The book deals with the history of China in the first half of the twentieth century. It sees the main themes as revolution, reform, nationalism, and modernization. It contains descriptive/analytical chapters on the nineteenth century and on the period 1900 to 1949. In addition to such chapters, it has thematic chapters on family and women, eucation and the student movements, and literature and the arts. It also has a chronology and reproduction of documents concerning the period.