Book excerpt: This new text on the People's Republic focuses on its rapid transformation during the past half-century, and the challenges this presents.Written for A-level and undergraduate students without previous background on China, and supported by primary source materials, it provides a coherent narrative of the major events in China's recent past, and a balanced account of China's on-going transformation as it moves toward a more open society, a market-oriented economy, and an increasing role in international affairs.