Whether one views Mao Zedong as a hero or a demon, the "Great Helmsman" was, undoubtedly, a pivotal figure in the history of twentieth-century China, a man whose life and writings provide a fascinating window on the Chinese experience from the 1920s onward. Part Mao biography, part historical overview of the turbulent story of China€s Communist revolutions, the introductory essay traces the history of twentieth-century China, from Mao€s early career up to the Chinese Communist Party€s victory in 1949, through three decades of revolution to Mao€s death in 1976. The second half of the volume offers a selection of Mao€s writings €" including such seminal pieces as "On New Democracy" and selections from the Little Red Book €" and writings about Mao and his legacy by both his contemporaries and modern scholars. Also included are headnotes to the documents, a chronology, Questions for Consideration, 12 images, a selected bibliography, and an index.
