Hong-Fincher, Leta. Leftover Women: The Resurgence of Gender Inequality in China. Zed Books, 2014.

In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party sought to transform gender relations, but those gains have been steadily eroded in recent decades during China’s transition to a post-socialist era. In fact, women in China have experienced a dramatic rollback of rights and gains relative to men. In Leftover Women, journalist Leta Hong-Fincher exposes shocking levels of structural discrimination against women and highlights the broader damage this has caused to China’s economy, politics, and development.

Osnos, Evan. Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014.

From abroad, we often see China as a caricature: a nation of pragmatic plutocrats and ruthlessly dedicated students destined to rule the global economy-or an addled Goliath, riddled with corruption and on the edge of stagnation. What we don’t see is how both powerful and ordinary people are remaking their lives as their country dramatically changes. As the Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, Evan Osnos was on the ground in China for years, witness to profound political, economic, and cultural upheaval. In Age of Ambition, he describes the greatest collision taking place in that country: the clash between the rise of the individual and the Communist Party’s struggle to retain control.

Lake, Roseann. Leftover in China: The Women Shaping the World’s Next Superpower.W. W. Norton & Company, 2018.

Part critique of China’s paternalistic ideals, part playful portrait of the romantic travails of China’s trailblazing women and their well-meaning parents who are anxious to see their daughters snuggled into traditional wedlock, Roseann Lake’s Leftover in China focuses on the lives of four individual women against a backdrop of colorful anecdotes, hundreds of interviews and rigorous historical and demographic research to show how these “leftovers” are the linchpin to China’s future.

Hockx, Michel. Internet Literature in China. Columbia University Press, 2015.

Since the 1990s, Chinese literary enthusiasts have explored new spaces for creative expression online, giving rise to a modern genre that has transformed Chinese culture and society. Ranging from the self-consciously avant-garde to the pornographic, web-based writing has introduced innovative forms, themes, and practices into Chinese literature and its aesthetic traditions. Conducting the first comprehensive survey in English of this phenomenon, Michel Hockx describes in detail the types of Chinese literature taking shape right now online and their novel aesthetic, political and ideological challenges.

Yang, Guobin, Jacques deLisle and Avery Goldstein, editors. The Internet, Social Media, and a Changing China. The University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016.

The Internet and social media are pervasive and transformative forces in contemporary China. Nearly half of China’s 1.3 billion citizens use the Internet, and tens of millions use Sina Weibo, a platform similar to Twitter or Facebook. Recently, Weixin/Wechat has become another major form of social media. While these services have allowed regular people to share information and opinions as never before, they also have changed the ways in which the Chinese authorities communicate with the people they rule.

Edwards, Louise and Elaine Jeffreys, editors. Celebrity in China. Hong Kong University Press, 2010.

Celebrity is a pervasive aspect of everyday life and a growing field of academic inquiry. While there is now a substantial body of literature on celebrity culture in Australia, Europe and the Americas, this is the first book-length exploration of celebrity in China. It examines how international norms of celebrity production interact with those operating in China.

Macilvey, Fran. Trapped: My Life with Cerebral Palsy. Skyhorse Publishing, 2016.

Fran was born with cerebral palsy. Growing up with her siblings in Africa, Fran always felt different. When everyone else was playing and having fun, she would watch and wish she could join in. After the family moved to Scotland and Fran grew older, her hurt turned into anger, self-hatred, and suicidal depression. Then one day, someone looked at her and saw a woman to love, and that was the start of her journey to self-acceptance.

Wang, Ping. Of Flesh and Spirit: Poems by Wang Ping. Coffeehouse Press, 1998.

This is Ping’s first collection of poetry, in which she explores themes of culture, gender, sexuality and identity. The collection adopts a very personal tone to explore internal struggles—the devils and angels—and highlights moments of ecstasy throughout.

Zhai, Yongming, translated from the Chinese by Andrea Lingenfelter. The Changing Room. Zephyr Press, 2011.

The author of six volumes of poetry, Zhai Yongming first became prominent in the mid-1980s with the publication of her twenty-poem cycle, “Woman,” a work that forcefully articulated a female point-of-view in China’s largely patriarchal society. Her powerful imagery and forthright voice resonated with many readers. Zhai has continued to hone her critique of traditional attitudes towards women, quickly becoming one of China’s foremost feminist voices and a major force in the contemporary literary scene.

Chang, Eileen. Translated from the Chinese by Karen S. Kingsburg and Eileen Chang. Love in a Fallen City. NYRB Classics, 2006.

Eileen Chang is one of the great writers of twentieth-century China, where she enjoys a passionate following both on the mainland and in Taiwan. At the heart of Chang’s achievement is her short fiction—tales of love, longing and the shifting and endlessly treacherous shoals of family life. Written when Chang was still in her twenties, these extraordinary stories combine an unsettled, probing, utterly contemporary sensibility, keenly alert to sexual politics and psychological ambiguity, with an intense lyricism that echoes the classics of Chinese literature.

Ha, Jin. Waiting. Vintage International, 2000.

In Waiting, Ha Jin portrays the life of Lin Kong, a dedicated doctor torn by his love for two women: one who belongs to the New China of the Cultural Revolution, the other to the ancient traditions of his family’s village. Ha Jin profoundly understands the conflict between the individual and society, between the timeless universality of the human heart and constantly shifting politics of the moment.

Yu, Hua, translated by Alan H. Barr. The Seventh Day. Anchor, 2016.

Yang Fei was born on a train as it raced across the Chinese countryside. Lost by his mother, adopted by a young switchman, raised with simplicity and love, he is utterly unprepared for the changes that await him and his country. As a young man, he searches for a place to belong in a nation ceaselessly reinventing itself, but he remains on the edges of society.

Ferrara, Joann and Lauren Thompson. Ballerina Dreams: A True Story. Feiwel & Friends, 2007.

Once upon a time there were five little girls who shared a dream. They wanted to be ballerinas and dance on stage like their sisters and cousins and friends. But it would be hard for these girls to make their dream come true. They had cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities, which meant their muscles didn’t move the way they wanted them to.

Branscombe, Allison. All About China: Stories, Songs, Crafts and More for Kids. Tuttle Publishing, 2014.

All About China is an exciting and captivating introduction to the country, featuring page after page of colorful illustrations, compelling stories, surprising facts, cultural insights, engaging activities and much more. Young readers will embark on a fascinating journey through the many faces of this country, meeting its people and examining its landscape, culture and historical tapestry.

Yen Mah, Adeline. Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter. Laurel Leaf, 2009.

A Chinese proverb says, “Falling leaves return to their roots.” In Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair. Adeline’s affluent, powerful family considers her bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her.

Napoli, Donna Jo. Bound. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2008.

Bound to a life of servitude as a young girl in ancient China, where the life of a woman is valued less than that of livestock. Bound to be alone and unmarried, with no parents to arrange for a suitable husband. Dubbed “Lazy One” by her stepmother, Xing Xing spends her days taking care of her half sister, Wei Ping, who cannot walk because of her foot bindings, the painful but compulsory tradition for girls who are fit to be married. Even so, Xing Xing is content, for now, to practice her gift for poetry and calligraphy.

Anderson, Mary Elizabeth and Tom Dineen. Taking Cerebal Palsy to School. JayJo Books, 2011.

Even though Chad has cerebral palsy, he can still attend school and do many of the same things as his classmates. Written from Chad’s perspective, this book answers many of the questions his classmates have but may be too scared or uncomfortable to ask. Children, teachers, school nurses, parents, and caregivers will learn about what cerebral palsy is, the different kinds of cerebral palsy, and special equipment that is available to help kids with cerebral palsy.

Namioka, Lensey. Ties That Bind, Ties That Break. Laurel Leaf, 2007.

Ailin loves to run away from her governess and play games with her male cousins. Knowing she will never run again once her feet are bound, Ailin rebels and refuses to follow this torturous tradition. As a result, however, the family of her intended husband breaks their marriage agreement. And as she enters adolescence, Ailin finds that her family is no longer willing to support her. Chinese society leaves few options for a single woman of good family, but with a bold conviction and an indomitable spirit, Ailin is determined to forge her own destiny.