Are there any good "grand histories" of China?

by lcnielsen

Basically, I'm looking for one or a few "big books" that cover most or all of recorded Chinese history. Are there any good such works?

Spiritof454

Well I'm not sure what exactly you're looking for. Chinese historian, like European or Middle Eastern history is very, very long. I can't think of a book off the top of my head that covers "all" of British history for example. Perhaps you could specify what era or topic you want to learn about and I could recommend something?

Here are some of my favorite books on Chinese history:

Mao's China and After by Mauric Meisner, probably the best book for undergrads who want to learn more about the Maoist and Deng periods.

Empire of Great Brightness: Visual and Material Cultures of Ming China, 1368-1644 by Craig Clunas, a really interesting book on the material culture of the Ming Empire.

Empire of Emptiness: Buddhist Art and Political Authority in Qing China, by Patricia Berger. A great book on Art and material culture in the Qing Empire. The Clunas and Berger books are great for understanding the logic behind rule and authority. As for facts and straight up timelines, not so much.

Soulstealers, The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768 by Philip Kuhn. This might be my favorite Chinese history book. It's an absolute pleasure to read.

I really wish I could reccomend something more in line with what you're looking for. There are books that attempt to be a "complete history of China," but as I haven't read them I can't really attest to their quality.