Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang Audiobook

" Somewhat bogged down in details. "

" blah blah blah...yes. It's that bad. Something must have been lost in the Chinese translation of the description of all the Communist Party inner workings. "

" I got halfway through this before stopping. It's about Chinese politics, which isn't that interesting to me. It is interesting to learn about the maneuverings that go on in the leadership of the nation. "

" This is a fascinating book because it shows the inner operations of the high level Chinese government. What's interesting is that it's much like the high level operations of any major organization -- a lot of maneuvering among the players, idealism and backstabbing all part of the equation. A fantastic book for the historical record. "

" O.K., I give up. I just can't finish it! "

" This is the real dragon who wakes us up in his coffin. His body will be forever warm. "

" I got very interesting insights into China's economic reform process, the Tiananmen demonstrations and the political backstabbing going on in the Communist Party from this book. "

" what would have happened to China if he had not been threw out of power? He was once the hope of China's new "open" era ... "stability" is the key after all? "

" I so, so wish that this book had been more than a retelling of meeting minutes. I was prepared to love it. Instead, it has the dubious honor of being the first book since Billy Budd that I finally threw down in disgust without finishing. "

" Pretty interesting look inside China's government during a certain time period, and the political story of a man who did not toe the party line and was punished for it. A bit of a dry read, but still very interesting. "

" Part communist. Part capitalist. 100% Chinese prisoner of the state "

" Brutally, criminally dull. Poor guy gets put under house arrest for having an unpopular opinion, then spends 16 years writing letters to The Powers That Be who assiduously ignore them, and him, until he dies of old age and boredom. No one, but no one, does bureaucracy like the ChiComs. "

" Insightful perspective into Chinese politics, their world view, and how they moved from socialism to quasi capitalism - all through the eyes of a man on the front lines of it all, Zhao Ziyang. "

" Memoir of the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 1987-1989, a reformer. "

" Very interesting. Gave me an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in the Chinese government, even today. Forbidden book in mainland China. "

" Amazing content, though not the most exciting read. I think I learned more about China in the 80s and 90s than I ever thought I'd know. "

" blah blah blah...yes. It's that bad. Something must have been lost in the Chinese translation of the description of all the Communist Party inner workings. "

" Pretty interesting look inside China's government during a certain time period, and the political story of a man who did not toe the party line and was punished for it. A bit of a dry read, but still very interesting. "

" Brutally, criminally dull. Poor guy gets put under house arrest for having an unpopular opinion, then spends 16 years writing letters to The Powers That Be who assiduously ignore them, and him, until he dies of old age and boredom. No one, but no one, does bureaucracy like the ChiComs. "

" Amazing content, though not the most exciting read. I think I learned more about China in the 80s and 90s than I ever thought I'd know. "

" Very interesting. Gave me an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in the Chinese government, even today. Forbidden book in mainland China. "

" Insightful perspective into Chinese politics, their world view, and how they moved from socialism to quasi capitalism - all through the eyes of a man on the front lines of it all, Zhao Ziyang. "

" This is definitely a great book to read in conjunction with Li Zhisui's Private Life or Chairman Mao. Ziyang's struggles to produce meaningful economic reform in China were consistently stymied by his belief that political reform was possible while leaving tht CPC in preeminence. "