Blood Red Sunset: A Memoir of the Chinese Cultural Revolution Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an absolutely phenomenal book. There's so much about the Cultural Revolution and the early days of Communist China that just gets glossed over in history classes and general books about the country. Ma Bo was on the inside of it all, and despite his unflinching belief in Communist ideals, was nonetheless punished by the very system he had so much faith in.
I was worried that this book would be tainted by the stain of moralizing one way or the other. What a relief it is to read on such a charged subject and not be preached at. Ma Bo simply tells his story, and you take away from it whatever you will. There's deep understanding of what motivated the Chinese then (and to one degree or other still motivates them today), and there is much to be learned from this tale.
Whatever your thoughts on Communism, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is at all curious about this major chapter in modern Chinese history.

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Tao Te Ching, 25th-Anniversary Edition (English and Mandarin Chinese Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)It is hardly difficult to understand the enduring quality of the Tao Te Ching. Written by Lao Tsu in the sixth century BC is a simple, quiet book that reflects upon our true nature and our behavior. Broken up into 81 'chapters' or short poems, it comprises a mere 5,000 words. Every other sentence is a memorable quote, and one can read it in an hour and study it for a lifetime.
What I do find remarkable is the durability of this particular edition. My copy is ancient, dating back to my college days. At frequent intervals it seems to come to hand and I will peruse it again and enjoy the clarity of this translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. They have carefully chosen a simple, accessible style which I feel completely captures the nature of the Tao. "What is a good man? A teacher of a bad man.
What is a bad man? A good man's charge."
Accompanying the text are many fine examples of Gia-Fu Feng's calligraphy and Jane English's photographs. While I like Chinese calligraphy, I lack the understanding to make any judgement. I can only report that it shows flow and grace, and works perfectly with English's photographs. These latter capture, most often with natural images, a play of contrast which often is as calligraphic as the accompanying handwriting. Thus, the book itself is a careful balance between content and form.
At the end of the day, or in an otherwise tense moment, this volume has often been the source of the tiny bit of sanity that makes the next day possible. There is much to meditate on here and this edition is a precious resource for the seeking mind.

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Quotations From Chairman Mao Tse-Tung Review

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(More customer reviews)While Mao no doubt had a profound impact on China, it was not for his originality of thought, but for the manner in which he promoted Marxism-Leninism. The only significant change he made in the philosophy was his realization that for communism to work in China, the Proletariat had to be interpreted as the peasantry. Mao's "Little Red Book" was a necessity in the creation of the mystique of Mao, and the cult of Maoism. This was not so much because of the ideas presented, but because the manner in which the were presented to the public, not only in the book itself, but through various other means of propaganda. Therefore the book as an item could be valuable to own for anyone interested in the study of Mao, but only as a tool in his mystique. Granted the book does provide some insight into Maoism, its most profound impact was based on its existence, and Mao would best be studied through his actions rather than through his writings.

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