First published 2000
Mao Zedong's life was a study in contrasts. From humble beginnings as a country schoolteacher, he rose to become the founding chairman of the People's Republic of China, masterminding one of the most dramatic political transformations in modern history. But his utopian vision came at a terrible cost, with millions perishing under his radical policies. In this incisive biography, Karen Armstrong reveals the complex man behind the icon - a brilliant but flawed leader whose legacy continues to shape China's path.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, political-science
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: biography, rise-and-fall
Setting: China
Period: Ancient, 20th-century
205 pages · Hardcover · Weidenfeld & Nicolson