Jonathan D Spence

Enlightenment thinkers, spinners of the cult of Chinoiserie, and American observers such as Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and Eugene O'Neill convey Western thought on China.

This intimate portrait of Mao Zedong, one of the most formidable and elusive rulers in modern history, introduces the essential background about the Chinese leader, including his relations with family, friends, and confidential assistants, as well as his youthful writings, poems, letters, and drafts of speeches.