Whether one views Mao Zedong as a hero or a villain, the 'Great Helmsman' was, undoubtedly, a pivotal figure in the history of twentieth-century China, a man whose life and writings provide a fascinating window on the Chinese experience from the 1920s onward. Part Mao biography, part historical overview of the turbulent story of China's Communist revolutions, the introductory essay traces the history of twentieth-century China, from Mao's early career up to the Chinese Communist Party's victory in 1949, through three decades of revolution to Mao's death in 1976. The second half of the volume offers a selection of Mao's writings - including such seminal pieces as "On New Democracy" and selections from the Little Red Book - and writings about Mao and his legacy by both his contemporaries and modern scholars.

'This is a terrific collection. The documents are perceptively chosen, illuminating numerous aspects of Mao's thought and the various roles he played in the Chinese revolution...Cheek's well-crafted introduction offers important biographical background on Mao and useful context for understanding the primary and secondary readings.' - Nick Knight, Griffith University 'Cheek's volume provides the ideal teaching companion for those wishing to understand one of the great figures of the twentieth century, Mao Zedong. The judicious choice of key writings is complemented by an excellent introduction and informative annotations. The selections reveal Mao in all his splendid contradictions, incisive, confounding, bemusing and frustrating. This fine collection will allow students a well-prepared encounter with China's greatest revolutionary.' - Anthony Saich, Harvard University