Deng Xiaoping and the Making of Modern China: Revised Edition [Paperback]

Richard Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1997

A western account of the man who, more than anybody controlled the path of twentieth-century Chinese history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Deng Xiaoping, last of the great Communist revolutionaries, is the most powerful man in the world's largest country. Yet due to the scarcity of materials on Deng, whether official or personal, never before has there been a full-length biography published in English. A former British ambassador to China (1984-88), Evans has interviewed many Chinese officials with government approval and presented this study of Deng, the first in English. Evans describes Deng's life in the context of major political events, such as the Long March, Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution, and Tiananmen Square. His book is well researched and full of insightful observations. It also can be read not only as a biography of one man's life but also as a lucid introduction to modern Chinese history. Highly recommended for all libraries.
- Mark Meng, St. John's Univ. Lib., New York
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Evans, a former British ambassador to China, has penned a noteworthy biography of the most significant Chinese political leader of the post-Mao era. Since Deng Xiaoping's life literally parallels the course of modern Chinese history, this chronicle also provides a blueprint for comprehending the often arcane complexities of twentieth-century China. One of the original members of Mao's revolutionary cadre, Deng tenaciously survived civil strife, the Japanese invasion, the legendary Long March, and the purges of the Cultural Revolution, emerging as the preeminent national leader after the death of Mao. Renowned as the architect of contemporary China's amazingly successful economic development program, Deng is also credited with reintroducing a radically refashioned China into the eager embrace of the international community. Highly recommended for Asian studies collections. Margaret Flanagan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Revised edition (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140267476
• ISBN-13: 978-0140267471
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,993,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This is a solid account of the vicissitudes of Deng's life., November 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Deng Xiaoping and the Making of Modern China: Revised Edition (Paperback)

This is an excellent account of the numerous ascents and descents that characterized Deng Xiaoping's remarkable political life. Evans is ultimately telling us a story within a story. Deng's political life spanned the bulk of the twentieth century, and it is against this backdrop that Evans tells us his story. He does a fine job of illuminating how Deng spent his time during the Cultural Revolution, as well as informing the reader what the logic behind his reforms was. As a whole, I liked this book very much and would reommend it to anyone interested in learning more about contemporary China. The writing is consistently concise and to the point. This book does not confuse or bore the reader with lofty theoretical arguments that try to prove causation for various events in Chinese history, it lays out the facts as they are known. This book is both captivating and instructional. However, for those who are well read in Chinese history, much of this book will be redundant. Yet, its redeeming qualities are in ample supply.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, truly valuable biography, October 8, 2005

By 

Sigmund Hoenigsberg-Moretti (Vienna, Austria) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Deng Xiaoping and the Making of Modern China (Paperback)

I enjoyed enormously this book: it doesnt try to sell a myth or an epic and doesnt "side" with Deng. The author is a former diplomat and an "old china hand" and the reader can fully benefit from a deep, thoughtful and unemotional analysis by an insider.
The book is factual, doesnt try to prove any theory and gives you also an excellent overview of the whole Chinese history in this century. I particularly enjoyed the shrewd analysis of all the characters and of their motivations, as you would expect it from the eyes of a professional diplomat gauging his counterparts.