After the economic disaster of the great leap forward that claimed tens of millions of lives from 19581962, an aging mao zedong launched an ambitious scheme to shore up. Maos great famine frank dikotter the grey zone from 1958 to 1962 china was pitched into a hell of inconceivable proportions. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962 china. That meant abandoning silly old agriculture why would the worlds most populous country need copious amounts of food, after all. Mao zedong, chairman of the chinese communist party, threw his country into a frenzy with the great leap forward, an attempt to overtake britain, then still seen as an industrial superpower, in less than 15 years.
Frank dikotter, maos great famine, the history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 195862 londres, berlin, new york, bloomsbury, 2010. Dikotter chronicles the strategies mao and the chinese leadership implemented to increase grain and steel production in the late 1950s leading to a. The history of china s most devastating catastrophe,which is selected as one of the books of the year in 2010 by the economist, the. Using previously restricted archives, historian dikotter reveals that under this initiative the country became the site not. Orville schell, former dean of the graduate school of journalism at the university of california, berkeley.
Apr 18, 2011 but frank dikotter, in his new book maos great famine. He has published ten books about the history of china, including maos great famine, which won the bbc samuel johnson prize for nonfiction in 2011, and the tragedy of liberation, which was shortlisted. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe 19581962 is an examination of the great leap forward period of rapid collectivization in the late 1950s early 60s, which coincided with a massive famine and the loss of life for many people. Experts and survivors take a new look at chinas manmade famine. In her latest, new yorker staff writer orlean rin tin tin. Pdf mao s great famine download full pdf book download. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, won the 2011 samuel johnson prize for nonfiction, britains most prestigious book award for nonfiction. This study of the operation and tragic costs of chinas great leap forward 19581960 brings to. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 195862. Maos great famine was not merely an isolated episode in the making of modern china.
The subsequent cultural revolution was the leaders attempt to take revenge on. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 195862, is a 2010 book by professor and historian frank dikotter about the great chinese famine of 19581962 in the peoples republic of china under mao zedong 18931976. Sep 06, 2012 frank dikotter discusses his book, mao s great famine. Maos great famine, greatly expands our knowledge of the human suffering. Maos great famine, by frank dikotter the objective. This study of the operation and tragic costs of chinas great leap forward 1958 1960 brings to. Frank dikotter discusses his book, maos great famine. Winner of the samuel johnson prize an unprecedented, groundbreaking history of chinas great famine that recasts the era of mao zedong and the history of the peoples republic of china. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, won the 2011 samuel johnson prize. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962 until now concerning the book weve got maos great famine.
Maos great famine by frank dikotter book read online. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Frank dikotter, maos great famine, the history of chinas. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 195862 dikotter frank. Frank dikotter is the chair professor of humanities at the university of hong kong and professor of the modern history of china on leave from the school of oriental and african studies, university of london.
The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962, seeks to enlighten us on this horrifying period in chinese history, or as he puts it in his opening sentence when china descended into hell. Winner of the samuel johnson prize an unprecedented, groundbreaking history of china s great famine that recasts the era of mao zedong and the history of the people s republic of china. After maos great famine, frank dikotters chronicle of how that regime killed at least 45 million people in what he calls the greatest manmade famine the world has seen, no one will have any excuses for modish maoism. This book presents a revised and even more horrifying. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962.
With both narrative vigor and scholarly rigor, maos great famine documents how mao zedongs impetuosity was the demise of tens of millions of ordinary chinese who perished unnecessarily in this spasm of revolutionary extremism. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962, presented by harvard book. Historian frank dikotter of the university of hong kong and author of maos great famine talks about the book with econtalk host russ roberts. Bloomsbury paperbacks, 2011china, in the fifties, was supposed to surpass britains industrial output. Devastating catastrophe, 195862 is the longest and most. Frank dikotter takes a new look at maos great leap forward 195862, using the recently opened communist party archives. Mao zedong threw his country into a frenzy with the great leap forward, an attempt to catch up to and overtake britain in less than. Ways of living, ways of dying frank dikotter the grey zone from 1958 to 1962 china was pitched into a hell of inconceivable proportions. The final volume of his planned trilogy will be on the cultural revolution, bringing the curtain down on a truly disastrous period economist frank dikotter s powerful new book is a bold and startling attempt to rectify this apparent neglect. Maos great famine by frank dikotter this book is an excellent account of the great famine of china from 195862.
Opinion maos great leap to famine the new york times. Maos great famine sophia university institute of comparative. Maos great famine was published to wide critical acclaim in 2010 and was a runnerup in the 2011 asia society bernard schwartz book award, which will be awarded at asia society new york on december 1, 2011. Maos great famine by frank dikotter, 9781408886366, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. Click download or read online button to get mao s great famine book now. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe,which is selected as one of the books. Mao s great famine by frank dikotter, 9781408886366, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. With access to recently published provincial archives from the time period. Frank dikotter presents the facts in maos great famine. Oct 06, 20 detailed it may be, but frank dikotters critique of the early years of chinese communist rule is relentlessly partial, writes isabel hilton. With both narrative vigor and scholarly rigor, mao s great famine documents how mao zedong s impetuosity was the demise of tens of millions of ordinary chinese who perished unnecessarily in this spasm of revolutionary extremism.
As frank dikotters maos great famine reveals, the chairman became a demented megalomaniac who laughed his way through the deaths of more than 45 million chinese. Last year frank dikotter won the prestigious bbc samuel johnson prize for his book maos great famine. Dikotter chronicles the strategies mao and the chinese leadership implemented to increase grain and steel production in the late 1950s leading to a collapse in agricultural output and the deaths of. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962 pdf opinions end users never have yet quit the writeup on the sport, or not read it yet. Dikotter spoke to asia blog about maos great famine, china, and why attempts to rehabilitate the chinese dictator are misguided.
Frank dikotter author of bestseller, maos great famine. Mao s great famine available for download and read online in other formats. Zalerts allow you to be notified by email about the availability of new books according to your search query. In maos great famine, frank dikotter explores the catastrophe that often gets crowded out of the worlds.
Frank dikotter, maos great famine request pdf researchgate. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading maos great famine. The final volume of his planned trilogy will be on the cultural revolution, bringing the curtain down on a truly disastrous period economist frank dikotters powerful new book is a bold and startling attempt to rectify this apparent neglect. Frank dikotter has written a masterpiece about historys greatest monster amd mass murderer ever. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Professor dikotter says that between those years, at least 45 million. What drives frank dikotter, chronicler of chinas insanity. Before moving to asia in 2006, he was professor of the modern history of china at the university of london.
The causes for the disaster are many, and they primarily come from the topchairman mao, the communist dictator from 194976. Mr dikotter has already written about that in maos great famine, which this book only betters. Mao s great famine download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Jun 23, 2016 the first line in the preface to maos great famine, by frank dikotter, states. The jury was impressed yet stunned that they didnt know the full scale of the atrocities committed during the great leap forward. From 1958 to 1962 china was pitched into a hell of inconceivable proportions. Following the release of some key archives, however, a clearer picture of the hell that was maos system has emerged. A history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, frank dikotters riveting and magnificently detailed chronicle of the great leap forward. Mr dikotter has already written about that in mao s great famine, which this book only betters. An engaging, casual history of librarians and libraries and a famous one that burned down. Sep 04, 2010 maos great famine by frank dikotter the horrors of chinas great leap forward are unveiled in this masterly study of the hateful plan.
The history of china s most devastating catastrophe, 19581962, presented by harvard book store. Horrific as it was, with its cannibalism and people eating mud in search of sustenance, the famine generated by the great leaps failure and the diversion of labour from farming was only part of a saga of oppression, cruelty and lies on a gargantuan scale. Oct 01, 2010 before moving to asia in 2006, he was professor of the modern history of china at the university of london. Request pdf on mar 1, 2011, steven yearley and others published frank dikotter, maos great famine find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Historian frank dikotter of the university of hong kong and author of mao s great famine talks about the book with econtalk host russ roberts. Frank dikotter is the author of the peoples trilogy, three books that document the impact of communism on the lives of ordinary people in china on the basis of new archival material. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 195862, is a 2010 book by professor and historian frank dikotter about the great famine of 19581962 in the peoples republic of china under mao zedong 18931976. Mao zedong, chairman of the chinese communist party, threw his country into a frenzy with the great leap forward, an attempt to overtake britain, then still seen as an industrial. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962 9780802779236. Dikotters extraordinary research within chinese archives brings together for the first time what happened in the corridors of power with the everyday experiences of ordinary people. Bloomsbury paperbacks, 2011china, in the fifties, was supposed to surpass britain s industrial output. Dikotter begins his history with stalins death in 1953, arguing that mao saw the event as an opportunity to claim leadership of the socialist camp p. Review of frank dikotter, maos great famine logos journal.
Chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962 pdf between 1958 and 1962, china descended into hell. The history of chinas most devastating catastrophe, 19581962 pdf opinions end users never have. Based on four years of research in recently opened chinese provincial, county, and city archives. Buy maos great famine by frank dikotter from waterstones today. Winner of the samuel johnson prize an unprecedented, groundbreaking history of chinas great famine tha. He has published ten books about the history of china, including mao s great famine, which won the bbc samuel johnson prize for nonfiction in 2011, and the tragedy of liberation, which was shortlisted for the george orwell prize. The genesis of todays china lies in the merciless actions of one of the bloodiest tyrantsif not the bloodiestof. Maos great famine is a gripping and masterful portrait of the brutal court of mao, based on new research but also written with great narrative verve, that tells the gripping story of the manmade famine that killed 45 million people from the dictator and his henchmen down to the villages of rural china simon sebag montefiore. Request pdf on mar 1, 2011, steven yearley and others published frank dikotter, maos great famine find, read and cite all the research you need on. Nov 28, 2012 frank dikotter author of bestseller, mao s great famine. Maos great famine the history of chinas most devastating. Had the leadership reversed course in the summer of 1959 at lushan as they had intended to before the peng dehuai affair, the number of victims claimed by famine would have been counted in the millions.
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