Mao: A Life

by Philip Short

When the Nationalists routed a ragtag Red Army on the Xiang River during the Long March, an earthy Chinese peasant with a brilliant mind moved to a position of power. Eight years after his military success, Mao Tse-tung had won out over more sophisticated rivals to become party chairman, his title for life. Isolated by his eminence, he lived like a feudal emperor for much of his reign after blood purge and agricultural failures took more lives than those killed by either Stalin or Hitler. His virtual quarantine resulted in an ideological/political divide and a devastating reign of terror that became known as the Cultural Revolution. One cannot understand today's China without first understanding Mao, and Philip Short's masterly assessment -- informed by a wealth of new sources -- allows the reader to understand this colossal figure whose shadow will dominate the twenty-first century.

Genres: History, Biography, China, Nonfiction, Politics, 20th Century, Biography Memoir

824 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Philip Short is a British journalist and author specializing in biographies of historical dictators, he studied at Cambridge University, he worked as a journalist for the BBC for 25 years as a foreign correspondent(1972-97), a job that allowed him to travel widely and experience wildly different cultures, it would prove a great learning experience that still benefits him as an author.

After his work for the BBC, he taught journalism in the University of Iowa, in the US. He now resides in Provence, USA, with his wife and son.

Reviews

[Olethros]

-Efecto halo y contrasentidos.-

Género. Biografía.

Lo que nos cuenta. Biografía del líder comunista chino Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).

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[Diego]

Excelente, no se moderniza un pais sin costo. No comparto nada con la izquierda pero creer que en el mundo político actual no pasa lo mismo solo que sin tanta sangre es mera inocencia.