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The Fall and Rise of China

By: Richard Baum,The Great Courses
Narrated by: Richard Baum
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Publisher's Summary

How can we account for China’s momentous - and almost wholly unanticipated - global rise? And what does it mean, for us in the West and for humanity’s future?

Speaking to these vital and fascinating questions, these 48 penetrating lectures by Professor Baum bring to vivid life the human struggles, the titanic political upheavals, and the spectacular speed of China’s modern rebirth. Offering multilevel insight into one of the most astounding real-life dramas of modern history, the lectures weave together the richly diverse developments and sociopolitical currents that created the China you now read about in the headlines.

You’ll get a detailed understanding of all the core events in China’s century of stunning change, including the collapse of the Qing dynasty, the Republican era and civil wars, the "Great Leap Forward", the Cultural Revolution, and the post-Mao economic "miracle". Throughout, Professor Baum reveals highly unusual details that enrich the cinematic sweep of the story. For example, you’ll learn about the Christian warlord who baptized his troops with a fire hose, the strange kidnapping of Chiang K’ai-shek, and Professor Baum’s own smuggling of top-secret documents out of Taiwan.

A core strength of these lectures is that they make sense of the dramatic events of the story by getting deeply at what underlay them, culturally, socially, and historically - leaving you with a nuanced knowledge of the forces moving China’s modern emergence. Bringing alive the passionate reinvention of China with deep discernment and humanity, they portray the confounding, majestic, heart-rending, and visionary story of a modern giant.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2010 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2010 The Great Courses

What listeners say about The Fall and Rise of China

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Absolutely fantastic! 9.9 out of ten! Would have been a 10/10 if it was updated to include the last 10 years.

Great series! I listened before and during a 4 month China work trip. Easy to listen too and very informative! I could not get enough!

But only downside is it ends almost a decade ago, so you miss the last ten years of China’s history and such a huge amount of things have happened in that time.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Accessible overview of modern Chinese history

Richard Baum. presents his personal viewpoint of modern Chinese history in an accessible and gripping overview of the often turbulent times of this amazing country that has risen from an oppressed state to a modern superpower. Peppered with his own personal, eyewitness accounts, this history provides a firm framework and is a perfect first jumping point for people wanting to learn about the history of China. In easily digestible times, Professor Baum takes the listener on an epic journey from colonial influences, through revolutions and the march to modern China. Note, that the history finishes just after the Beijing Olympics, and much has happened in China since, that time. However, modern events are now much more comprehensible to me after completing this enthralling overview of this great nation.

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3 people found this helpful

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  • mrs
  • 16-09-2019

Great introduction to modern Chinese history

This is a great introduction to modern Chinese history well told by a very knowledgeable academic. The only sticking point is the number of personal anecdotes interjected into the lectures. Although they did give you an insight into what China would have been like on the street during historical moments they were delivered with a generous serve of self-indulgence a lot of the time.

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2 people found this helpful

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  • Guy
  • 09-12-2021

Compelling educative and insiteive.

Should be compulsory reading for those like me largely unaware of the tribulations faced by the people and decision makers of China. It is a shame that public opinion is not shaped by people like Richard Baum rather than politicians and news services.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

well great book

I like the historical recount, but I am confuse on how the narrator make the Chinese the enemy, while westerners was in China without invitations in the first place.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Objective step by step of china's rise

Other great courses muck around with themes etc, this just gives the facts in and us very engaging. Would have given 5 if it was updates to include last 10 years

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exceptional!

a well informed and impartial analysis of modern China's history and society. Very approachable, Well structured and well narrated. Highly recommended.

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Perfect level of detail for the new enthusiast

Eloquent delivery which to my ears sounds a bit like Tom Hanks. The passion and love of Chinese history is evident throughout. His knowledge of Chinese and numerous uses of the language and cultural translations are insight beyond what can be gleaned from those less gifted. Amazing insight from his own time in China during the 70s and 80s while it was all happening. A joy to race through the whole course ! Thanks

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    5 out of 5 stars

Favourite great course!

That was the most interesting, informative and well structured great courses history podcast I've ever listened to. I learnt a lot. Highly recommend.

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  • Ben
  • 21-10-2022

Interesting, insightful, playful and captivating

One of the best great course lectures I have found. Baum presents an extremely complicated topic in a markedly human-centric way.

He didn't just tell us what happened and where China is going, he takes us by the hand and invites us to revel in the victories and the failures of the day to day people of China - all while taking just enough time to fully understand the leaders and influences which made these victories and failures possible.

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