Rating: 
Summary: Interesting enough for the beach, enough data for a class
Review: Though assigned as a textbook, I poured over every line of text. It is deeply engrossing, and I re-read it every few years. It is fair and in-depth, with a style that is not obtuse and dry, but highly engaging.
Rating:
Summary: Word to the bitter: it's a great book
Review: Unfortunately, some of my Yale brethren are unhappy with Mr. Spence's fabulous book. Well, it's their loss. The book offers wonderful insights into China and its history, revealing the deeper patters that underlie the eras of China's diverse leaders, from Kangxi to Mao. Read it. Love it.
Rating:
Summary: A magnet for the eyes
Review: War, revolution, drama, triumphs and defeats: It's all here in this 800+ page book. Spence, a scholar with unquestionable competence, does a great job detailing the struggle of a nation trying to claim its place in the modern world. From the conquest of the Manchus to the dominance of Western powers, from the fall of the last imperial dynasty to the birth of a republic, and from the tragedy of Tiananmen to the promise of a better future, the reader gets a sense of history unfolding before his own eyes. The beautiful photographs and illustrations included brings the reader even closer to being a witness of history
Rating: 
Summary: Pure Junk for the Junkie Mind
Review: Well, the title of my review has said it all about the book, so I won't repeat it here.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, readable introduction
Review: When I started studying Chinese, I wanted a book that would give me some background on Chinese history. I asked several experts in Chinese history, and they recommended this book. I'm grateful they did. Though long, it held my interest throughout. After all, no matter how good a history book is, if you don't read it, you won't learn a thing. Though it sometimes goes off on tangents that seem a bit superfluous, overall it's a tightly written book that will really help you explore an interest in Chinese history.
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