Just completed a Project Gutenberg e-book The Fight for the Republic in China written in 1917 about the 1911 revolution and the rise and fall of Yuan Shih-Kai. There’s a lot of political stuff mixed with the history portions so you might need to search around to find the parts you’re intrerested in.

I found it quite a relevation since my old school texts only skimmed the surface of this interesting period of Chinese history by simply stating some facts of the 1911 revolution and the anarchy and warlordism that soon followed.

For another interesting and highly readable book of history, given Return to Middle Kingdom
a try. Tuan-tsung Chen has penned a remarkable account of the birth of modern China, including an insider’s account of the Cultural Revolution that unravels the perplexities (and complexities) of modern Chinese history for the reader.