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rohand0's review against another edition
2.0
It's a glorified kind of uninteresting Wikipedia entry.
clparker's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.0
This book was filled with capitalist propaganda and occidental chauvinism. Objective reader beware.
mxnika____'s review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.0
A good introductory piece but lacking a lot of the finer details, limiting one’s perspective on Mao himself.
gettyhesse's review against another edition
4.0
Good for what it is, a basic overview of Mao's life. Well written, engaging, and easily readable.
prasnochas's review against another edition
2.0
If you're looking for a quick read about Mao, this is it. It's just a synopsis of how Mao became the "Chairman". Nothing more, nothing less.
englitlover's review against another edition
5.0
Along with Hilter and Stalin, Mao had profound affect on 21'st Century. This book describes his rise and character. Well written.
pavonini's review
3.0
Don't know enough about the subject to evaluate properly. It was a good read, not too scholarly. Just enough detail to get a kind of outline of his life and what was happening in the country. Would be interested now in reading more about his writing, as the glimpses in this book were pretty fascinating.
mslemoniac's review
3.0
The author doesn't wander himself into Mao’s ideological maze and his mysterious motives. He doesn’t condemn or praises Mao’s political journey. Amid authors whom demonize and over analyze psychologically, to the point of conspiracy theories, other world leaders, this author just gives headlines. Which sometimes were not certainly interesting and captivating for me. He almost makes it seem that, despite the huge state he lead, he was a simple human being, who lived in a cave once.
How many of us knew this fact before? Or that he never visited any other country except the Soviet Union? That he wrote romantic poems and was married to an actress among others? Or that he was convinced that his sleep followed lunar phases? These are definitely exotic facts. But not satisfying enough for a student or any other engaged reader.
This book is a good start but it should be followed by more research on, maybe most importantly, the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward.
How many of us knew this fact before? Or that he never visited any other country except the Soviet Union? That he wrote romantic poems and was married to an actress among others? Or that he was convinced that his sleep followed lunar phases? These are definitely exotic facts. But not satisfying enough for a student or any other engaged reader.
This book is a good start but it should be followed by more research on, maybe most importantly, the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward.
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