The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom

America and China, 1776 to the Present

By: John Pomfret

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Our relationship with China remains one of the most complex and rapidly evolving and is perhaps one of the most important to our nation's future. Here, John Pomfret, the author of the best-selling Chinese Lessons, takes us deep into these two countries' shared history and illuminates in vibrant, stunning detail every major event, relationship, and ongoing development that has affected diplomacy between these two booming, influential nations. We meet early American missionaries and chart their influence in China and follow a group of young Chinese students who enroll in American universities, eager to soak up Western traditions. We witness firsthand major and devastating events like the Boxer Rebellion and the rise of Mao. We examine both nations' involvement in world events such as World War I and II. Pomfret takes the myriad historical milestones of two of the world's most powerful nations and turns them into one fluid, fascinating story, leaving us with a nuanced understanding of where these two nations stand in relation to one another and the rest of the world.

©2016 John Pomfret (P)2016 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Great

What a beautifully written story of such a powerful and fraught relationship. The themes and characters are so resonant to this day.

An absolute must read!

Having lived in China almost 12 years now and experiencing the significant change happening in the country and globally… this book gives the background/history which will simply amaze you. When people say history repeats itself…. This book attests to that. It’s stunning how connected China and the USA have been over the last 200 years or so. This book is well written, engaging, and well performed. I’m going to queue it back up for a 2nd listen.

Detailed and Interesting

John Pomfret wrote a great book explaining the history of US and China relations. I loved the various stories though there are other things I wish he'd written more details about. The narrator is great until it comes to Chinese words and names. Maybe I've just been spoiled by listening to Laslo Montgomery's CHP. Anyway, it grated on me, but I think it wouldn't bother someone who hasn't heard the names or words in Chinese before.

Informative, disquieting, captivating

Where does The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

among the best

What other book might you compare The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom to and why?

Thomas Rid, Rise of the Machines: subtle, balanced, engaging history of a subject that is consistently misrepresented in popular culture
Evan Osnos, Age of Ambition: new ways to think about China

What does Tom Perkins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Pronunciation of Chinese words that is almost but not quite right

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The chapters about US behavior toward China during WWII were a revelation and painful to listen to for an American

Any additional comments?

I first visited China in 1984 and have returned regularly ever since. I'm in China now listening to this on the campus of a Chinese university that was built by Christian missionaries 100 years ago. Pomfret's analysis of US China relations is a breath of fresh air. By foregrounding the immense cultural baggage that Americans usually bring to their relationship with China, Pomfret is giving Americans some tools they can use if they want to try to have a more authentic experience of China

excellent history of the United States and China

this is an excellent history of the United States and China. it is told in a entertaining way especially the early history. my only request in terms of the information contained in it, would be for more of the figures to be stated as percentages of GDP or other relevant economic figures.

AWSOME

This is an absolute must read!
I am a student of history. I can safely say that this is one of the few books I have read/listened to that I rate among the best.
The history and relationship of China and the USA, for that matter, of the world is important.
I cannot recommend this book more.
I will definitely listen again in the future.
The narrator, mr. Tom Perkins, is a pleasure to listen to.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

Indispensable for understanding the US China relationship

I grew up with the subject of this book as my family history and have pursued my interest in this as a teacher of history. My mother spent significant intervals of her childhood in China between 1912 and 1927. My grandfather began as a medical missionary in Canton in 1900 and, shortly after arriving there, had the task of conveying to his future wife's family that his fiancee's older sister and her husband had been killed in the Boxer Rebellion. By 1922 he was no longer a missionary but was an employee of the Rockefeller Foundation's Peking Union Medical College in Peking.

Having taught history in a number of independent schools where I taught some Chinese history, I can claim academic familiarity in this subject, without being any kind of authority. What I can say is that this book enlarged by understanding of this history significantly and is well worth reading for anyone who would like to have a better understanding of this complicated relationship.

Highly recommended

This is one of the best books about China, it is balanced view from an American spends years in China. I highly recommend it, Thank you

Fascistic deep dive in the bilateral relationship

Fascistic deep dive in the bilateral relationship. Fascistic deep dive in the bilateral relationship. great

Am in depth history of the US/China relationship from the 1700's to the present

An amazing in depth history of the US - China relationship from the 1700's to the present day. Who would know that it has been that long and that complicated with never ending twists and turns. Since China had no formal relationship with the US for so many decades. It gives much needed perspective and understanding.