
Cultural Mavericks
The Business and Politics of Independent Bookselling in China
Zheng Liu(Author)
Columbia University Press
Will be published approx. on 27. January 2026
Book
Hardback
264 pages
978-0-231-20012-7 (ISBN)
Description
In recent decades, self-proclaimed "independent bookstores" have arisen across China. In the West, such retailers represent an alternative to corporations and chains. In China, by contrast, they differentiate themselves from not only the state-owned Xinhua Bookstore but also other privately owned shops through an emphasis on intellectual independence and the free exchange of ideas.
Cultural Mavericks takes readers inside the world of independent bookselling in China, showing how a wide range of figures navigate the challenges of book retailing in the digital age amid rapidly shifting social, political, and economic dynamics. Drawing on more than a decade of immersive research-including interviews, observations, and extensive documentary analysis-Zheng Liu unveils how these bookstores carve out a unique identity and market position. She develops the concept of "culturally adapted strategy" to explain how independent bookstores-as both dedicated cultural institutions and resilient business enterprises-balance economic imperatives with a deep commitment to intellectual autonomy. Liu challenges the tendency to understand nonstate cultural institutions in China in terms of resistance, arguing that independent bookstores engage with politics as a strategic means of differentiation from the competition.
Richly detailed and compellingly written, Cultural Mavericks sheds new light on the interplay among culture, commerce, and politics in China, offering timely insights into the evolving dynamics of China's book industry and wider cultural economy.
Cultural Mavericks takes readers inside the world of independent bookselling in China, showing how a wide range of figures navigate the challenges of book retailing in the digital age amid rapidly shifting social, political, and economic dynamics. Drawing on more than a decade of immersive research-including interviews, observations, and extensive documentary analysis-Zheng Liu unveils how these bookstores carve out a unique identity and market position. She develops the concept of "culturally adapted strategy" to explain how independent bookstores-as both dedicated cultural institutions and resilient business enterprises-balance economic imperatives with a deep commitment to intellectual autonomy. Liu challenges the tendency to understand nonstate cultural institutions in China in terms of resistance, arguing that independent bookstores engage with politics as a strategic means of differentiation from the competition.
Richly detailed and compellingly written, Cultural Mavericks sheds new light on the interplay among culture, commerce, and politics in China, offering timely insights into the evolving dynamics of China's book industry and wider cultural economy.
Reviews / Votes
This study of independent bookstores in China makes fascinating reading. Zheng Liu offers valuable insights into the book trade there and the book culture, including the importance of digital engagement by booksellers. -- Angus Phillips, coauthor of <i>Inside Book Publishing</i> Cultural Mavericks is an extraordinarily insightful account of a phenomenon largely neglected in the West: the rise of 'independent booksellers' in China. Zheng Liu's richly documented account of the rise of this distinctive form of bookselling and of its broader social and political significance is a cutting-edge work of cultural sociology and a major contribution to understanding the social organization and development of one of the largest book markets in the world. -- John B. Thompson, author of <i>Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing</i>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
23 b&w illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-231-20012-7 (9780231200127)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
01/2026
Columbia University Press
€29.49
Available for download
Person
Zheng Liu is a lecturer in innovation management at the University of Bristol Business School and holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Cambridge.
Content
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Book Publishing and Retailing in China
2. Searching for an Independent Identity
3. Culturally Adapted Strategies: The Concept
4. Implementing Culturally Adapted Strategies
5. The Economics of Independent Bookselling
Conclusion
Glossary
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Introduction
1. Book Publishing and Retailing in China
2. Searching for an Independent Identity
3. Culturally Adapted Strategies: The Concept
4. Implementing Culturally Adapted Strategies
5. The Economics of Independent Bookselling
Conclusion
Glossary
Notes
Bibliography
Index