If your knowledge of the massacre in Beijing 20 years ago is based entirely on a few news reports (as mine was) then you really ought to read this book. You will come to understand the mood and motives of the students, the events that led up to the standoff, and how the massacre was triggered. You will realize that the reporting by the U.S. news agencies was woefully inadequate and left you largely misunderstanding what had happened (though that probably wasn't entirely their fault).
The book takes the form of a chronicle, stepping through the events almost entirely in the order they happened. The style is very academic. So if you're looking for a rousing story, written almost like a novel, with deep character development and lots of emotion--something like the histories written by Joseph Ellis or David McCullough--you are going to be disappointed. This is mostly a straightforward retelling of events. And yet, I think because of his familiarity with the setting, the times, and life as a student in Beijing, Dr. Cheng brings a depth of understanding to these events that does draw you in, does make you care about the characters, and does keep you reading. This is most definitely NOT one of those dry, academic tomes that you have to force yourself to finish!
I found it especially fascinating to read about the struggles for power, the pursuit of status and control, and the petty and immature infighting that went on between the various student leaders and their respective factions. And yet, if you pay attention to what happens in the U.S. Congress (or any other political body, for that matter), you know that petty and immature infighting is an art form among politicians. The students in Beijing, in the spring of 1989, were amateurs at it when compared to the average elected representative!
Finally, I have to comment on the famous image of the student facing down a column of tanks. Often referred to as the "Hero of Tiananmen Square" I have long thought the real hero of that particular confrontation was the unseen and unknown driver of the lead tank. How easy it would have been for him to just keep going, to roll right over that student, and grind him into the pavement. His superiors certainly wouldn't have punished him for doing that, as they probably did for stopping his tank.
No one can take away from the incredible courage shown by the anonymous student. We should also not forget, however, the courage shown by that driver who made the choice to stop his tank, who almost certainly chose to disobey orders, and who instead chose to respect human life. Too bad that there aren't more people in this world willing to make choices like that more often.
Bottom line: READ THIS BOOK!