The Story of China by Michael Wood, St Martin’s Press. 4/5 stars

How do you tell the story of China? For all those historians who write on the subject, that remains a confounding question. Concentrate on the ebb and flow of dynastic rule, and you neglect the individual living through history. Focus too narrowly and you miss the grand, narrative drama. Write too accessibly and you dumb down the complexity; incorporate all the nuance and you have a work such as The Cambridge History of China, which runs to 15 masterful but intimidating volumes.