(no subject)

[coraa]

For a Sekrit Project, I'm looking for books about Chinese history and culture. Non-fiction, please, and I know embarrassingly little -- pretty much nothing, really, so I'm going to need to start with overviews.

I realize that this is sort of like saying: "Recommend me books about Science!" in terms of scope -- China is huge and diverse and has a long recorded history, and I feel like I'm trying to scale a glacier -- but I need to start somewhere, and right now I don't know enough to know how to narrow down yet, if you understand my meaning. The books don't have to all be General Overview; since I'm generally mildly suspicious of survey books, I'd actually rather read a diverse spread of reasonably accessible books on specific topics. (By 'accessible' I mean 'don't assume a ton of prior knowledge of the subject;' I'm willing and able to wade through academic-speak. I'm also not embarrassed to read children's books, as long as they're reasonably accurate.)

Doesn't have to be all history, either. Books about modern society and culture are also welcome.

I know so little about China, it's embarrassing, but I'm trying to correct that!

Comments

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

Well you could always read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, but i'm sure jmpava has already suggested that :)

Depending on which version you get it problem falls somewhere between King Arthur and Robin Hood as far as actual history goes. Or perhaps it's better to say that it's rather more historical than Robin Hood, but it has some mythical King Arthur-like elements thrown in. (But of the Chinese rather than European variety of course.)

Other than that, uh, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_history ? ;)

[coraa.livejournal.com]

I definitely intend to read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, yes. :D