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Title: Sure it's concise, but potentially written by a 5th grader
Review: OK, my title might be a bit harsh, but not by a lot. I bought this hoping to get a quick overview of Chinese history, with a focus on modern China. First of all, it's way too cursory in my view. But yes, in fairness, how can you cover thousands of years in a couple of chapters?My real complaint, that prompted me to write my first Amazon review, is that this is really one of the most poorly written books I've read. I came to the chapter on Genghis Khan and had to stop reading -- it truly is written like a mediocre high school history paper, in tone, technical writing style and content. I had to put the book safely in a trash container, and am looking for another now.I'm going to be very wary from now on of buying any Idiot's Guide, since their standards obviously are, well... geared towards idiots.My loud and clear recommendation is to skip this one; find a book that won't make you cringe as you read.
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