Books with title Mao Zedong

It's hard to imagine any fictional villain half as fiendish as the real-life warlords, tyrants, and pirates in these new Wicked biographies. Bet you can't read just one! He presented himself as a man of the people and promised to turn the most populous country on earth into a worker's paradise. But the reality of life in Mao Zedong's Communist China was a different story entirely, marked by widespread famine and inhumane policies that cost tens of millions of lives.

- Opening quote by or about the featured villain/villainess- Historical map, annotated with key locations from person's life- A Wicked Web featuring allies and enemies- Historical photos and etchings- Boxes with additional information- Photo documentaries: six to eight pages of photos and captions telling the person's life- Timeline, glossary, additional sources- Engaging narrative nonfiction written at a very accessible reading level

"Mao Zedong was one of the most powerful people in the world during his lifetime. Yet when he was born, China was still ruled by the Qing dynasty. Many people longed for a new China, however, and Mao led the way. He controlled power in 1949, when China became a Communist nation. As China's ruler, Mao controlled all aspects of Chinese life. The Chinese people studied his writings, and pictures of Mao adorned buildings and walls throughout the country."--From source other than the Library of Congress

In 1949, Mao Zedong came to power in China after a long and brutal civil war. He and his Chinese Communist Party immediately set out to transform their nation into a Communist state. They seized land from wealthy and middle-class farmers and distributed it to poor peasant farmers. The government also took over ownership of all industries. Citizens who resisted these changes were branded “counterrevolutionaries,” and thousands were imprisoned or executed. Within a few years, Mao had turned China into a totalitarian state, controlling all aspects of his citizens’ daily lives. In the 1960s, he sought to wipe out what remained of traditional Chinese society by launching the Cultural Revolution. Millions died as the country erupted into spasms of mob violence. Yet, despite the tumult, Chairman Mao remained a revered, almost godlike figure, worshiped by his people. How did he do it? Learn more about one of the most powerful and controversial figures of the 20th century.