What does Xi Jinping share with Mao Zedong? Why is Confucius still central to a communist state? What really happened in Tiananmen Square—and why is it still a taboo?In this accessible and politically astute primer Everything You Wanted to Know about China*: * But Were Afraid to Ask (Bui Jones Books, 2026) acclaimed historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom tackles the questions many are afraid to ask about China. Drawing on decades of research and first-hand experience in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, Wasserstrom offers clear, unflinching answers to topics often shrouded in cliché, censorship, or moral panic.From personality cults and protest movements to censorship, soft power, and trade wars, Everything You Wanted to Know About China (But Were Afraid to Ask) demystifies the People’s Republic without exoticising it—offering a vital starting point for understanding one of the most powerful and misunderstood countries in the world.Structured as a series of conversational questions and answers—edited from an extended dialogue and reframed around key themes in History, Politics, and Culture— this is a necessary book for anyone seeking to cut through the noise. Jeffrey Wasserstrom is Chancellor's Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine. Lucas Tse is Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related