Mao: The Unknown Story by

Jung Chang'S 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. Now She And Her Husband Jon Halliday Have Written A Groundbreaking Biography Of Mao Tse-Tung. 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. It Is Full Of Startling Revelations, Exploding The Myth Of The Long March, And Showing A Completely Unknown Mao: He Was Not Driven By Idealism Or Ideology; His Intimate And Intricate Relationship With Stalin Went Back To The 1920S, Ultimately Bringing Him To Power; He Welcomed Japanese Occupation Of Much Of China; And He Schemed, Poisoned And Blackmailed To Get His Way. After Mao Conquered China In 1949, His Secret Goal Was To Dominate The World. In Chasing This Dream He Caused The Deaths Of 38 Million People In The Greatest Famine In History. Combining Meticulous History With The Story-Telling Style Of Wild Swans, This Biography Makes Immediate Mao'S Roller-Coaster Life, As He Intrigued And Fought Every Step Of The Way To Force Through His Unpopular Decisions. The Reader Enters The Shadowy Chambers Of Mao'S Court, And Eavesdrops On The Drama In Its Hidden Recesses. Mao'S Character And The Enormity Of His Behaviour Towards His Wives, Mistresses And Children Are Unveiled For The First Time. This Is An Entirely Fresh Look At Mao In Both Content And Approach. It Will Astonish Historians And The General Reader Alike.

Reviews

SteveDRice.net · Steve D. Rice · 2025-09-03

critical 2.50

The book is seen as an extensively researched but biased and polemical attack on Mao, lacking balance and being a slow, difficult read.

Steve D. Rice acknowledges the vast effort and research behind the book but criticizes it for its obvious bias and inflammatory tone against Mao. He found the book difficult to read due to its density and frequent references to torture and mass deaths, which, while undeniable in Mao's history, are presented without nuance or definitive analysis of Mao's intentions or goals. The reviewer expresses disappointment that the book doesn't provide a balanced view but rather a one-sided condemnation, making it a challenging but informative read for those wanting detailed insight.

Quick quotes

What I got was an obviously biased and quite inflammatory attack on everything (pretty much literally) he ever did.

It is quite a slow read with large numbers of unusual names to remember.

Particularly painful are the elements that talk about torture and the deaths of the Chinese (and others) which is frequent throughout.

Claremont Review of Books · 2025-09-03

critical 3.00

The biography offers fascinating new material but is criticized for a lack of discussion on Mao's ideological flaws and contradictions in depicting his personality and political survival.

The reviewer praises the extensive research and new insights provided but points out significant gaps in the treatment of Mao's ideas and character. They note contradictions such as the portrayal of Mao as utterly self-centered and disliked, yet indispensable politically, which are not fully explained. The narrative sometimes skips over complex political dynamics that allowed Mao to survive despite being supposedly intolerable to allies and opponents alike, leaving the reader with unresolved questions about his political maneuvers and the nature of his power.

Quick quotes

There is hardly any discussion in these well-written pages of Mao’s flawed ideas.

Repeatedly, we are told that Mao was so virtueless that no one liked or agreed with him.

Left unexplained is the wide variety of political outcomes from Mao’s clashes with others.

Goodreads · 2016-08-28

revealing 4.30

The book is a passionate and thorough study that shatters previous illusions about Mao, exposing his brutal and corrupt nature contrary to earlier idealized portrayals.

The reviewers appreciated the depth and clarity of the book, acknowledging it as a well-written and accessible account even for those unfamiliar with the history. They emphasize how the book dismantles the false, saintly image of Mao, revealing his destructive policies and personal corruption, which were often overlooked or excused by Western intellectuals and previous historians. The authors are credited with toppling the idol of Mao and exposing the horrific realities of his regime, including the exploitation and suffering of millions.

Quick quotes

It is extraordinary the benefit of the doubt that Western 'intellectuals' have given to left wing dictatorships.

This book shattered those illusions forever.

He was presented as st Francis of Assisi figure while all the time he was debauching young girls.

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