Should you wish to read more about China there is a huge range of English language books about the country, its people, history and culture. Here are some personal recommendations, if you know any other books you would like to recommend then please tell the INTERNATIONAL OFFICE and they may be able to include them in future editions of their welcome pack. Note that these are only recommendations and there’s on accounting for taste!

Mr. China by Tim Clissold - Clissold leaves his native England for China, via a meeting with a hotshot Wall Street dealer. By the time he reaches the shores of Cathay they have between them managed to raise US$400million to invest in China. 'The Chinese' by Jasper Becker - Is excellent and probably the most comprehensive overview of China by a western analyst.

'The Rough Guide to Mandarin Chinese (A Dictionary Phrasebook)' - has both English-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-English. Features the English, Chinese, pinyin and also the pronunciation.

1421 - The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies – Menzies, an ex-Royal Navy officer, traces the route taken by legendary Ming Dynasty explorer Zheng He and concludes that he may have reached American decades before Columbus.

 

Lonely Planet Guide to China – An indispensable travel guide to China, if you travel around China’s most famous monuments then expect to see foreigners walking around, clutching a copy of this guide in their hands. Contains maps, history, places to stay and where to eat or visit.