We used this as one textbook for a class, but I enjoyed reading it for the way it educated on political and societal events in the span of China's revolutions, and of course for the centering on women and their role.
Amazing framework to center a historical analysis around (how China's history changes if we tell it from the politico-social effects and contributions on/by women), giving notable accounts of leftism by women far before any of the famous men. The anarchist women in the first few chapters stand out blatantly and really make you wonder how their anti-capitalist consciousness was constructed in peasant/empire China, making it all the more impressive. Otherwise, Hershatter still has her liberal assumptions and pretensions, which makes it all the more interesting (and maybe alarming) that there was so little devoted to the actually revolutionary times in China this book covers. It was basically a mere 1-3 pages for Land Reform, the Great Leap Forward, and the GPCR respectively all with very positive outcomes or contributions by women--coincidentally going against most imperialist propaganda; it felt as if she limited what she said or placed here... Mostly, a great read and refreshing angle for anyone interested in a different telling of Modern Chinese History.
Woof. This was a dense history with a lot of threads, but I really appreciated the thesis that women as the center of the family have been foundational to China's statemaking projects for at least two centuries; it's a new way of looking at the world. Also, this book was the first time I really understood "home economics>" as an economic project.
Great, wished there was a little more Big History but I get it. Great inclusion of primary sources and makes me never want to read anything that's not a womens history.