It seems like China is in the news constantly right now.

You're right. China is very much in the news right now -- for a variety of reasons. And, whenever something is in the news, there are bound to be a lot of books coming out about it. There are a ton of great books out about China right now, and an equal amount of lousy ones. We can recommend three books in particular.

The newest book we'll recommend is China Road: A Journey Into the Future of a Rising Power by Rob Gifford. The author traveled through China on Route 312, from Shanghai to the former Turkestan. As with America, the best way to see China -- meet the common people and experience the off-the-beaten-track sites -- is to go by road. Gifford gets about as much as he can handle, and we are all the beneficiaries. 

Next, check out Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China by John Pomfret. A reporter for the Washington Post and one of the first Americans to visit China when the country first started to open to foreigners in the 80's, Pomfret is knowledgeable about his subject and he obviously cares deeply. He's also a heck of a writer. Chinese Lessons isn't always a pleasant read -- but it is constantly informative and fascinating.

Finally, for a cultural understanding of China there is really only one place to start: Wu Ch'eng-en's A Journey to the West.  It's one of the first novels ever written -- in any language -- and it's absolutely integral to China's national identity. Pick up Arthur Waley's classic translation, titled Monkey: Folk Novel of China. Part fantasy, part adventure, part comedy and part religious text, Monkey is a unique work in the history of literature.