"Nancy Riley has written one of the most informative, insightful, and engaging books on China’s population that I have ever read. It will be many years before we see a book dealing with China’s population that is as well-written, as lucid and as carefully researched."Dudley L. Poston, Jr., Texas A&M University"In this important and eminently readable book, the noted China sociologist and demographer Nancy Riley steps back to tell the big-picture story of population in the People’s Republic. Brimming with sociological imagination, Riley’s book brings population to life and makes us see why it is so vital to an understanding of China today."Susan Greenhalgh, Harvard University"This compact monograph offers an intelligent and readable overview of China’s modern demography."Population and Development Review"The detailed analysis of the social issues associated with birth control, migration, public health, gender and demographic changes reflects nuanced understanding of the social contexts of population in China. […] The vivid portrayal of lives of migrants, women, parents and workers makes the book widely accessible while maintaining academic rigour."Europe-Asia Studies