For somebody who isn't fully au fait with Modern Chinese history some of the analysis provided by this book can be a little overwhelming as well as removed from the everyday tragedies of the Great Leap Forward, as it concentrates heavily on economic data and statistics during the first half of the book. However, as the saga of the Great Leap Forward is further expanded on, and Dikotter begins to include more anecdotal evidence from eye witnesses to the horrors of the Great Leap Forward it is far easier for the reader to understand the immense suffering of the Chinese people during this sad chapter of their history. An excellent review of China's famine under Mao. Ignorance of sound engineering, agriculture and industry practices deprived many Chinese of the basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing and ravaged the environment. The single minded focus on beating Great Britain and the West and fear of Mao allowed the insanity to go unchallenged. The book is full of statistics which can make reading difficult but the book is organized in such a way that chapters can be read independently. If you are interested in Chinese fiction from this period (late 1950' to early 1960's) this book provides excellent background to understand the horrors of the period. A good introduction to understanding the "Cultural Revolution" which followed.
A model history, the overviews are clear and informative, the details are truly horrific.
—kristin
Too terrible to feel the depth of the disaster.
—Tranquille
It could have been shorter.
—shabana
Read this book.
—salinas
