Three Book Recommendations.

First, I have completely loved reading Yasheng Huang's “Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics.”  This is easily the best book that I have ever read on the development (or regression?) of capitalism in China.   Just wonderful in it’s explanations of detailed economic events in the context of the very politicized Chinese economy of the ‘80’s, 90’s and today.Be warned: this is not a book for the faint of heart.  Huang is a professor of political economy and international management at the Sloan School of Management at MIT.  The book reads more like a thesis than a Sunday-morning coffee-house or beach-reading book.In brief, this is the scientific analysis of the question on everyone’s lips, “Just how capitalist is China anyway?”  The short (rather surprising) answer?  Less now than 20 years ago.The long and very detailed answer is that there have been major policy shifts in the last twenty years that have had significant impacts on the Chinese economy.  In combination, these changes have effectively eliminated the rural entrepreneur and increased the role of government in the urban economy exponentially.Further, the undervalued proximity of neighboring Hong Kong (one of if not the most free-market places on the planet) has had an absolutely immeasurable affect on the Chinese economy.  Far from the typical commentary that “Hong Kong would be dead with out the business that China runs through it” Huang details the reality that EVERY SINGLE “Chinese” business success story would not have happened at all without the city state’s legal and business systems being so close and available to mainland Chinese entrepreneurs (hence the inability of any other country to successfully copy China’s economic ‘miracle).Other points of significance included the facts that since the policy shift in the 90’s: individual household income is down, education levels are down, access to health-care is down, size of government is significantly larger, poverty is up, government corrupt!on is up.He also tackles the western media perpetuated myth that if the numbers (GDP) are big (8% or higher) than that equals good policies and policy decisions.  He takes on the talking heads (mostly westerners) that have lauded China for success by pointing out specifically that they have not only misunderstood but totally misreported China’s current economic situation.If China is your business then you need to read this.Second, like Dan Harris at China Law Blog, I also received a signed copy of Sam Goodman’s book: Where East Eats West. Goodman's book is more of a handbook or a how-to manual for China, than a book about China.  It’s one of those handy refer-to-often type of reference manuals that you keep in your glove box or within arm's reach on your desk.There is a ‘chapter’ on just about every conceivable problem or question (same same) that you’ll ever come across while working in China.  Sam not only has the China chops to dish out these answers but he’s brutally honest and direct when sharing them—something I find very refreshing in this tip-toe-around-the-real-issues PC world that we now live in.This book is great because you can pick it up and open to any page and read for 5 minutes or 30 minutes and not worry about following a story line—there isn’t one—it’s just vignette after vignette of real on-the-ground business experience in China.  You’ll swing back and forth between “I have so been there” and laughing out loud at things that sound impossible (only to find out for yourself later that they’re all true).Like your toothbrush and the Imodium, this is a must-have for anyone traveling to China.Finally, a book that is less about China today and more about where historical Chinese attitudes of superiority may (rightfully?) come from.  When Asia was the World, by Stewart Gordon, is a fun and captivating recounting of personally stories of how far reaching Asian trade, politics and philosophy were before the West was even tying their proverbial shoes.  It's a fantastic travelogue through the Asia of 1000 years ago.Monks, traders, diplomats, doctors and others all make their appearance in this very readable and detailed account of life in Asia (Mediterranean to China) from 500 to 1500 CE.  The individual stories are captivating and together in the context of a vibrant, educated global economy they paint a picture of “the past” that, at least for me, was more “modern” than I had previously understood.Of the three, this is the Sunday-morning coffee-house book or airplane book.  Very enjoyable.Next time you're in the Hong Kong Airport, pick up all three!