Books like Beijing
Loved Beijing by Robert Storey? Here are 8 books with the same pull, and why each one fits.
About Beijing →8 books
- 1River Town

River Town
Peter HesslerA close, first-hand account of life in a small Chinese city in the 1990s, written by a foreign resident.
- 2Oracle Bones

Oracle Bones
Peter HesslerA nonfiction account of travel through China that connects everyday scenes with the country's history.
- 3Wild Grass

Wild Grass
Ian JohnsonReported portraits of ordinary people in China, showing how daily life in the cities has changed.
- 4The Search for Modern China

The Search for Modern China
Jonathan D. SpenceA broad history of China from the late Ming period onward, useful background for anyone visiting its capital.
- 5Hong Kong

Hong Kong
Jan MorrisA city portrait that mixes history, place and personal observation, an approach that goes beyond practical guidance.
- 6Venice.

Venice.
Jan MorrisA city book that interprets a place through its history and atmosphere, rather than listing sights alone.
- 7The Man Who Loved China

The Man Who Loved China
Simon WinchesterA narrative about China's history and culture that draws readers into its past through one remarkable life.
- 8Iron & Silk

Iron & Silk
Mark SalzmanA memoir of an American living and teaching in China in the 1980s, with a close view of daily life there.
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