Welcome!

Enrich Your Travels with Longitude

We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.

SIGN UP FOR

Longitude News

Get our monthly e-mail update

GET A

Catalog

FATHER'S DAY

City of Fortune, How Venice Ruled the Seas

Roger Crowley

SEE ALL >

PROVENCE & THE COTE D'AZUR

A Pig in Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France

Georgeanne Brennan

SEE ALL >

OUR FAVORITES

Arctic Dreams

Barry Lopez

SEE ALL >

PENGUIN CLASSICS

The Log from the Sea of Cortez

John Steinbeck

SEE ALL >

CHINA NOW

More Books

After Tamerlane, The Global History of Empire Since 1405


by John Darwin

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 592 PAGES

Darwin traces the rise and fall of large-scale empires in the centuries after the death of the emperor Tamerlane in 1405, in an account that challenges conventional beliefs about the rise of the western world and contends that European ascendancy may be a transitory event. (WLD134, $34.95)

The Arts of China

The Arts of China


by Michael Sullivan

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

A lively survey of Chinese visual arts and culture through the ages, thoroughly illustrated and accessible. With a new chapter on the 20th century and beyond, this fifth edition covers bronzes, ceramics, painting and architecture from the Neolithic to now. (CHN16, $39.95)

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress


by Xun Zhou

  • 2005
  • DVD

In this film by by Xun Zhou (based on the novel), two teenage boys are sent off to the countryside in Mao's Cultural Revolution in 1971. (CHN327, $26.98)

Big Dragon, The Future of China


by Daniel Burstein | Arne de Keijzer

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

An overview of China's culture, economy, and opportunities for the future. (CHN208, $26.95)

A Case of Two Cities

A Case of Two Cities


by Qiu Xiaolong

  • MYSTERY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

In the fourth installment of the Inspector Chen series, Chen investigates the murder of the head Fujian special case squad. The trail leads him to the U.S., where he pursues a wealthy capitalist immigrant. (CHN396, $14.99)

The Chan's Great Continent: China in Western Winds


by Jonathan Spence

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 279 PAGES

Beginning with the narrative of Marco Polo, Spence uses the accounts of historically important Europeans to illuminate the West's perspective of China over the years. (CHN276, $16.95)

China Adventure Map

China Adventure Map


by National Geographic

  • 2011
  • MAP

A double-sided, full-color map of China, at a useful scale of 1:4,375,000, which shows roads and cities. Printed on tear- and water-reistant paper. (CHN06, $11.95)

China Adventure Map

China Adventure Map


by National Geographic

  • 2011
  • MAP

A double-sided, full-color map of China, at a useful scale of 1:4,375,000, which shows roads and cities. Printed on tear- and water-reistant paper. (CHN06, $11.95)

The China Reader, The Reform Era


by Orville Schell | David Shambaugh

  • HISTORY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 553 PAGES

A comprehensive and well-researched sourcebook on China over the last 25 years. (CHN224, $17.95)

China Survival Guide, How to Avoid Travel Troubles and Mortifying Mishaps

China Survival Guide, How to Avoid Travel Troubles and Mortifying Mishaps


by Larry Herzberg

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

A humorous and helpful guide that addresses all the travails of being a foreign tourist in China. (CHN428, $9.95)

China Wall Map


by

  • 1997
  • MAP

A wall map of China from the cartographers at National Geographic. (CHN197, $14.99)

China's New Cultural Scene, A Handbook of Changes


by Marie Claire Huot

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 258 PAGES

A discussion of China's culture in relation to traditional society and the traumatic events of the last fifty years. Huot discusses music from rock to rap, television, theater, and literature. She pays special attention to cinema. Includes an index of artists and works, and a glossary of Chinese words. (CHN330, $23.95)

China, Portrait of a Country

China, Portrait of a Country


by Heung Shing Liu

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 424 PAGES

A spectacular visual history of triumph and hardship since 1948 through the eyes of 88 Chinese photographers. The accompanying expert text is by journalist James Kynge (China Shakes the World) and art historian Karen Smith (CHN525, $29.99)

Chinese (Mandarin), Start Speaking Today!

Chinese (Mandarin), Start Speaking Today!


by Educational Services Corporation

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 1993
  • AUDIO CD

A 90-minute crash course in Mandarin featured in two compact discs and a phrasebook packaged in a vinyl sleeve. Geared for travelers, the course follows the foreign service method -- which focuses on dialogues and useful sentences instead of individual words. (CHN92, $24.95)

Chinese Families in the Post-Mao Era


by Deborah Davis | Stevan Harrell

  • HISTORY
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 400 PAGES

A collection of scholarly essays on contemporary Chinese family structures. (CHN203, $37.95)

Chinese, A Language Map

Chinese, A Language Map


by Kristine K. Kershul

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2001
  • PLASTIC CARD

This durable, foldout card, featuring 1,000 words and phrases, works as a quick reference for travelers. (CHN284, $7.95)

The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature


by Jo Lau | Howard Goldblatt

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 737 PAGES

The first comprehensive anthology of modern Chinese literature, this tome, with many newly commissioned translations, introduces important authors and literary trends of modern China. (CHN524, $37.50)

Culture Shock! China

Culture Shock! China


by Iris Wong Po-Yee | Kevin Sinclair

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 240 PAGES

This guide is a lively introduction to modern Chinese culture and manners. (CHN204, $15.95)

Feather in the Storm, A Childhood Lost in Chaos


by Emily Wu

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2006
  • HARD COVER
  • 352 PAGES

Wu's unsentimental account of coming of age during the devastation, chaos and horror of Mao's Cultural Revolution. (CHN381, $26.00)

Fodor's Beijing

Fodor's Beijing


by Emmanuelle Morgen | Deborah Kaufman

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 272 PAGES

A practical, frequently revised guide to Beijing and Shanghai featuring hundreds of annotated listings of where to eat, stay and shop. (CHN253, $19.99)

Frommer's Beijing

Frommer's Beijing


by Frommer's

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER

A practical guide in the popular series, strong on where to eat, sleep and shop. (CHN346, $18.99)

Frommer's Shanghai

Frommer's Shanghai


by J.D. Brown

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 328 PAGES

A practical guide in the popular series, strong on where to eat, sleep and shop. (CHN220, $19.99)

The Genius of China: 3,000 Years of Science, Discovery, and Invention

The Genius of China: 3,000 Years of Science, Discovery, and Invention


by Robert Temple | Joseph Needham

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

The revised, lavishly illustrated edition of Needham's multi-volume, best-selling survey of Chinese innovation over the millennia. Organized thematically, it covers the suspension bridge, wheelbarrow, circadian rhythms, decimal system, seismograph, parachute, gunpowder and rockets. (CHN82, $29.95)

Get Talking Chinese, Mandarin Chinese for Beginners

Get Talking Chinese, Mandarin Chinese for Beginners


by Elinor Greenwood

  • REFERENCE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Ready...set...talk! This compact guide for middle schoolers, with a 60-minute CD, provides a fun and easy way to get a handle on the language--reading, writing, speaking and listening--as well as introducing Chinese culture. (CHN682, $14.99)

Good Luck Life, The Essential Guide To Chinese American Celebrations And Culture


by Rosemary Gong

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

A collection of notes and guide to Chinese culture, festivals and traditions, covering food, drink, weddings, and funerals. (CHN333, $15.99)

The Good Women of China, Hidden Voices

The Good Women of China, Hidden Voices


by Xinran Xue

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

An oral history of women in modern China, using a popular radio call-in show as a source. (CHN256, $16.00)

Governing China, From Revolution Through Reform


by Kenneth Lieberthal

  • HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 461 PAGES

A scholarly political history of China. (CHN112, $28.50)

Hero

Hero


by Zhang Yimou

  • 2005
  • DVD

Jet Li stars in this visually stunning martial arts masterpiece by the director of Raise the Red Lantern. Set in ancient feudal China, this simple tale is rendered in breathtaking color. (CHN328, $19.99)

House Home Family, Living and Being Chinese

House Home Family, Living and Being Chinese


by Rona Knapp

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 453 PAGES

This beautifully illustrated volume explores such topics as the Chinese garden as an integral part of living, house building ritual and fengshui, architectural aesthetics, the interrelatedness of furniture and architecture, preservation of historical structures, and men and women's different use of space. It describes continuity and innovation in Chinese living space today. (CHN550, $32.00)

In the Red: On Contemporary Chinese Culture

In the Red: On Contemporary Chinese Culture


by Geremie R. Barme

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 512 PAGES

Examination of Chinese culture, both "official" and "unofficial." (CHN88, $32.50)

Inside China

Inside China


by Jonathan Spence

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2007
  • HARD COVER
  • 272 PAGES

The editors at National Geographic pair a breathtaking selection of historic and contemporary photographs with essays by six experts for this visually striking portrait of China. (CHN444, $50.00)

Insight City Guide Shanghai


by Insight Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 328 PAGES

A nicely illustrated guide to Shanghai with excellent maps and hundreds of illustrations. (CHN219, $19.99)

Knopf Mapguide Shanghai


by Knopf Guides

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 48 PAGES

Full-color foldout maps make this guidebook a handy and practical way to find information on where to go and what to do in the city. (CHN283, $10.95)

Lonely Planet Cantonese Phrasebook

Lonely Planet Cantonese Phrasebook


by Kam Y. Lau

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 260 PAGES

A palm-sized handy guide to pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler. (HKG19, $8.99)

Lonely Planet Hong Kong & Macau City Guide

Lonely Planet Hong Kong & Macau City Guide


by Nicko Goncharoff | Damian Harper

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 380 PAGES

A practical guide to Hong Kong. (HKG14, $21.99)

Lonely Planet Shanghai

Lonely Planet Shanghai


by Bradley Mayhew

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 276 PAGES

A practical guide to Shanghai featuring maps and detailed information on excursions, accommodations and sightseeing. With a few color photographs and excellent travel information. (CHN91, $21.99)

The Long March, The True History of Communist China's Founding Myth

The Long March, The True History of Communist China's Founding Myth


by Sun Shuyun

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER

Shuyan retraces the epic 1934 journey, re-evaluating communist China's founding stories in light of interviews with witnesses and aging survivors. She lets the veterans themselves tell the dramatic tale of endurance. (CHN490, $16.00)

A Loyal Character Dancer

A Loyal Character Dancer


by Qiu Xiaolong

  • MYSTERY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 351 PAGES

An important witness has disappeared and Inspector Chen must tread warily as he strives to be a good cop, a good man and also a loyal Party member. The series continues with When Red Is Black (CHN411), A Case of Two Cities (CHN396), Red Mandarin Dress (CHN458) and The Mao Case (CHN539). (CHN412, $14.00)

Making China Policy, Lessons from the Bush and Clinton Administrations


by Ramo Myers

  • HISTORY
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

An evaluation of U.S. foreign policy toward China and Taiwan during the twelve years of the Bush and Clinton administrations. (CHN336, $39.95)

Myth of the Social Volcano, Perceptions of Inequality and Distributive Injustice in Contemporary China


by Martin King Whyte

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 250 PAGES

A fascinating examination of how ordinary Chinese citizens feel about inequalities that have resulted since China's market opening in 1978. (CHN690, $27.95)

Odyssey Guide Beijing & Shanghai

Odyssey Guide Beijing & Shanghai


by Bill Mooney

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2012
  • PAPER
  • 600 PAGES
  • COMING IN AUGUST

Jammed with photographs, maps and great information on culture and history, this colorful guide introduces the two cities with style. (CHN228, $27.95)

Odyssey Guide Guizhou Province


by Gina Corrigan

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2002
  • PAPER

An in-depth guide to the history, culture and peoples of the subtropical Guizhou province in Southwest China, covering the textile arts and costume, jewelry, music and festivals in detail. With photographs and maps. (CHN321, $23.95)

One Country, Two Societies, Rural-Urban Inequality in Contemporary China


by Martin King Whyte

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 445 PAGES

A stunning analysis of the rural-urban gap in China, with special attention to how the Chinese communist revolution, though professing dedication to an egalitarian society, in practice created a rural order akin to serfdom, in which 80 percent of the population was effectively bound to the land. (CHN689, $29.50)

Operation China, From Strategy to Execution

Operation China, From Strategy to Execution


by Jimmy Hexter

  • REFERENCE
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 212 PAGES

Harvard Business School alum Hexter and co-author Woetzel analyze China's business strategies in this practical handbook. (CHN670, $29.95)

Passions of the Cut Sleeve, The Male Homosexual Tradition in China


by Bret Hinsch

  • LITERATURE
  • 1992
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A well-written, scholarly survey of the traditions of same-sex male love in Chinese literature. (CHN167, $26.95)

The People's Republic of China at 60, An International Assessment

The People's Republic of China at 60, An International Assessment


by Will Kirby

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 350 PAGES

Papers from a conference at Harvard's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies to mark the 60th anniversary of the PRC. (CHN669, $29.95)

Pimsleur Quick & Simple Chinese (Cantonese)

Pimsleur Quick & Simple Chinese (Cantonese)


by Pimsleur Language Method

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2005
  • AUDIO CD

An audio CD with eight 30-minute lessons in basic Cantonese, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. (CHN279, $19.95)

Pimsleur Quick & Simple Chinese (Mandarin)

Pimsleur Quick & Simple Chinese (Mandarin)


by Pimsleur Language Method

  • LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS
  • 2005
  • AUDIO CD

Four audio CDs with eight 30-minute lessons in basic Mandarin, covering elementary vocabulary and phrases used in travel and everyday situations. (CHN280, $19.95)

Red China Blues, My Long March from Mao to Now

Red China Blues, My Long March from Mao to Now


by Jan Wong

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 368 PAGES

Jan Wong tells of her experiences in the "hermetically sealed bubble of Maoism" as one of two westerners to attend Beijing University, then offers a first-hand account of recent reforms in China. (CHN37, $15.95)

Red Mandarin Dress

Red Mandarin Dress


by Qiu Xiaolong

  • MYSTERY
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 310 PAGES

The turbulence and corruption of 1990s Shanghai provides the evocative backdrop to this fifth terrific Inspector Chen novel, in which the unflappable detective is on the trail of a serial killer who leaves bodies in public places, dressed in red. (CHN458, $13.95)

The Rise of Modern China


by Immanuel C.Y. Hsu

  • HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 976 PAGES

A comprehensive history of China from the 17th century through the present. (CHN62, $74.95)

River Town, Two Years on the Yangtze

River Town, Two Years on the Yangtze


by Peter Hessler

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 432 PAGES

Hessler's compelling, personal story of life as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fuling, where foreigners are a curiosity, explores the culture, traditions and ideas of an isolated world. (CHN125, $14.99)

Rough Guide Beijing

Rough Guide Beijing


by Rough Guide

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 216 PAGES

A compact, practical guide to the city. (CHN234, $27.50)

Rough Guide China

Rough Guide China


by Simon Lewis | David Leffman

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 1284 PAGES

A no-nonsense, opinionated travel guide in the British series aimed at independent-minded travelers. (CHN78, $29.99)

Shanghai Map

Shanghai Map


by Periplus Maps

  • MAP

A map of Shanghai, at a scale of 1:15,000. Main streets shown in both English and Chinese (good for directing taxis!). (CHN90, $8.95)

Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, A Sweet-sour Memoir of Eating in China


by Fuschia Dunlop

  • FOOD
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

Dunlop writes with verve and flavor on her eating adventures in China -- including the time she tried snake stir-fry -- and includes recipes in this entertaining cultural portrait. (CHN509, $24.95)

The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang

The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang


by Sally Wriggins

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

A nicely illustrated account of an extraordinary, 16-year trek from Xi'an to India by way of Central Asia in search of the origins of Buddhism by Xuan-Zang, the famous 7th-century Chinese monk. (ASA31, $25.00)

Sustainable Energy in China, The Closing Window of Opportunity


by Noureddine Berrah

  • HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 273 PAGES

The 2007 World Bank report on China's energy policy. (CHN454, $45.00)

Three Gorges of the Yangtze River

Three Gorges of the Yangtze River


by Raynor Shaw | Judy Bonavia

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 248 PAGES

Compact, illustrated and up-to-date, this Odyssey Guide focuses on the most popular 120-mile cruise from Chongqing to Wuhan. (CHN368, $22.95)

Thunder from the East, Portrait of a Rising Asia

Thunder from the East, Portrait of a Rising Asia


by Nicholas Kristoff | Sheryl WuDunn

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 377 PAGES

A study of the changing face of Asia's economic situation and its effects on the continent's culture. (ASA24, $15.95)

Thunder Out of China

Thunder Out of China


by Theodore H. White | Annalee Jacoby | Harrison Salisbury

  • HISTORY
  • 1980
  • PAPER
  • 331 PAGES

A classic account of the Chinese Revolution. (CHN113, $16.50)

Time Out Shanghai

Time Out Shanghai


by Time Out

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 310 PAGES

An up-to-date guide on what to do and where to go by the people who publish Time Out Magazine. (CHN309, $19.95)

A Traveller's History of China

A Traveller's History of China


by Stephen G. Haw

  • HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 310 PAGES

An admirably brief, lively history of China from early origins to today, remarkably clear and necessarily condensed. With a historical gazetteer, chronology and list of dynasties. (CHN43, $14.95)

Travels in the East

Travels in the East


by Donald Richie | Stephen Mansfield

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 180 PAGES

The unmatchable, exuberant Richie (who winningly writes "New countries are like new clothes") muses on Egypt, India, Bhutan, Mongolia, China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Borneo, Thailand, Yap, Korea, and Japan in this kaleidoscope of travel essays. (ASA63, $14.95)

Understanding China, Center Stage of the Fourth Power


by Yanan Ju

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1996
  • PAPER
  • 181 PAGES

A volume in the Suny Series in International Management. (CHN337, $29.95)

Wallpaper City Guide Shanghai

Wallpaper City Guide Shanghai


by Wallpaper Magazine

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2012
  • PAPER

A stylish, thin (it fits in your back pocket) city guide compiled by the design magazine Wallpaper's local reporters. Well-organized, with chapter tabs, many photographs and of-the-moment recommendations. (CHN361, $9.95)

When Red is Black

When Red is Black


by Qiu Xiaolong

  • MYSTERY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 320 PAGES

Chen's vacation is interrupted by dirty dealing and murder in this third installment of Qui's popular series, which is steeped in the atmosphere and culture of modern Shanghai. (CHN411, $15.00)

Wild Grass, Three Portraits of Change in Modern China

Wild Grass, Three Portraits of Change in Modern China


by Ian Johnson

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

Three portraits of ordinary citizens' grassroots movements in the face of the Chinese party's resistance to change. (CHN215, $14.95)

Yangzi River Map

Yangzi River Map


by Richard Perry Hayman

  • 2003
  • MAP

Double-sided, this full-color map guide features photos and 10 maps showing the Yangzi from the Himalayas to the East China Sea. (CHN177, $14.95)

 

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.