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Edgar Snow
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Red Star over China: The Classic Account of the Birth of Chinese Communism Paperback – February 16, 1994

by Edgar Snow (Author), Dr. John K. Fairbank (Introduction)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 262 ratings
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The iconic history of the Chinese Communist leaders who forever changed the course of China

The first Westerner to meet Mao Tse-tung and the Chinese Communist leaders in 1936, Edgar Snow came away with the first authorized account of Mao’s life, as well as a history of the famous Long March and the men and women who were responsible for the Chinese revolution. Out of that experience came Red Star Over China, a classic work that remains one of the most important books ever written about the birth of the Communist movement in China. This edition includes extensive notes on military and political developments in China, further interviews with Mao Tse-tung, a chronology covering 125 years of Chinese revolution, and nearly a hundred detailed biographies of the men and women who were instrumental in making China what it is today.

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  1. Print length
    544 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grove Press
  4. Publication date
    February 16, 1994
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.5 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802150934
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802150936
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A journalistic scoop in 1937, this book has since become a historical classic. When Snow made his way through Nationalist lines to the barren reaches of Shensi Province in June 1936, the communists had only recently emerged, exhausted and decimated, from their 6,000-mile Long March. Snow found them developing the distinctive brand of communism that governed the lives of the Chinese people during the Maoist era and that only in recent years has begun to change under the impact of Deng Xiaoping's reforms. Many of the men Snow interviewed in 1936 were the first- generation leaders of communist China. The best-known section of the book is Mao's autobiography as related to Snow, which is still one of the most important documents on that subject. Another important section is the graphic description of the Long March. Snow's sympathetic portrayal of the Chinese communists is somewhat naive, however, and it exposed him to widespread criticism during the McCarthy years.”―Donald Zagoria, Foreign Affairs

About the Author

Edgar Snow, a native of Missouri, went to the Far East when he was twenty-two. He made his home in China for twelve years, studied the country and the language, and lectured at Yenching University in Peking, where his friends included students who are among China's leaders today. As a foreign correspondent in China, Burma, India, and Indochina he worked successively for the Chicago Tribue, New York Sun, New York Herald Tribune and London Daily Herald. Then, as associate editor of the Saturday Evening Post, he reported wartime and postwar events in Asia and Europe and became its widely quoted specialist on China, India, and the U.S.S.R. He is the author of eleven books, including The Battle for Asia, People on Our Side,, Journey to the Beginning, Red China Today: The Other Side of the River, and The Long Revolution. He died in 1972.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; Revised edition (February 16, 1994)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802150934
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802150936
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.5 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 262 ratings

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Edgar Snow

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
262 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Janlee Wong
5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable History
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
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No better first person account of the rise of Communism and Mao Zedong than Snow’s captivating “can’t put it down read.”
One person found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars After reading this, history is different
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2020
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This book makes clear the distorted nature of “history” taught below college level in the United States. So many things in this book from 1944 have been willfully ignored in our textbooks that the only explanation is conspiracy.
39 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
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Great book - I heard it was very enticing and possibly too sympathetic, so I made sure to read a great deal on the real history before starting. It may be sympathetic but it is above all wonderfully written.
24 people found this helpful
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Stephanie Price
4.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent historical account of how China went from being a ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2016
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This is an excellent historical account of how China went from being a country controlled by a Monarch to a collectivist, Communist society, though it seems that China has always been somewhat collective.
The problem with this book is the pinyin Wade-Giles system. Based upon modern Chinese pinyin adopted by the Chinese govt, which is still different from Tongyon Pinyin in Taiwan, the book's author makes some of the town names unintelligible. It is not Snow's fault, rather a reflection of westerner's struggle to have some sort of phonetic speech that would help one pronounce certain words.
It would appear that the author made no attempt to learn much Chinese.
Nevertheless, the book is still worthwhile. especially for students of Chinese history.
5 people found this helpful
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wild goose 39
5.0 out of 5 stars An eyewitness report from mr. Snow.
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2017
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Regardless of the writer's alleged political inclination, it is an important eyewitness account of the situation on the ground in those years. The Kuomintang effort in preventing information and opinion making other than their own propaganda testifies the validity of the report.
7 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars A personal account of his interactions with the China Communist ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2018
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A personal account of his interactions with the China Communist Party in a time where information comes only from the Kuomintang. Thus providing the other side of the story.
21 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Account of the LONG MARCH in China.
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2016
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Love this insight to a great movement in History and the courage and obstacles that the Chinese had to survive on the Long March. I love History and for those who do this a must read.
13 people found this helpful
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Emaido
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2020
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Used in class
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Gunagping Wu
5.0 out of 5 stars It explains why the strong and continuous growth in that country in past fourth years
Reviewed in Canada on April 27, 2023
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Same as title
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Stella
5.0 out of 5 stars fab book!
Reviewed in Germany on March 11, 2024
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fabulous
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in India on February 11, 2019
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Very good account of China. Every Indian should read this book by an American journalist
2 people found this helpful
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Davidyiptw
5.0 out of 5 stars Super fast delivery
Reviewed in Singapore on June 11, 2024
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Received the book in good order and in super fast time... Thanks!!!
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B. Hough
5.0 out of 5 stars The Birth of Modern China
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2011
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China is now the worlds 2nd.largest economy, how could this have happened in just 60 years of Communist rule ? There are of course many explanations and view points,but all must start with the man who would become Chairman Mao. For all students of modern China,"Red Star Over China "is the first book they should read.
Edgar Snow was the first western writer to produce the real story of the Chinese peoples struggle, he writes as he saw things happen, he is honest with his views. He met Mao in 1936 and was the first westerner to interview and spend time with him. His view are somewhat prophetic with hindsight, and the book has stood the test of time, and will continue to be the only starting point for all who seek the truth.
4 people found this helpful
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