THE HARD ROAD TO NOW". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
^ abChing, Frank (1990-05-27). "China's Quest for China : THE SEARCH FOR MODERN CHINA by Jonathan D. Spence (W.W. Norton: $29.95; 876 pp.,illustrated; 0-393-02708-2)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
Ching, Frank (1990). "Reviewed work: The Search for Modern China, Jonathan D. Spence". Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 30: 336–339. JSTOR 23889775.
Dirlik, Arif (1992). "Sisyphus in China". Transition (55): 94–104. doi:10.2307/2934853. JSTOR 2934853.
search, modern, china, 1990, fiction, book, jonathan, spence, published, century, hutchinson, norton, company, covers, period, 1600, 1989, according, spence, goal, explain, modern, china, created, rather, than, writing, about, modern, china, directly, spence, . The Search for Modern China is a 1990 non fiction book by Jonathan D Spence published by Century Hutchinson and W W Norton amp Company It covers the period 1600 to 1989 1 According to Spence the goal was to explain how Modern China was created rather than writing about Modern China directly 2 Spence stated that he chose 1600 as the starting point so he could get a full sense of how China s current problems have arisen and of what resources the Chinese can call upon to solve them 3 Theresa Munford in Far Eastern Economic Review described it as more of a textbook than The Gate of Heavenly Peace which she described as lighter reading 4 Contents 1 Contents 2 Reception 3 References 4 Notes 5 Further reading 6 External linksContents editThe total page count is 876 5 There is one further reading list per chapter and the book has some footnotes She stated the items of photography are refreshingly different from the ones that are normally reproduced in Chinese history books especially the black and white ones 4 There are 49 maps and 49 tables 5 Very little hanzi are in the book According to Munford the ones there are so poorly printed as to hardly be legible 4 Frank Ching stated This is by no means a book that can be read in one sitting 6 Reception editGeorge Jochnowitz of National Review wrote that the book had been highly praised Jochnowitz added that he felt this was deservedly so citing the relaxed and natural style and fascinating information 7 Munford praised how the book is well designed 4 Vera Schwarcz of The New York Times wrote that the book was excellent and praised its thematic focus wealth of illustrations and narrative technique that she stated were not present in other books 1 Frank Ching stated that of Spence s works this was the most ambitious 6 Arif Dirlik described the book s writing style as an easy fluency that makes it accessible to the nonspecialist reader 8 References edit a b Schwarcz Vera 1990 05 13 CHINA THE HARD ROAD TO NOW The New York Times Retrieved 2022 08 16 Ching p 336 Spence ISBN 9780393307801 p xx a b c d Munford Theresa 1990 10 18 From Ming to Mao Far Eastern Economic Review Vol 150 no 42 Hong Kong p 42 ProQuest 208179377 a b Ching Frank 1990 05 27 China s Quest for China THE SEARCH FOR MODERN CHINAby Jonathan D Spence W W Norton 29 95 876 pp illustrated 0 393 02708 2 Los Angeles Times Retrieved 2022 09 13 a b Ching p 337 Jochnowitz p 43 Dirlik p 94 Notes editChing Frank 1990 Reviewed work The Search for Modern China Jonathan D Spence Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 30 336 339 JSTOR 23889775 Dirlik Arif 1992 Sisyphus in China Transition 55 94 104 doi 10 2307 2934853 JSTOR 2934853 Jochnowitz George 1990 08 06 Read China National Review Vol 42 no 15 New York City p 43 ProQuest 229616121 Further reading editRuel Susan 1990 Book Reviews The Search for Modern China The American Spectator 23 12 52 External links editThe Search for Modern China Spence Jonathan D Jonathan Spence D 1990 The Search for Modern China ISBN 9780393027082 via Internet Archive nbsp This article about a China related book is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Search for Modern China amp oldid 1185992807, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
