The Beijing Olympics ensured that the world would be watching China in 2008, and the year turned out to be the most tumultuous and traumatic for the Chinese since the massive Tiananmen uprising of 1989. Crippling winter storms, riots in Tibet, the devastating Sichuan earthquake, and many other dramatic events-including the PRC edging out the United States to become the country with the most Internet users-grabbed international headlines. This innovative book, based on postings from the China Beat (the noted group blog/electronic magazine based at the University of California, Irvine) as well as works from other leading publications and completely new material, showcases the as-it-happened reports and commentaries of a mix of distinguished academics, high-profile journalists, and freelance writers, and up-and-coming young China specialists. China in 2008 takes the unique approach of bringing the timeliness of the blogosphere into book form, expanding and reflecting thoughtfully on stories in the news while retaining the eclectic, opinionated, and engaging feel of the China Beat. It will be invaluable reading for everyone with a keen interest in China today. Contributions by: Pallavi Aiyar, David Bandurski, Geremie R. Barm , Nicole Barnes, Daniel Beekman, Susan Brownell, P r Cassel, Leslie T. Chang, Yong Chen, Maura Elizabeth Cunningham, Xujun Eberlein, Kathryn Edgerton-Tarpley, Mary S. Erbaugh, James Farrer, Caroline Finlay, Howard W. French, Pierre Fuller, Anna Greenspan, Amy Hanser, Peter Hessler, Jeremiah Jenne, Paul R. Katz, Miri Kim, Richard Kraus, Haiyan Lee, Donald S. Lopez Jr., David Luesink, Liang Luo, Charlene E. Makley, Kate Merkel-Hess, Stephen Mihm, James Miles, Pankaj Mishra, Rana Mitter, Julia K. Murray, Timothy S. Oakes, Alex Pasternack, Kenneth L. Pomeranz, David Porter, Shakhar Rahav, Benjamin L. Read, Caroline Reeves, Eric Setzekorn, Angilee Shah, Xia Shi, Steve Smith, Donald S. Sutton, Paola Voci, Nicolai Volland, Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom, Timothy B. Weston, Guobin Yang, and Lijia Zhang.