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by Jonathan Clements (Author)
A concise and comprehensive biography of Mao Zedong, published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of his death.
A half-century after his death in September 1976, Mao Zedong remains one of history's most polarizing figures: a peasant boy who became a revolutionary leader, a general in World War II, and finally the Great Helmsman, the founding father of the People's Republic of China. His legacy is a mix of national liberation and human tragedy. Today, Mao is no static icon on a banknote but the architect of a superpower whose ideas, methods, and personal life are continually reexamined through a modern lens.
This comprehensive biography bridges the gap between the revolutionary and the man without overlooking the events that led to the end of China's Century of Humiliation, the brutal cost of the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution, reevaluating his "mass line" ideology.
Based on new archival information and startling revelations from his inner circle--including his personal physician, Dr. Li Zhisui, and former nurses--Clements offers a clear and accessible portrait of a leader whose persistent influence reminds us why Mao's story remains essential to understanding the global power dynamics of today.
Author Biography
Jonathan Clements presented several seasons of Route Awakening, National Geographic's award-winning TV series about Chinese history and culture. He is the author of many acclaimed books, including Coxinga and the Fall of the Ming Dynasty, Confucius: A Biography, and The Emperor's Feast: A History of China in Twelve Meals. He has also written histories of both China and Japan, two countries that have, at some point, claimed Taiwan as their own. From 2013 to 2019, Clements was a visiting professor at Xi'an Jiaotong University. He was born in the East of England and lives in Finland.
