My new book on the human stories behind China’s transition to a mostly urban society is out now from IB Tauris.

Advance praise:

“At last, a book about China that takes the long view, showing how the ‘Chinese Dream’ is playing out for a fascinating cast of characters that author Nick Holdstock has known for years. He writes with great warmth and deep empathy, capturing the realities of everyday life in places foreign and Chinese correspondents pass by. I couldn’t put it down.”

–Michael Meyer, author of In Manchuria and The Last Days of Old Beijing

There’s an edited extract on the China Channel.

From Michael Sheringham’s review in Asian Affairs:

In the TLS, Amy Hawkins said: “It is always refreshing to read anything on China that takes the focus away from Beijing and Shanghai … Holdstock is at his best when detailing China’s rural to urban transformation.”