So, you want to become a 中国通 (zhongguotong, China expert)? There's a wealth of great literature out there on the Middle Kingdom. Choosing where to start may be a bit daunting. To help you get started, here's an annotated, thematically-organized bibliography of things I've found to be particularly good reads:
Contemporary Chinese Society:
James Fallows, Postcards From Tomorrow Square
Reflection on contemporary China from former the Beijing correspondent for The Atlantic.
Eric Fish, China's Millenials: The Want Generation
Discussions about China's youth from the Asia Society's Eric Fish, creator of Sinostand blog.
Peter Hessler, Oracle Bones
Former New Yorker correspondant Peter Hessler's reflections on modern China, including language, and development.
Evan Osnos, Age of Ambition
Evan Osnos chronicles stories from China's "Glided Age."
Orville Schell and John Delury, Wealth and Power: China's Long March to the 21st Century
Profiles of eleven influential writers, thinkers, leaders, etc. who have played major roles in China's rise.
Chinese History:
Sanping Chen, Multicultural China in the Early Middle Ages
Looking at langauge and multiculturalist in Tang and Song era China
A history of the Chinese frontier and the formation of the modern Chinese state.
Maurice Meisner, Mao's China and After
An in-depth look at the Mao Era and China from 1949-1978.
Philip Pan, Out of Mao's Shadow
Profiles of post-Reform and Opening China (1978-present).
Jonathan Spence, The Search For Modern China
Thorough social and political history of China from the Qing Dynasty onward.
China's Urbanization:
Piper Rae Gaubtaz, Beyond the Great Wall: Urban Form and Transformation on the Chinese Frontier
Fascinating history of development and urban planning in China's west.
Michael Meyer, Last Days of Old Beijing
An intimate portriat of an old Beijing neighborhood in the midst of dramatic urban renewal.
Tom Miller, China's Urban Billion
Miller's great study of the large-scale consequences of China's urbanization, and path towards the day when the urban populace will exceed 1 billion.
Everything you need to know about Shanghai transformation into a world economic powerhouse
Rural China:
Peter Hessler, River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
Hessler's memoirs on two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in rural Sichuan.
Meyer's account of life on a rice farm in the midst of change and development in the Manchurian village of Dahuangdi.
Yunxiang Yan, Private Life Under Socialism
A look at life in rural China from 1949-1999.
Ethnic Issues:
Dru C. Gladney, Muslim Chinese: Ethnic Nationalism in the People's Republic
Gladney studies four Chinese Muslim (Hui) communities, and describes Islam and daily life in China.
Dru C. Gladney, Dislocating China
A comprehensive look at minority politics and represenation in China.
Steven Harrell, Cultural Encounters on China's Ethnic Frontiers
Studies of issues related to Han-Minority relations on China's borderlands.
Blaine Kaltman, Under the Heel of the Dragon
A study of Han-Uyghur relations in contemporary China.
Jonathan Lipman, Familiar Strangers
A history of Hui communities in Northwest China.
Tom Mullaney, Critical Han Studies
A critical look at China's Han ethnic majority: culture, history and social issues.
Morris Rossabi, Governing China's Mulitethnic Frontiers
Administrative and state-society relations issues in ethnic minority regions of China.
Tsering Shakya, Dragon in the Land of Snows
A history of contemporary Tibet from 1949 to present.
Chinese Politics:
Peter H. Gries and Stanley Rosen, Chinese Politics: State, Society and the Market
Thorough discussion of the challenges of governing and developing contemporary China.
William Joseph, Politics in China
Comprehensive primer on the many political issues facing contemporary China.
Ching Kwan Lee, Against the Law
On Labor politics and protest in China
David M. Lampton, Following the Leader: Ruling China, from Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping
Lampton profiles the four generations of Chinese leadership since the Mao era.
Richard McGregor, The Party
McGregor lifts up the hood to examine the politics and processes behind the ruling CCP.
Chinese Economy:
Bruce Dickson, Wealth into Power
Dickson examines China's embrace of capitalist entrepreneurs.
Yasheng Huang, Capitalism With Chinese Characteristics
Huang looks at crony capitalism in contemporary China.
China and the World:
Peter Hays Gries, China's New Nationalism
Gries examines how nationalist sentiment and desire to save face impact Chinese foreign policy.
David C. Kang, China Rising: Peace, Power, and Order in East Asia
Explores the consequences of a rising China for neighbors in the East and Southeast Asian region.
Susan Shirk, China: Fragile Superpower
One of the definitive studies of China in the international arena in the Reform Era.
Chinese Literature:
I'm hesitant to recommend any one particular translation, but these are perhaps the most famous works of poetry (perhaps of literature in general) written in the Chinese language.
Bei Dao, Rose of Time
Selections from the works of one of contemporary China's foremost poets.
Gu Cheng, Sea of Dreams
Selected poems from the influential modern poet, one of the leaders of the circle known as "the Misty Poets"
Lu Xun, A Call To Arms
Collection of short stories and essaysfrom the father of modern Chinese literature.
HaiZi, Over Autumn Rooftops
Selected poems from Haizi, the foremost of the Misty Poets, known of his nature imagery, and poems about simplicity.
Han Shaogang, A Dictionary of Maqiao
Collection of vignettes about life in rural China during the Cultural Revolution.
The novel which won Mo Yan the 2009 Neman Prize for Chinese Literature, and the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Chinese Philosophy:
Chih-chung Ts'ai, Zhaungzi Speaks
Chih-chung Ts'ai, The Tao Speaks
Chih-chung Ts'ai, Confucius Speaks
These books are part of a series by Chih-chung Ts'ai, who presents the classics of Chinese philosophy in illustrated, comic book form. While I completely encourage everyone to read the original texts, these books are wonderful in their own rite, and are worth your time.
Chinese Food:
Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford, Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China
Your guide to ALL of the delicious food found outside of China's traditional heartland.
Fuschia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
Sichuanese food is justifyably famous. Not an authentic Sichuanese place in your neighborhood? Grab this book and do it yourself.
Annabel Jackson and Linda Chia, The Yunnan Cookbook: Recipes frome China's land of ethnic diversity
Yunnan's food is maybe the most underrated in all of China. Find out why with this recipe book.
Chinese Cinema:
This list of Chinese films is by no means exhaustive. Here are a few of my favorite titles from recent Chinese cinema:
24 City
2046
A Touch of Sin
Beijing Bicycle
Chunking Express
Chongqing Blues
City of Life and Death
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Devils on the Doorstep
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman
Farewell, My Concubine
The Grandmaster
If You Are the One
In the Heat of the Sun
In the Mood For Love
Keep Cool
Kung Fu Hustle
Let the Bullets Fly
Lust, Caution
Once Upon A Time in China
Raise the Red Lantern
Red Sorghum
The Sun Also Rises
The Swordsman