It's a tad overly scholarly, and you will have to have a mild toleration for the postmodern academic lingo, but this book is a pretty great celebration of modern Beijing, and a welcome antidote to the idea that Beijing's modernization is ruining it. Written by a British urban scholar, together with two Chinese scholars, the book analyzes the contemporary Beijing cityscape, and puts it in historical and social context. The authors take carefully selected bits of Beijing -- starting with Tianenman square, but also much less well known examples of Beijing architecture and local life -- and open up the history and culture of each for the reader.  (CHN467, $26.95)

Longitude News June: Summer Reading, Beijing, Kazakhstan