China Simplified
History Flashback

A delightful romp through 5,000 years of Chinese history.... there's something for everybody in this snapshot—vividly illustrated and lucidly explained—of the world's oldest living civilization. Novices to the field will be enlightened; expert Sinologists will be entertained by the witty and often irreverent treatment of a rich history too often obscured by dull prose and pompous exegesis.

Andrew Browne

Precisely because China is so immense, complex, and contradictory, China Simplified is valuable in giving a clean, clear line to the main developments in China's history. I found their approach entertaining and enlightening.

James Fallows

This is the history book for people that didn't know they love history! The authors both entertain and inform with each turn of the page, to leave us with a lighthearted appreciation for the supreme depth of Chinese civilization.

Yue-Sai Kan

With a splendid combination of wide research and good humour, this book gives readers an excellent introduction to Chinese history from Sima Qian to Chairman Mao.  You'll enjoy yourself so much you might not realize how much you're learning.  Highly recommended.

Rana Mitter

A concise yet comprehensive book on Chinese history. It connects Chinese and Western timelines and makes it easy for readers to explore the historic Chinese eras in which they are interested. Those who want to understand China can now do it with ease.

Jesse Wu

This book gives an exciting tour through a long, varied and fascinating history. Engagingly written and beautifully illustrated, History Flashback is a wonderful introduction to Chinese culture.

James Uden

As an artist seeking inspiration and further information about my roots in China, China Simplified comes at the perfect time. You cannot improve the future without learning from the past. Stewart & Zhumin have done much of the work pinpointing and distilling details in to an easy read!

Dana Leong

Stewart and Zhumin both entertain and inform as storytellers, drawing upon the essential works of Chinese and Western scholars to leave us with an understanding of modern China’s many contradictions and challenges. I enjoy being able to recommend their work to both China veterans and new arrivals.

Brantley Turner

As a China consultant for over 40 years, I found this book to be a fun and insightful journey into China's past. I highly recommend it for those who seek to better understand today's China and how it emerged as a global player.

Greg Whitehorn

All multinationals should give China Simplified's books to their executives coming to China for a fun cultural introduction.

Didi Dai

A wonderfully entertaining and engaging way explore the stories that fundamentally shape China today and thus, to an extent, every Chinese person that you meet. I highly recommend you dive in!

Tim Nash

This history book is my favorite in the CS series. The illustrations drew me in immediately and I learned many things I didn't know before. Thanks again Stewart!

Al Rocco

Both informative and fun; a masterstroke!

Bruno Lannes

An engaging and insightful expedition through China’s complex history. I recommended it to anyone interested in a better understanding of modern China through its foundations and the key events of its fascinating past.

John Cappo

Although highly readable and light-heartedly illustrated, this is a serious book. Whether as an introduction, a refresher, or a deeper dive into the complexities of China, it is highly recommended.

Harry Harding

I admire the authors’ passion for Chinese history. This is a delightful adventure in storytelling, and succeeds in making five millenniums of Chinese civilization accessible to readers of all levels

James B. Heimowitz

The authors lead us through several thousand years of China’s history and conclude (as I did) that the Chinese entrepreneurs of today are an intriguing mixture of modern and ancient: free to innovate, yet held captive to tradition. I hope more people have an opportunity to read this charming and informative book.

Edward Tse

I’ve worked in China for 20 years and never seen an author deliver such a fun, fast and deep introduction that could totally enlighten any visitor here by just reading it on the plane trip over. I wish every high school student in America would read this too. Bravo Stew Beck & Sun Zhumin. This is so well done.

Eric Houser

The book’s luminous and witty prose takes the reader on a jaunt through the beguiling history of China. Her protagonists rise to the forefront: the emperors, empresses, missionaries, revolutionaries and martyrs who both galvanized and anguished each epoch. This is a gateway to understanding modern China, succinct and vividly expressed.

George Bobyk