Mao Zedong: A Life

Not knowing much about China and the life of Mao Zedong except the very basics (little red book, cultural revolution, millions of deaths), I picked this short book up to learn more. I found the first half, focused on Mao’s early life and struggles the most interesting. It’s somewhat stunning how an intellectually curious farm boy eventually ended up as the leader of all China. The later half of the book, dealing with Mao in power after 1949, is somehow less interesting – sometimes it seems like things are just happening, mostly bad things, and as Chairman, he sometimes seems to be not terribly involved. Overall, this book feels like a good introduction. It’s brief, just 178 pages, and fairly concise. I personally wasn’t ready to read some 700 to 1,000 page tome on this subject, so in that sense, this is kind of a great book - you can learn some about Mao, China and the rise of communism across the 20th century, but not be overwhelmed or bogged down in excessive detail.

I don't know anything about Mao, and I've been reading other long books on WWII, so this was pretty much what I was looking for, something brief. If you're in the same boat, just getting started, this might be the book for you, since it is longer and more detailed than an online article.At the same time, its brevity can make the sequence of events a little confusing at times - I mean, because of the gaps. This came up a couple of times for me but the one I really remember was not really following Mao's shift to military leader. That was kind of sudden in this short book.I read the Kindle version and it had incorrect letters, extra spaces, things like that. I understand that in some older books with a smaller audience, but it does not seem right for this publisher.I have to admit I would like to have seen an epilogue about the winding down of the Cultural Revolution, given its significance.

The author’s version of Mao’s early life does nothing to explain history’s deadliest dictator. Skepticism is rewarded when we refer to his notes. Spence lists as his source, Edgar Snow. Snow took Mao’s word for word dictation, covered it with his name, and allowed the great teacher to edit the final draft. Details such as working on the family farm at age six and his treatment of his dying mother, are contradicted by more reliable voices. Author Spence sees Mao changing “trajectory” in 1937 toward the Mao we now know. But by 1937 Mao Zedong had already decimated his militia with a monstrous purge and he abandoned a number of his wives and children when they became inconvenient.Spence describes hard times for Mao’s band “It was only through the spirit of democracy- sharing hardships.. “ that they survived. During that period, Mao recorded how the Reds “requested” local support. “The Red Army . . .makes every effort to protect the merchants-. . .(However), because of the current shortage of food supplies, we are writing you now to request that you kindly collect on our behalf 5000 dollars, 7000 pairs of sandals, 7000 pairs of socks and 300 bolts of white cloth. It is urgent that these be delivered before eight o’clock this evening…. If you ignore our requests, (it will be proof of your collaboration with reactionaries)…In that case we will be obliged to burn down all the reactionary shops in (the town)…Do not say we have not forewarned you!” Mao noted, “You can only expropriate once in a given locality, afterwards there would be nothing to take.”Spence also describes the ordeal of the “Long March” but misses the flavor. One Red unit set out 6000 strong, within six months they sustained 998 casualties and 208 defections to the enemy, but also 4004 desertions. In order to replace massive desertions, males as young as fourteen were conscripted along the way and failure to meet recruiting goals led to death. Similar to Mao’s previous “requests” from inhabitants along his route, all in their path who lived above subsistence level were defined as landlords and therefore subject to complete confiscation of all possessions. Any reluctance to cooperate resulted in “burning their houses, and digging up and destroying family tombs… Their families will be punished by death.”This book catalogues a number Mao Zedong’s crimes but takes a curously moderate view of the monster who killed more than Hitler and Stalin combined.Recommended further reading:Abandoning an Ally- (U.S./China- World War II, Red conquest, Korean War (The new chronicle, based on previously suppressed Government documents and writings of Mao Zedong) Fitzgerald, James- AmazonThe Long March- (A Red Army Brat interviews witnesses along the route) –Sun Shuyun.Mao: The Unknown Story- (A comprehensive view of Mao Zedong)- Chang & HollidayChina’s Special Area- (by Stalin’s man in Mao’s HQ)- Petr Vladimirov- Allied Pub.Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung- Vols. 1-5, Mao Tse-tung Abandoning an Ally: The Real Story Behind 70 Million Killed in China and America's "Forgotten War"

Mao was a man of ideals, incredible bravery and perseverance, and magnetism. He united China and raised the status of women magnificently. He was a visionary until he reached power, then for a quarter of a century he had no idea what to do with it, and nearly destroyed all his work. Spence shows all this in an interesting and convincing way. I definitely learned a lot about both sides of this controversial man. (then read China's Economy by Kroeber which shows how Deng saved the day after Mao.)

well written and educating about the life in China from the war against Japan to the civil war, and the communist time. Highly recommended if you want to learn about China through a story,