This was the text for a History of Modern China course I took in undergrad. From that you can infer that it's very detailed and scholarly. However, it's also intensely readable: I've reread it for pleasure in the years since graduation.

The "Modern" China of the title is in the strict sense of Modern, in this case starting in the 17th century. That may seem a long time ago, but the context it gives to more contemporary events is rich and useful. I found the patterns and trends that emerged from this book, as well as the sense of China's journey as a nation, fascinating. The insights I got from this book help me understand a little better China's stance toward the world and place in it. Highly recommended. ( )

Excellent overview of Chinese history from the late Ming dynasty through the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989. In retrospect, it is pretty amazing how much progress China has made in the 20 years since. Anyone trying to understand the Chinese mindset or why the Chinese can hate communism on the one hand but respond when the communist government uses extreme nationalism to rouse up the populace against some slight from a foreign country needs to read this book or one very much like it. Once you see the humbling of China, which considered itself the center of the world, by foreign powers from 1840 - 1949, you can understand the pride its citizens take in its current achievements and preeminent place in the world. As one who lived in China and has visited periodically for the past 20 years, these achievements are impossible to denigrate. ( )

A very accessible book for people wanting a history of modern China. ( )

I found this an invaluable book for understanding China. Spence has a deep knowledge of his subject and takes an unbiased humanistic line in evaluating for example the successes and failures of Chiang Kai-shek or the early communists.
I was surprised by the length of time that the Chinese spent under foreign Manchu domination and the extent of the later Japanese imperial project in the country. Also, the genuine national mourning at the death of Chou En-lai (in contrast to the almost indifference at the death of Mao Zedong) and the power of regional communist leaders vs. the centre. ( )

Jonathan Spence's books are always a very good read. This is one of the classics on China's road to modernity. ( )