Synopsis
A biography of Chinese leader Mao Zedong, discussing the battles that helped shape him and reasons behind his popularity among his countrymen.
School Library Journal
Gr 6-9-Two functional biographies. In the first 41 pages, Hatt covers the basics and provides a picture of Mao's historical and political significance. The last 20 pages of the book, organized into a section called "Judge for Yourself," include spreads of statistics and excerpts from various documents to show the successes and failures of Mao's programs. Agricultural and industrial reform, education, transformation of women's lives, and foreign policy are among the topics covered. Slavicek blends personal, philosophical, and historical information to trace Mao's journey to power. Clear accounts of the communist movement, the Long March, and the eventual battle with the Nationalists and Japanese are included. Succinct discussions explain how Mao governed, his five-year plans, the Korean War, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. Both titles have ample black-and-white and full-color photos, reproductions, and maps that enhance the presentations. If you already own Jonathan Spence's fine Mao Zedong (Viking, 1999), these two volumes are additional purchases.-Joanne K. Cecere, Monroe-Woodbury High School, Central Valley, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.