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Out of Mao's Shadow: The Struggle for the Soul of a New China Audiobook
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(3.99) - 509 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Prize-winning journalist Philip P. Pan offers an unprecedented inside look at the momentous battle underway for China's future. On one side is the entrenched party elite determined to preserve its authoritarian grip on power. On the other is a collection of lawyers, journalists, entrepreneurs, activists, hustlers, and dreamers striving to build a more tolerant, open, and democratic China. The outcome of this dramatic, hidden struggle will shape China's rise to superpower status—and determine how it affects the rest of the world. From factories in the rusting industrial northeast to a tabloid newsroom in the booming south, from a small-town courtroom to the plush offices of the nation's wealthiest tycoons, Pan speaks with men and women fighting and sacrificing for change. An elderly surgeon exposes the government's cover-up of the SARS epidemic. A filmmaker investigates the execution of a student in the Cultural Revolution. A blind man is jailed for leading a crusade against forced abortions carried out under the one-child policy. Out of Mao's Shadow offers a startling perspective on China and its remarkable transformation, challenging conventional wisdom about the political apathy of the Chinese people and the notion that prosperity leads automatically to freedom. Like David Remnick's Lenin's Tomb, this is the moving story of a nation in transition, of a people coming to terms with their past.
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"This book is phenomenal -- well researched, very well written, and Pan does his best to provide a balanced perspective, although there's little in China's CCP policies that are really "fair." Completely heartbreaking but essential people, stories, issues and recent breakthroughs in China's modern history. An essential read for anyone looking to understand China's current political and social climate."
— Mary (5 out of 5 stars)
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“As correspondent for the Washington Post, Philip Pan covered China like no one else, using his fluency in the language to penetrate Chinese society. He goes beyond his newspaper reporting to tell the story of Chinese people pressing unsuccessfully for political change. Pan’s book gives lie to the notion that China is inevitably heading toward democratization.”
— James Mann, New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Vulcans -
“Pan is one of the finest American correspondents to have worked in China, a penetrating reporter who works from the ground up. This is an extraordinarily important book about China’s unfinished politics.”
— Steve Coll, New York Times bestselling author of The Bin Ladens -
“The immediacy of first-rate reportage and the emotional depth of field of a novel.”
— New York Times -
“Pan’s stirring reportage shows that, even in China, the individual can make a difference—at a price.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Pan, former Beijing bureau chief for the Washington Post, traveled China and talked to officials, journalists, artists, entrepreneurs, and ordinary citizens to get a portrait of an extraordinary time in that nation’s—and the world’s—history…Pan presents the perspective of Chinese with hopes for a democratic future in China, even as that nation struggles to reconcile its past and future ambitions and its place in the broader world.”
— Booklist -
“Philip Pan has brought great patience and a rare sensitivity to political reporting in China. This is the story of how power actually works there.”
— Peter Hessler, author of Oracle Bones: A Journey through Time in China -
“Out of Mao’s Shadow is a stunningly researched and crafted book, filled with tales of individual heroism, triumph, and heartbreak. Pan shares his subjects’ relentless curiosity and drive to find truth; the result is a book that’s immediate, moving, and ultimately thrilling.”
— Rachel DeWoskin, author of Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China -
“Philip Pan’s book is a masterpiece of reportage, revealing the layers of dirt and pain that lurk just beneath the shiny surface of modern China.”
— Rob Gifford, National Public Radio correspondent and author of China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power -
Pan's stirring reportage shows that, even in China, the individual can make a difference---at a price.
— Publishers Weekly Starred Review
Awards
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A Washington Post bestseller
Out of Mao's Shadow Listener Reviews
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" Interesting. I'm more scared about being China now than I was when I was there! "
— Cathy, 1/16/2014 -
" Very good book on what it is like to live in an Authoritarian state trying to adapt to capitalism. "
— Chris, 11/24/2013 -
" Very good introduction to the abuses of one party communist rule in China from Mao to Hu Jintao. Covers the tragedies of the Rightist purge, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the one child policy. The author is very pro-democracy, so don't expect a neutral perspective. "
— Samuel, 9/20/2013 -
" The book brought to light many of the back alley activities you don't see or hear about in China while you are living as an expat here. "
— Brian, 8/7/2013 -
" A great book with stories on different parts of the current Chinese history. There seems to be too much focus on the people instead on the history, but it's still a very good book to start with. "
— Vasil, 8/5/2013 -
" Great back ground of China during and following the reign of Mao. I learned a lot. "
— Lorene, 5/15/2013 -
" Very interesting, in-depth look at China since Mao. Far more than I thought or could imagine. "
— B, 3/12/2013 -
" Great book. Quick read. Elucidates several stories from China's recent history and how the changes related to each are influencing China today. "
— Carlos, 8/4/2012 -
" Personal tales of the cultural revolution and its shaping of modern China. Easy read with each chapter being from a different perspective. "
— Tim, 7/16/2012 -
" Good insiders look into "modern" China, based on a collection of personal stories. Both eye-opening and heart-breaking, worth a read for anyone with interest in 20th century Chinese society and history. "
— Eliot, 7/7/2012 -
" Great look at China's real leap forward. "
— Judith, 4/28/2012 -
" For an unvarnished view of modern China, Pan's book is unequaled. It's a perfect blend of fine writing and hard-hitting reportage. Essential reading for anyone interested in China. "
— Casey, 7/3/2011 -
" An ill written, uninformning book that gives little facts and lots of questions. I do not recomend reading this book....at all!!!!!!! "
— Jacob, 5/20/2011 -
" Even if I wasn't living in China right now, I would still feel this book would be a gripping and insightful must-read. It's the first book I've read that paints a picture of present-day Chinese political and social thinking and experience. "
— Linda, 3/19/2011 -
" Great book describing the less glamorous side of China today including tales of ordinary citizens and their run in with the Party. The author writes in a captivating way that makes for an easy read. Only criticism is the book does overly dwell on the negative. "
— Jimmy, 2/6/2011 -
" Good insiders look into "modern" China, based on a collection of personal stories. Both eye-opening and heart-breaking, worth a read for anyone with interest in 20th century Chinese society and history. "
— Eliot, 1/12/2011 -
" An ill written, uninformning book that gives little facts and lots of questions. I do not recomend reading this book....at all!!!!!!! "
— Jacob, 1/11/2011 -
" This book spans many years. It touches on a lot of incidents that have happened since Mao's reign. "
— Colleen, 10/16/2010 -
" Interesting to see how the people of china have evolved since the cultural revolution, and the Tienanmen square massacre. "
— Natalya, 9/27/2010 -
" a letdown after Hessler's 'Country Driving' "
— Jeff, 9/15/2010 -
" Different stories from different people or Chinese people from different classes. Very informative, detailed and on point. Like it a lot. "
— Khethukulunga, 9/12/2010 -
" Interesting. I'm more scared about being China now than I was when I was there! "
— Cathy, 8/4/2010 -
" Great back ground of China during and following the reign of Mao. I learned a lot. "
— Lorene, 7/30/2010 -
" I liked the book, although one might find the writer having really only presented negative takes on China. A good read if you want to get a ground level take on the debates/disputes over free speech and property rights in China. "
— Chris, 7/16/2010
About Philip P. Pan
Philip P. Pan is the Washington Post’s bureau chief in Moscow and the newspaper’s former Beijing bureau chief. During his tour in China from 2000 to 2007, he won the Livingston Award for Young Journalists in international reporting, the Overseas Press Club’s Bob Considine Award for best newspaper interpretation of international affairs, and the Asia Society’s Osborn Elliott Prize for excellence in Journalism on Asia. He lives with his wife and son in Moscow.
About David Colacci
David Colacci is an actor and director who has directed and performed in prominent theaters nationwide. His credits include roles from Shakespeare to Albee, as well as extensive work on new plays. As a narrator, he has won numerous Earphones Awards, earned Audie Award nominations, and been included in Best Audio of the Year lists by such publications as Publishers Weekly, AudioFile magazine, and Library Journal. He was a resident actor and director with the Cleveland Play House for eight years and has been artistic director of the Hope Summer Rep Theater since 1992.