This is the one book I’ve read that’s focused on China.
I’ve roughly ranked this as 26th out of 44 EA-related books for how generally useful to me it seemed (not just for understanding China, authoritarianism, etc.).
I’d recommend the book both in general and for the specific purpose of learning about China
That’s focused on the likelihood of war between the US and China, how to prevent it, etc. So it’s relevant to China, but not focused on China’s political system, regime, etc.
I’ve roughly ranked this as 24th out of 44 EA-related books for how generally useful to me it seemed.
I’d recommend the book in general, though probably not for the specific purpose of learning about China’s political system
See here for some thoughts on this and other nuclear-risk-related books.
I also recently started the free online course Chinese Politics Part 1 – China and Political Science, which was recommended to me by another EA. I’m not far enough into it to be able to recommend it myself. (I’m intending to just watch the videos during some mealtimes and do the quizzes, skipping the assignments and certificate.)
On the rise of China (relevant to Great Power Competition), I have found it interesting to read Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World by Michael Schuman. However, I am not too excited to recommend it, because the great majority of the book covers developments in ancient China for which the level of “insights per page” was fairly low for me.
(One type of book I don’t alreadyknow of examples of is biographies of relevant political leaders; please feel free to recommend some biographies of that kind!)
Regarding Xi, there is a surprising lack of substantive biographies. See here for some recommendations of article-length profiles.
Thanks! I found that article—and the two podcast episodes it linked to—quite interesting, and would now recommend them to others too.
(I find it much easier to find spare time for learning with my ears than with my eyes, so I’m skipping the other linked articles, at least for now. Though I do plan to see if Pocket can help me get regular articles into my ears as well.)
Books I’ve read that are relevant to China
Age of Ambition, by Osnos, 2014
This is the one book I’ve read that’s focused on China.
I’ve roughly ranked this as 26th out of 44 EA-related books for how generally useful to me it seemed (not just for understanding China, authoritarianism, etc.).
I’d recommend the book both in general and for the specific purpose of learning about China
Destined for War, by Allison, 2017.
That’s focused on the likelihood of war between the US and China, how to prevent it, etc. So it’s relevant to China, but not focused on China’s political system, regime, etc.
I’ve roughly ranked this as 24th out of 44 EA-related books for how generally useful to me it seemed.
I’d recommend the book in general, though probably not for the specific purpose of learning about China’s political system
See here for some thoughts on this and other nuclear-risk-related books.
I also recently started the free online course Chinese Politics Part 1 – China and Political Science, which was recommended to me by another EA. I’m not far enough into it to be able to recommend it myself. (I’m intending to just watch the videos during some mealtimes and do the quizzes, skipping the assignments and certificate.)
As for books I haven’t read (at least not yet), Darius Meisner wrote elsewhere:
Regarding Xi, there is a surprising lack of substantive biographies. See here for some recommendations of article-length profiles.
Thanks! I found that article—and the two podcast episodes it linked to—quite interesting, and would now recommend them to others too.
(I find it much easier to find spare time for learning with my ears than with my eyes, so I’m skipping the other linked articles, at least for now. Though I do plan to see if Pocket can help me get regular articles into my ears as well.)