In its hallmark style, this Insight Guide combines short essays on the history, politics and culture of China with hundreds of color photographs. It's a short whirlwind introduction to the country. The book begins with a brief history of the Middle Kingdom, then ventures out into the countryside and through the halls of the Forbidden City. The second half presents each region of China with pages on each of the major sites, then concludes with some practical travel information and listings.  (CHN05, $24.99)