Grand unified books thread

[jimmy olsen]

Anyone have a good book on Chinese history, particularly the Yuan, Ming, and/or Qing Dynasties? I'm looking for something of a general history, though with a focus on the political and military aspects (i.e., struggles within and without), and cultural/economic aspects (trade, how people made their living). And nothing dry or academic - I don't want to be put to sleep.

Naturally, any recommendations that don't fit all of the above are welcome. I don't expect to find something that fits exactly what I'm looking for.

Bob, I pmed you 4 times last week, where you been?

[Ed Anger]

Anyone have a good book on Chinese history, particularly the Yuan, Ming, and/or Qing Dynasties? I'm looking for something of a general history, though with a focus on the political and military aspects (i.e., struggles within and without), and cultural/economic aspects (trade, how people made their living). And nothing dry or academic - I don't want to be put to sleep.

Naturally, any recommendations that don't fit all of the above are welcome. I don't expect to find something that fits exactly what I'm looking for.

Chariot by Cotterell has some bits on the battles in the Spring and Autumn periods of Chinese history. I wouldn't pay more than the penny used you can get it for however. Plus there isn't a whole lot on China as it covers China, India, Egypt and the Hittites. And Greece.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Anyone have a good book on Chinese history, particularly the Yuan, Ming, and/or Qing Dynasties? I'm looking for something of a general history, though with a focus on the political and military aspects (i.e., struggles within and without), and cultural/economic aspects (trade, how people made their living). And nothing dry or academic - I don't want to be put to sleep.

Naturally, any recommendations that don't fit all of the above are welcome. I don't expect to find something that fits exactly what I'm looking for.

Bob, I pmed you 4 times last week, where you been?

Dude, I told you I was going on vacation.  I was off in Mongolia, blissfully far from any internet service.

[Queequeg]

I don't love the Ottomans I think their degenerate too.  In that region I love the Turkish Republic, Israel, the Arabs, the Persia of Nader Shah and 20th century Iran.  The rest are degenerate dead weight

The Arabs had two centuries of genius run by half-Berber and half and fully Persian science, and by the time the Ottomans established their empire the Arab world was spent intellectually and enviormentally. No rationale behind this, especially as the architectual, spiritual and cultural accomplishments of the Arabs and post-Saffavid Iran pale in comparison to their Sassanid and Byzantine antecedents. 

[Sheilbh]

Sheilbh prefers the overthrow of legitimate regimes by delusional people of ill repute (re: Cromwell, Nadir Shah, Ataturk...Obama).

Don't forget Robespierre

I'm a big fan of the American founders too.

[garbon]

I'm a big fan of the American founders too.

AKA The Whiny Bitches

[jimmy olsen]

I'm a big fan of the American founders too.

AKA The Whiny Bitches

Why don't you move to Canada then, Loyalist scum!

[garbon]

Why don't you move to Canada then, Loyalist scum!

Weather sucks.

[jimmy olsen]

Why don't you move to Canada then, Loyalist scum!

Weather sucks.

Australia then?

[garbon]

Australia then?

I think I'd rather be in Alta California.

[Camerus]

Anyone have a good book on Chinese history, particularly the Yuan, Ming, and/or Qing Dynasties? I'm looking for something of a general history, though with a focus on the political and military aspects (i.e., struggles within and without), and cultural/economic aspects (trade, how people made their living). And nothing dry or academic - I don't want to be put to sleep.

Naturally, any recommendations that don't fit all of the above are welcome. I don't expect to find something that fits exactly what I'm looking for.

Immaneul CY HSU wrote an excellent book, the Rise of Modern China, that deals with the Qing and subsequent periods in Chinese history.  The late John King Fairbank, one of the most respected scholars on Chinese history, also wrote an excellent survey book, China: A New History, that deals with the period you're interested in. 

[Sheilbh]

I'm a big fan of the American founders too.

AKA The Whiny Bitches

You're the Stuart fan.

Better than Psellus's love for corrupt and degenerate but aesthetically pleasing empires: Russian, Persian, Byzantine, Ottoman and the rest.

[garbon]

You're the Stuart fan.

And what did they have to put up with? A bunch of whiners!

[Queequeg]

Better than Psellus's love for corrupt and degenerate but aesthetically pleasing empires: Russian, Persian, Byzantine, Ottoman and the rest.

Of these, the Persian and Ottoman are the only "corrupt/degenerate" ones I really like.  If anything, the Russians and Byzantines were far, far tougher than the people they were fighting against.  The Byzantine economy was a fraction of the Ummayad and Abbasid economy, and were far, far poorer.  Same with the Russians against the Germans, French and Swedes.   Byzantine society from the time of Heraclitus to Basil II (by far my favorite period) was almost wholly army-run, obsessed only with their national survival while the Arabs went from utterly fanatical, nearly naked warriors to being too decedent to fight within two centuries. 

[Admiral Yi]

Just picked up Generation Kill and From Beirut to Jerusalem.