Oct 05, 2011 jung chang is the bestselling author of wild swans, which the asian wall street journal called the most widely read book about china, and mao. From the outset, chang and halliday are determined to shatter the myth of. The unknown story all by internationally wellregarded specialists in modern chinese history, and published in relatively specialised scholarly journals. The academic response to it has not been especially kind, so much so that there is an entire book, was mao really a monster. The most authoritative life of mao ever written, by the bestselling author of wild swans, jung chang and her husband, historian jon halliday based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of maos close circle in china who have never talked before, and with virtually everyone outside china who had significant dealings with him, this is the most authoritative life of mao ever written. Jung changs wild swans was an extraordinary bestseller throughout the world, selling more than 10 million copies and reaching a wider readership than any other book about china. They argue that he was responsible for well over 70. The unknown story is based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of mao s close circle in china who have never talked before and with virtually everyone outside china who had significant dealings with him. Jung chang wrote a beautiful story in wild swans, the biograpy of her own family through the mao era, but this biography she has written of mao zedong is flawed in that she clearly lets her overwhelming hatred for what her family went through keep her from being an objective biographer. The unknown story does not contain a formal dedication, but it is clear that chang is writing to honor the millions of chinese who fell victim to maos drive for absolute power in his 50plusyear struggle to dominate china and the 20thcentury political landscape. Changs central thesis besides mao was awful is that maos image was essentially a giant fabrication. Sep 01, 2009 jung chang is the internationally bestselling author of wild swans. In the epilogue to her biography of mao tsetung, jung chang and her husband and cowriter jon halliday lament that, today, mao s portrait and his corpse still.
The unknown story with jon halliday, which was described by time as an atom bomb of a book. The unknown story ebook written by jung chang, jon halliday. The most authoritative life of the chinese leader every written, mao. The unknown story, devoted to pointing out the flaws and shortcomings of the chang and halliday text. The unknown story chang and halliday cast new and revealing light on nearly every episode in maos tumultuous lifea stupendous work and one hopes that it will be brought before the chinese people, who still claim to venerate the man and who have yet to come to terms with their own history. Their biography attempted to dispel myths about mao tsetung perpetuated by the communist party the.
Jonathan spence is always worth reading on matters chinese. The authors claim a new thesis, namely that mao was a faithful follower of stalin who took pains to reassure the boss of his loyalty and who dared to deviate from the soviet model. Id put the unknown story in the category of necessary hackjobs. The book quickly became a bestseller in europe and north america. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Combining meticulous history with the story telling style of wild swans this biography makes immediate mao s rollercoaster life, as he intrigued and fought every step of the way to force through his unpopular decisions. Ever since the spectacular success of changs wild swans we have waited impatiently for her to complete with her husband this monumental study of chinas most notorious modern leader. The unknown story new ed by halliday, jon, chang, jung isbn. For decades, it was widely believed in the west that mao was a peasant leader who had shown great military acumen in his war against the nationalist regime, and that he had fought the japanese. The unknown story is based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of maos close circle in china who have never talked before and with virtually everyone outside china who had significant dealings with him. Now she and her husband jon halliday have written a groundbreaking biography of mao tsetung. The unknown story by jung chang, jon halliday books on. It is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the long march, and showing a completely.
The unknown story written by jung chang and jon halliday published by alfred a. The author of wild swans and her historian husband, jon halliday, have torn away the many masks and falsehoods with which. It is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the long march, and showing a completely unknown mao. The reader enters the shadowy chambers of mao s court, and eavesdrops on the drama in its hidden recesses. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and sold more than fifteen million copies outside mainland china, where they are both. No wonder the chinese government has banned not only this book but issues. Jung chang is the internationally bestselling author of wild swans. During the first week of june 1966, pupils from a middle school in. The unknown story audiobook by jon halliday, jung chang. The unknown story is based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of. Jung chang and jon halliday 814 pages, vintage books 2006 this book is an epic biography of mao tsetung, a man who rose from obscurity to become the dictator of china for almost three decades. The unknown story by jung chang and jon halliday jonathan cape.
However, the introduction to this book suggested that this one is written after new material has come to light once the soviet and chinese archives were opened for research by scholars. The unknown story hardcover tattered cover book store. The unknown story based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of maos close circle in china who have never talked before and with virtually everyone outside china who had significant dealings with him this is the most authoritative life of mao ever written. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and sold more than fifteen million. But the clear scholarship, and careful notes, of the unknown story provoke another reaction. The tabloidish whiff of the subtitle the unknown story. If you were asked who was the greatest mass murderer of the 20th. Journey thru the unknown and the kardashians joke book mao zedong poems the thought of mao tsetung contemporary china institute publications maos last dancer maos great famine on practice and contradiction. The unknown story, by jung chang and jon halliday, is a fascinating and powerful debunking of the many myths that have long surrounded mao tsetung. Taken together they demonstrate that chang and hallidays portrayal of mao is in many places woefully inaccurate. But that in itself does not establish ones credentials to be a mao biographer. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. The unknown story does not contain a formal dedication, but it is clear that chang is writing to honor the millions of chinese who fell victim to mao s drive for absolute power in his 50plusyear struggle to dominate china and the 20thcentury political landscape. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and sold more than fifteen million copies outside mainland china, where they are both banned.
It is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the long march, and showing a. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read mao. The unknown story jung chang, author, jon halliday. In the epilogue to her biography of mao tsetung, jung chang and her husband and cowriter jon halliday lament that, today, maos portrait and his corpse still. Her books have been translated into over 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies outside mainland china where they are banned. I had read stuart schrams book as well the more recent one by jung chang and jon halliday titled mao. The real story is a wellwritten comprehensive history of the life and times of mao zedong. By the end of the book, this point becomes undeniable.
The most authoritative life of the chinese leader ever written, mao. The unknown story, jung chang and jon halliday make an impassioned case for mao as the most monstrous tyrant ever. The unknown story was written by jung chang, who described the suffering of her family during the cultural revolution in the bestseller wild swans and. During the first week of june 1966, pupils from a middle school in beijing felt suddenly impelled to declare. The unknown story by jon halliday, 9780099507376, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The unknown story jung chang jon halliday download. The problem with this book is that it is an 800page polemic, along. The unknown story is a 2005 biography of chinese communist leader mao zedong 18931976 written by the wife and husband team of writer jung chang and historian jon halliday, who depict mao as being responsible for more deaths in peacetime than adolf hitler or joseph stalin. Based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of maos close circle in china who have never talked before, and with virtually everyone outside china. It delivers a death blow to an entire way of thinking. The author of wild swans and her historian husband, jon halliday, have. Jung chang wild swans has been an extraordinary bestseller around the world, selling over 10 million copies, and reaching a wider readership than any other book on chinanow she and her husband jon halliday have written a new biography of mao tsetungbased on a decade of research, and on interviews with many mao circle outreach in china who have never spoken before and with. In conducting their research for the book over the course of a decade, the authors interviewed hundreds of people who were close to mao zedong at some point in his life, used recently published memoirs from chinese political figures, and.
Jung chang wild swans has been an extraordinary bestseller around the world, selling over 10 million copies, and reaching a wider readership than any other book on chinanow she and her husband jon halliday have written a new biography of mao tsetungbased on a decade of research, and on interviews with many mao circle outreach in china who have never spoken before and. It puts an end to the myths about mad tsetung 18931976. In conducting their research for the book over the course of a. Its tone is bizarrely vitriolic and hysterical, as the authors take every single conceivable opportunity to spell out after each example that, see, look, mao was a real dick. The unknown story chang and halliday cast new and revealing light on nearly every episode in maos tumultuous lifea stupendous work and one hopes that it will be brought before the chinese people, who still claim to venerate the man and who. This is especially true for people who have a stake in the future of the indian subcontinent. If chairman mao had been truly prescient, he would have located a little girl in sichuan province. The unknown story is a 2005 biography of chinese communist leader mao zedong 18931976 written by the wife and husband team of writer jung chang and historian jon halliday, who depict mao as being responsible for more deaths in peacetime than adolf hitler or joseph stalin in conducting their research for the book over the course of a decade, the authors interviewed hundreds of.
In the unknown story they claim, on what seems to me thin evidence, that she was a russian agent for those of you who dont know what hagiographic means, it means saintlike in this earlier book, mme sun yatsen soong chingling, by chang and halliday, sharp differences occur with mao. Based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of maos close circle in china who have never talked before. The most authoritative life of mao ever written, by the bestselling author of wild swans, jung chang and her husband, historian jon halliday based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of mao s close circle in china who have never talked before, and with virtually everyone outside china who had significant dealings with him, this is the most authoritative life of mao ever written. The unknown story is a 2005 biography of chinese communist leader mao zedong 18931976 written by jung chang and her husband jon halliday. It is an essential source to learn about maos life and what he stood for. However, the introduction to this book suggested that this one is written after new material has come to light once the soviet and chinese. The most authoritative life of mao ever written, by the bestselling author of wild swans and her husband jung changs wild swans was an extraordinary bestseller throughout the world, selling more. The book presents an alternative to the onesided polemic of mao. The unknown story by jung chang, jon halliday books. The unknown story by jung chang and jon halliday 832pp, cape. The untold story is an epic book that deserved to be widely studied. Jon halliday this biography is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the long march, and showing a completely unknown mao.
The most authoritative life of mao ever written, by the bestselling author of wild swans, jung chang and her husband, historian jon halliday. Jung chang and jon halliday have revealed mao as one of the 20th. In conducting their research for the book over the course of a decade, the authors interviewed hundreds of people who were close to mao zedong at some point in his life, used recently published memoirs from chinese political figures, and explored. Jung chang is the bestselling author of wild swans, which the asian wall street journal called the most widely read book about china, and mao. Sep 01, 2002 the tabloidish whiff of the subtitle the unknown story.
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