Just finished the last book I bought: Generalissimo - Chiang Kai-sek and the China he lost.

Great book and the first real history of the East I've read. (Barring watching Shogun when I was a kid) Hilarious, tragic, exasperating. Pre-Mao China was a real mess. And the West's attempts to deal with it completely screwy too.

Anyway, if anyone knows much about China, and wants to talk about it, or just post links and book-recommendations, be great if you could do it here. Early China, now China, Maoist china... Anything. It's my new and shiny hobby.

I thought we already went over this ... ?

Anyways, if you really want to understand not just China, but the Chinese themselves, you have to read and understand the dynasties and the power of the Dragon Throne/Imperial City.

It shows how the culture emerged into one of the strongest national identities anywhere on the globe.