I recently read A Village with My Name, A Family History of China’s Opening to the World (2017, University of Chicago Press). The author Scott Tong is a public radio journalist. In this book, he tells the story of China’s turbulent history and view of the West through five generations of his own family. While stationed in Shanghai to open the first China bureau for the business show Marketplace, he connects with family members who had stayed in China, while his parents fled to the United States.

Through his investigative reporting skills, he traces the history of China through his own family history. As his relatives share (often reluctantly) untold stories and painful memories Tong tells a story from their different perspectives of those who had lived through events such as the toppling of Qing monarchy, Japan’s occupation during WWII, and the Great Leap forward. It’s a story of survival, resilience, opportunity, and exploration.

With his personal narrative following real people, this is an engaging read for anyone interested in understanding China’s history and how it shaped modern China today.

Click here for an interview with Tong.