China : A History by John Keay will help you do just that. This book captures the epic story of China and effortlessly guides you through the journey lasting for 3000 years.The insights on the socio-economic-cultural evolution and exploration of the roots of confucianism , communism and capitalism helps to build a context and framework to appreciate where China is now and where possibly it will go in the future. A must read if you think that you only have a fragmeneted view of the Chinese history.