Thursday, July 28, 2005

Mao, not meow!

Just when you thought we hadn't heard enough about one of history's biggest tyrants, comes another biography of Mao Zedong. Jung Chang, who wrote an excellent account of her family in Wild Swans which was a worldwide bestseller, has written another book, this time about Mao which will no doubt end up on the bestsellers list.

My human has bought this latest book, but I do not expect him to read it out to me.

Mao, iconised for so long by the Chinese Communist Party, and briefly, by the world, was really a bit of a tyrant (only a bit? - Keiser's human). He was a perfect example of manipulation and using the cult of personality to control people. Millions of people died in China during famines and the Cultural Revolution. Wild Swans had an excellent account of this period which also spawned a whole new genre of memoirs set during this period.

My human has Ross Terrill's other book (which he hadn't got around to reading after languishing on the bookshelf for many many years), and Li Zhisui's book (which he found rivetting reading, at the time).

Jung Chang and Jon Halliday - MAO: The Unknown Story (to be published in the US on 18 October 2005)

Ross Terrill - Mao: a Biography (Dr Terrill is an Australian academic and a noted Sinologist)

LI Zhisui - The Private Life of Chairman Mao (Dr Li was the physician of Mao)

If Jung Chang's new book on Mao is on your to read list (or to be read out to you by a human list), do check out the others too.

It is such a shame that this name Mao sounds so close to meow!

*Please visit Cooper and Camilla who are good at finding out about things and sharing it with us.

........ooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooo........

I am gradually coming around to Margaret, even if I am not allowed on her lap. She gave me ham today. Yes ham!

My human left for work early today and then came home again not long after. He then left again (something about a medical appointment) and returned. We had some lap time, and then he went for a walk to the pharmacy. Even with this in and out business, I do like my human being home with me.

There are a few (3 other) visitors tonight - mainly Margaret and Mary's old friends when they used to live in Canberra. They are here to catch up with them before leaving Sydney to go to China to live for a year or two (which will happen sometime next month).

I have been banished from sitting up at the dining area (on a chair)! And in MY house too! I just want to join in. Nevermind, I will just sit here working on my computer.

ADDENDUM - human company is too much to resist. I will sit behind my human on the dining room chair and try and be as inconspicuous as possible.

keisercat@wildmail.com

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