Great Reversal

Kerry Brown is professor of Chinese studies and director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London. He is the author of over twenty books on modern Chinese politics, history, and society.

“For the reader who wants a highly readable and thoroughly reliable account of the Sino-British relationship over the longer term, Brown’s book is an excellent choice.”—Rana Mitter, Literary Review“Brown’s thoughtful, four-century-long narrative is enlivened by thumbnail sketches.”—David Chaffetz, Asian Review of Books“Brown is one of Britain’s most skilled and knowledgeable Chinese hands.”—Glyn Ford, Chartist“[A] splendid potted history of the times. . . . As one would expect, Kerry Brown’s research has been most thorough.”—Paul Ridgway, IFSMA Newsletter“Kerry Brown has constructed a concise and clear history of the exchange between Britain and China over 400 years. Readers will be amazed by its rich historical material and meticulous conception. Sure to become a classic work.”—Xinran, author of China Witness and The Book of Secrets“This is a beautifully written and meticulously researched account of Britain’s interaction with China over the centuries from when Britain was the assertive superpower and China was weak and decaying to the uncomfortable present when China is the assertive superpower.”—Sir Vince Cable, author of Money and Power“This scintillating book tells the story of a relationship which has shaped the modern world- Britain and China. Ranging from the Tudors to Xi Jinping, The Great Reversal is beautifully written, clear, accessible and unstuffy, full of an astonishing wealth of anecdote. This is narrative history at its best, and will no doubt become the indispensable guide.”—Michael Wood, author of The Story of China“Brown lays bare the tortured history of Britain’s 400-year entanglement with China and brings this dramatic and largely forgotten past to new life. The narrative beckons the reader to consider anew the importance of artful diplomacy and empathy in adjusting to the throes of change in our ever-shrinking world. A must-read for serious students of our modern age.”—Susan Thornton, Yale University