Books Set in SOUTH CHINA (35 books)

It's hot and humid, tempers burn quick and high and its seas have been a source of political contention and war for centuries. Combined with a growing number of factories in the region, numerous drug-trafficking villages and rampant prostitution, South China sets a unique storytelling backdrop that stands far apart from all the multitudes of books about Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing.

This list hosts the best fiction and nonfiction books set in Southern China - primarily in the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong province - including any books about Canton and Cantonese culture, and possibly including Hunan, but EXCLUDING Hong Kong and Macau (of which there already is another popular list for) unless a significant portion of the story takes place on the mainland side of the border.

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	South China Morning Blues by Ray Hecht (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 63 ratings score: 799, and 8 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang 3.93 avg rating — 9,539 ratings score: 491, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Adventure, romance and war in the Far East: The Iris Hay-Edie Diary: A historical memoir by Iris Hay-Edie 4.27 avg rating — 162 ratings score: 200, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Pearl River Drama: Dating in China - A Memoir by Ray Hecht (Goodreads Author) 3.44 avg rating — 27 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Pearl of China by Anchee Min 3.86 avg rating — 8,590 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	White Ghost Girls by Alice Greenway 3.27 avg rating — 1,178 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	How Does One Dress to Buy Dragonfruit? True Stories of Expat Women in Asia by Shannon Young (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 4.21 avg rating — 76 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific by Robert D. Kaplan 3.95 avg rating — 2,949 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	China's Wings: War, Intrigue, Romance, and Adventure in the Middle Kingdom During the Golden Age of Flight by Gregory Crouch (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 223 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	A-Ma Alchemy of Love (AoL Mindfulness, #1) by Nataša Pantović (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 57 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Mandarin Preferred by Darby Jones it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Whispering Shadows (The Rising Dragon, #1) by Jan-Philipp Sendker (Goodreads Author) 3.67 avg rating — 2,208 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Unsavory Elements: Stories of Foreigners on the Loose in China by Tom Carter (Editor) 3.59 avg rating — 198 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	At Least We Lived : The Unlikely Adventures of an English Couple in World War II China by Emma Oxford (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	A Businessman's Guide to the Wholesale Markets of Guangzhou by Christian D. Taulkinghorn really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (Goodreads Author) 4.29 avg rating — 123,244 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Asian Godfathers by South-east Asia 3.96 avg rating — 813 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	A Dictionary of Maqiao by Han Shaogong 4.04 avg rating — 454 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Bang Hong Kong by Roosh P it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Middle Kingdom Underground: Short Stories From the People's Republic of by HALiterature 3.44 avg rating — 9 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Country Driving: A Chinese Road Trip by Peter Hessler 4.26 avg rating — 8,057 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Poorly Made in China: An Insider's Account of the China Production Game by Paul Midler (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 2,430 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Cantonese Culture: Aspects of Life in Modern Hong Kong and Southeast Asia by Shirley Ingram 3.21 avg rating — 14 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Whispers and Moans: Interviews with the men and women of Hong Kong's sex industry by Yeeshan Yang 3.88 avg rating — 42 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Tai-Pan (Asian Saga, #2) by James Clavell 4.31 avg rating — 58,185 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Candy by Mian Mian 3.30 avg rating — 1,661 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The China Price: The True Cost of Chinese Competitive Advantage by Alexandra Harney 3.71 avg rating — 387 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China by Guy Delisle 3.73 avg rating — 9,352 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Eating Smoke: One Man's Descent Into Crystal Meth Psychosis in Hong Kong's Triad Heartland by Chris Thrall (Goodreads Author) 3.60 avg rating — 772 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee 3.36 avg rating — 23,781 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Honourable Schoolboy (George Smiley, #6; Karla Trilogy, #2) by John Le Carré 3.99 avg rating — 25,728 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Love in a Fallen City by Eileen Chang 3.94 avg rating — 4,430 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	A Many-Splendoured Thing by Han Suyin 3.82 avg rating — 570 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood by Martin Booth 4.19 avg rating — 2,148 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Fragrant Harbour by John Lanchester 3.81 avg rating — 2,144 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars