Advertisement
Books

Top 5 books about China, chosen by Xinran Xue

The British-Chinese author, journalist and activist selects five books that explore Chinese history and culture

Author Xinran Xue selects her top picks when it comes to books about China.

1 Cherries on a Pomegranate Tree by Li Er

This tells the story of one woman’s above and beyond leadership through the anxious times of one-child policy crackdowns. Li Er’s admiration for the unheard voices of those impacted by these regulations are nimbly elevated through an unforgettable cast of characters.

2 Faces in the Crowd: 36 Extraordinary Tales of Tianjin by Feng Jicai

The port of Tianjin is where the ancient Chinese empire met the sea. The turn of the 20th century was a tumultuous time for the city, with the Qing dynasty on its last legs and the Boxers unleashing their ill-fated rebellion against the European trading concessions that had colonised its streets.

3 Getting Things Doneby Feng Tang

Advertisement
Advertisement

The best book on eastern management wisdom, combining Chinese historic perspective and McKinsey style of management thinking.

4 Cloud Chamberby Tim Clissold

This is a selection of medieval Chinese poems relevant to contemporary life in the West; ancient Chinese poets writing of the dangers of excess logging of forests, social inequality, homelessness, tax evasion and substance abuse. It provides a bridge between the wisdom of these ancient masters and our preoccupations today.

5 Souls Left Behind by Fan Wu

During the First World War, 140,000 Chinese labourers supported France and Britain’s war effort in Europe. They conducted arduous work, but their contribution has barely been recognised. Fan Wu’s well-researched novel depicts this little-known history. It’s a story of hardship, survival and love, as well as of belonging and how history shapes us. 

Xinran Xue is the author of nine books published worldwide, including The Good Women of China, Sky Burial and The Promise. You can buy them from The Big Issue shop on Bookshop.org, which helps to support The Big Issue and independent bookshops.

This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income.

To support our work buy a copy! If you cannot reach your local vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member. You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play.

Advertisement

Buy a Big Issue Vendor Support Kit

This Christmas, give a Big Issue vendor the tools to keep themselves warm, dry, fed, earning and progressing.

Recommended for you

Read All
The ultimate guide to the best books of 2024 – as chosen by Big Issue critics
Best books of 2024

The ultimate guide to the best books of 2024 – as chosen by Big Issue critics

Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst named Big Issue's book of the year for 2024
Book of the Year 2024

Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst named Big Issue's book of the year for 2024

From megalomaniac rabbits to lessons for young men: These are the best children's books of 2024
Children's books

From megalomaniac rabbits to lessons for young men: These are the best children's books of 2024

Top 5 weird fiction books, chosen by short story writer Lena Valencia
Books

Top 5 weird fiction books, chosen by short story writer Lena Valencia

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue