And there are a number of other things that I'm working on, off and on. For one, I'd like to get Abnormal Signs back up and running. The problem right now is that I need clever photos to use for the signs themselves. You know, Aries, Libra, Virgo, etc... I've thought of an idea or two, but I don't have money/time to acquire all the ones I need. I am seeking pictures of the various animals/things that the signs are named for, and I need stuff that is straight off somebody's camera. Nothing I have to source to somebody else. Know what I mean?
Anyway, on that subject, if you have any pictures, preferably odd or funny ones, of the various critters that make up the signs of the zodiac (the non-Chinese one, that is), I'd sure appreciate it if you'd forward me some. For use on the Signs. Even ideas on how to get pictures without using the ubiquitous Google Image search would be appreciated. Thanks
And here's the review, as promised.
 |
| Source: Amazon.com |
Nixon and Mao: The Week That
Changed the World, by Margaret MacMillan
From the book’s cover:
With the publication of her landmark bestseller Paris 1919, Margaret MacMillan was praised as “a superb writer who can bring history to life” (The Philadelphia Inquirer). Now she brings her extraordinary gifts to one of the most important subjects today–the relationship between the United States and China–and one of the most significant moments in modern history. In February 1972, Richard Nixon, the first American president ever to visit China, and Mao Tse-tung (Note: I prefer the Romanized "Zedong," and will use that hereafter), the enigmatic Communist dictator, met for an hour in Beijing. Their meeting changed the course of history and ultimately laid the groundwork for the complex relationship between China and the United States that we see today.
That monumental meeting in 1972–during what Nixon called “the week that changed the world”–could have been brought about only by powerful leaders: Nixon himself, a great strategist and a flawed human being, and Mao, willful and ruthless. They were assisted by two brilliant and complex statesmen, Henry Kissinger and Chou En-lai. Surrounding them were fascinating people with unusual roles to play, including the enormously disciplined and unhappy Pat Nixon and a small-time Shanghai actress turned monstrous empress, Jiang Qing. And behind all of them lay the complex history of two countries, two great and equally confident civilizations: China, ancient and contemptuous yet fearful of barbarians beyond the Middle Kingdom, and the United States, forward-looking and confident, seeing itself as the beacon for the world.
Nixon thought China could help him get out of Vietnam. Mao needed American technology and expertise to repair the damage of the Cultural Revolution. Both men wanted an ally against an aggressive Soviet Union. Did they get what they wanted? Did Mao betray his own revolutionary ideals? How did the people of China react to this apparent change in attitude toward the imperialist Americans? Did Nixon make a mistake in coming to China as a supplicant? And what has been the impact of the visit on the United States ever since?
Weaving together fascinating anecdotes and insights, an understanding of Chinese and American history, and the momentous events of an extraordinary time, this brilliantly written book looks at one of the transformative moments of the twentieth century and casts new light on a key relationship for the world of the twenty-first century.
Synopsis:
In the early 1970s, Richard Nixon, through the assistance of Henry Kissinger, made advances toward Communist China for an official visit. This was an unprecedented move at this time, as the United States had failed to recognize the People’s Republic of China since its inception in 1949. This was due, in part, to the fact that the PRC had immediately sought an alliance with the Soviet Union as quickly as it formed. The Soviets had just exploded their first atomic bomb in that year, and the U.S. and the Russians were in the midst of the crucial beginnings of the Cold War.
As well as the Soviet angle, China and Taiwan were at odds, due to the fact that the Chinese Kuomintang had fled from the Communists to occupy Taiwan after their decades long conflict came to an end after World War II. The U.S. supported the Taiwanese-based Kuomintang, and refused to acknowledge the Communists what-so-ever.
All this is the background to Nixon and Mao. The book discusses the historical facts behind Nixon’s visit to China, as I have just done, and also covers the key players in Nixon’s visit. These were Nixon himself, Chairman Mao Zedong, Henry Kissinger, and Zhou Enlai. In the book’s concluding remarks the author, Margaret MacMillan, mentions that without these four crucial individuals and the circumstances of the time, China and the U.S. might still be in a state of non-recognition and frosty relations with each other. Nixon crowed after the successful state visit and the release of the Shanghai Communiqué that it was a week that “changed the world.” While his excitement might have been getting the best of him, he may indeed have been right. After all, the world we know today is greatly wrapped up in China, whether we even know it or not.
The book talks about the process that Nixon took to even get to China, which was full of complications and efforts at maintaining secrecy and a building of understanding between the two great powers. It covers the issues surrounding what a thawing of tensions between the two states would bring about, such as the reaction of the Japanese, the Taiwanese, the South Vietnamese (who were still fighting, unsuccessfully for the most part, to keep the North Vietnamese at bay) and others. Among them was, quite prominently, the Soviet Union. The book goes into great detail on the Sino-Soviet split and the conflict that ensued between the two Communist heavy-weights.
The book concludes by discussing the fates of the four major participants (Nixon, Mao, Kissinger and Enlai), and the situation that exists between China and the U.S. today, as it has evolved since Nixon’s visit. Before its conclusion, it managed to go through a myriad of subjects relating to Chinese-U.S. relations, and the socio-political climate of both countries throughout the years since the founding of the PRC in 1949 up to the present.
What I liked about it:
The book is good. I enjoyed learning more about the subject matter it covers. The author does well in her analysis of the history of both nations, and presents a truckload of facts and data that takes the reader on a journey through this remarkable period of time.
I thought the book was well written, for the most part. It did seem a bit long by the end, but it did much better on that score than my other recently reviewed book, A Fiery Peace in a Cold War. Plus, though MacMillan is thorough in her research and her presentation of the material, she doesn’t go off on too many tangents, as I felt A Fiery Peace did.
Other than that, I can’t think of anything to say further in the book’s favor. It is a good book if you want to learn about China and also about the political administration of Richard Nixon. I liked it for that reason most of all. I’m curious about both subjects, so it fit the bill nicely.
What I learned, if anything:
Well, besides the basic info that sums up the book as given in my synopsis, I learned a few interesting tidbits that were really fascinating to me. For one, Mao’s Chinese astrological sign was the same as my own; the snake. But he identified more with the Tiger and the Monkey. For myself, I don’t identify with anything, being the sort of person who thinks astrology is a fun diversion but certainly nothing to put real stock in.
Also I learned quite a bit about Richard Nixon. That is, I should say it comes out to be quite a lot when you knew next to nothing about him in the first place. When I hear the name “Nixon,” like many people in the U.S. (I assume), I think of Watergate and his statement: “I am not a crook.” Turns out there was more to Nixon than just these few things that made up the end of his presidency. He was a firm believer in foreign policy, and the author claims he was the most prepared president on foreign policy issues that this nation has had in some time, up to Bill Clinton. I had known that he was anxious to end the Vietnam War (“disentangle” is the term that kept getting tossed around in the book), but I was not aware the background to his efforts to get into China, other than the simple fact that he did go (the first U.S. president to do so). I also learned more about his personality as a leader. He was somewhat socially awkward as a major public figure, and was distant from his wife; their relationship seeming to be based more on mutual needs rather than shared intimacy. Nixon appears to have been a fascinating character, and someone I’d like to study further.
I also learned a great deal about China, and the two men who were responsible for her in the mid 1970s; Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, his functioning right-hand man. To truly appreciate these two and the intricacies involved in their roles as leaders of China - Mao the ultimate leader and Zhou his faithful minister - it would be best to refer you straight to the book. Learning about Mao’s eccentricities and Enlai’s statecraft was worth the price of admission on this one, all in its own.
There was also worthwhile information on the “Great Leap Forward” and the “Cultural Revolution,” two programs that greatly affected China. Both were, it seems, mostly negative factors in the history of China, as they somewhat mirrored the Soviet excesses in post-Revolution Russia. They appear to be similar in scope and design to what Lenin and Stalin did when they seized power in 1917. I was struck especially by the fact that Mao advocated open hostility and violence toward the aged, who have been traditionally looked up to in Chinese society. His explanation for his support of wantonly destructive actions in his own country was the part I found most straining of credulity: he said revolutionary spirit must be maintained, and so a little chaos was a good thing. As I said above, reading this book really opened my eyes about Mao, and I recommend you check it out to learn more for yourself.
There were other things as well, such as the various vagaries of Henry Kissinger, and the political situation in both the United States and in China, as well as more substantial light the author shed for me on the Sino-Soviet split. For instance, I wasn’t aware that Stalin and Mao actually didn’t see eye to eye. I knew Mao and Khrushchev didn’t get along very well, but Stalin also treated Mao and the Chinese Communists as second-class revolutionaries, and this helped to get the ball rolling in what would end the monolithic nature of communism in the world and give the U.S. an opportunity to open negotiations with the Chinese for Nixon’s visit. Of course, it's more complicated than that, but... well, read the book, and you’ll find out.
What I didn’t like about it:
The research in places did seem slightly one-sided. Though this is something I noted when I was glancing through Amazon’s user reviews of the book, I hope it wasn’t biased by that. Because I did notice it myself in several places. For instance, there are times when MacMillan seems to lean toward one particular faction or another in her discussion on some of the political topics.
On the other hand, to counter this argument, MacMillan goes to great lengths to cover all sides of the story. This included discussing the effect of Nixon’s visit and the rapprochement that followed on such places as Japan and Taiwan, and the historical ramifications of such actions. So I can’t say that my comment on her research is a fully justified complaint. But perhaps others might also notice what I mean too, as they are reading it. I suppose what I’m saying is that you too may see places where you’ll find yourself saying “hmmm... that seems a rather conservative thing to be focusing on.” Then again, maybe you won’t.
Recommendation:
I’d certainly recommend this book. The material is good, and there is much of value to learn. It does seem a bit long at times, since the author’s research is somewhat exhaustive - though certainly not to the extent that A Fiery Peace in a Cold War went - but at least the author doesn’t give the material short shrift, so to speak. Overall, it was a good read, and I’d recommend it to those who find the subject of Nixon’s visit to China even remotely intriguing.
From the book’s cover:
With the publication of her landmark bestseller Paris 1919, Margaret MacMillan was praised as “a superb writer who can bring history to life” (The Philadelphia Inquirer). Now she brings her extraordinary gifts to one of the most important subjects today–the relationship between the United States and China–and one of the most significant moments in modern history. In February 1972, Richard Nixon, the first American president ever to visit China, and Mao Tse-tung (Note: I prefer the Romanized "Zedong," and will use that hereafter), the enigmatic Communist dictator, met for an hour in Beijing. Their meeting changed the course of history and ultimately laid the groundwork for the complex relationship between China and the United States that we see today.
That monumental meeting in 1972–during what Nixon called “the week that changed the world”–could have been brought about only by powerful leaders: Nixon himself, a great strategist and a flawed human being, and Mao, willful and ruthless. They were assisted by two brilliant and complex statesmen, Henry Kissinger and Chou En-lai. Surrounding them were fascinating people with unusual roles to play, including the enormously disciplined and unhappy Pat Nixon and a small-time Shanghai actress turned monstrous empress, Jiang Qing. And behind all of them lay the complex history of two countries, two great and equally confident civilizations: China, ancient and contemptuous yet fearful of barbarians beyond the Middle Kingdom, and the United States, forward-looking and confident, seeing itself as the beacon for the world.
Nixon thought China could help him get out of Vietnam. Mao needed American technology and expertise to repair the damage of the Cultural Revolution. Both men wanted an ally against an aggressive Soviet Union. Did they get what they wanted? Did Mao betray his own revolutionary ideals? How did the people of China react to this apparent change in attitude toward the imperialist Americans? Did Nixon make a mistake in coming to China as a supplicant? And what has been the impact of the visit on the United States ever since?
Weaving together fascinating anecdotes and insights, an understanding of Chinese and American history, and the momentous events of an extraordinary time, this brilliantly written book looks at one of the transformative moments of the twentieth century and casts new light on a key relationship for the world of the twenty-first century.
Synopsis:
In the early 1970s, Richard Nixon, through the assistance of Henry Kissinger, made advances toward Communist China for an official visit. This was an unprecedented move at this time, as the United States had failed to recognize the People’s Republic of China since its inception in 1949. This was due, in part, to the fact that the PRC had immediately sought an alliance with the Soviet Union as quickly as it formed. The Soviets had just exploded their first atomic bomb in that year, and the U.S. and the Russians were in the midst of the crucial beginnings of the Cold War.
As well as the Soviet angle, China and Taiwan were at odds, due to the fact that the Chinese Kuomintang had fled from the Communists to occupy Taiwan after their decades long conflict came to an end after World War II. The U.S. supported the Taiwanese-based Kuomintang, and refused to acknowledge the Communists what-so-ever.
All this is the background to Nixon and Mao. The book discusses the historical facts behind Nixon’s visit to China, as I have just done, and also covers the key players in Nixon’s visit. These were Nixon himself, Chairman Mao Zedong, Henry Kissinger, and Zhou Enlai. In the book’s concluding remarks the author, Margaret MacMillan, mentions that without these four crucial individuals and the circumstances of the time, China and the U.S. might still be in a state of non-recognition and frosty relations with each other. Nixon crowed after the successful state visit and the release of the Shanghai Communiqué that it was a week that “changed the world.” While his excitement might have been getting the best of him, he may indeed have been right. After all, the world we know today is greatly wrapped up in China, whether we even know it or not.
 |
| The author, Margaret MacMillan / Source: New York Times.com |
The book talks about the process that Nixon took to even get to China, which was full of complications and efforts at maintaining secrecy and a building of understanding between the two great powers. It covers the issues surrounding what a thawing of tensions between the two states would bring about, such as the reaction of the Japanese, the Taiwanese, the South Vietnamese (who were still fighting, unsuccessfully for the most part, to keep the North Vietnamese at bay) and others. Among them was, quite prominently, the Soviet Union. The book goes into great detail on the Sino-Soviet split and the conflict that ensued between the two Communist heavy-weights.
The book concludes by discussing the fates of the four major participants (Nixon, Mao, Kissinger and Enlai), and the situation that exists between China and the U.S. today, as it has evolved since Nixon’s visit. Before its conclusion, it managed to go through a myriad of subjects relating to Chinese-U.S. relations, and the socio-political climate of both countries throughout the years since the founding of the PRC in 1949 up to the present.
What I liked about it:
The book is good. I enjoyed learning more about the subject matter it covers. The author does well in her analysis of the history of both nations, and presents a truckload of facts and data that takes the reader on a journey through this remarkable period of time.
I thought the book was well written, for the most part. It did seem a bit long by the end, but it did much better on that score than my other recently reviewed book, A Fiery Peace in a Cold War. Plus, though MacMillan is thorough in her research and her presentation of the material, she doesn’t go off on too many tangents, as I felt A Fiery Peace did.
Other than that, I can’t think of anything to say further in the book’s favor. It is a good book if you want to learn about China and also about the political administration of Richard Nixon. I liked it for that reason most of all. I’m curious about both subjects, so it fit the bill nicely.
What I learned, if anything:
Well, besides the basic info that sums up the book as given in my synopsis, I learned a few interesting tidbits that were really fascinating to me. For one, Mao’s Chinese astrological sign was the same as my own; the snake. But he identified more with the Tiger and the Monkey. For myself, I don’t identify with anything, being the sort of person who thinks astrology is a fun diversion but certainly nothing to put real stock in.
Also I learned quite a bit about Richard Nixon. That is, I should say it comes out to be quite a lot when you knew next to nothing about him in the first place. When I hear the name “Nixon,” like many people in the U.S. (I assume), I think of Watergate and his statement: “I am not a crook.” Turns out there was more to Nixon than just these few things that made up the end of his presidency. He was a firm believer in foreign policy, and the author claims he was the most prepared president on foreign policy issues that this nation has had in some time, up to Bill Clinton. I had known that he was anxious to end the Vietnam War (“disentangle” is the term that kept getting tossed around in the book), but I was not aware the background to his efforts to get into China, other than the simple fact that he did go (the first U.S. president to do so). I also learned more about his personality as a leader. He was somewhat socially awkward as a major public figure, and was distant from his wife; their relationship seeming to be based more on mutual needs rather than shared intimacy. Nixon appears to have been a fascinating character, and someone I’d like to study further.
I also learned a great deal about China, and the two men who were responsible for her in the mid 1970s; Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, his functioning right-hand man. To truly appreciate these two and the intricacies involved in their roles as leaders of China - Mao the ultimate leader and Zhou his faithful minister - it would be best to refer you straight to the book. Learning about Mao’s eccentricities and Enlai’s statecraft was worth the price of admission on this one, all in its own.
There was also worthwhile information on the “Great Leap Forward” and the “Cultural Revolution,” two programs that greatly affected China. Both were, it seems, mostly negative factors in the history of China, as they somewhat mirrored the Soviet excesses in post-Revolution Russia. They appear to be similar in scope and design to what Lenin and Stalin did when they seized power in 1917. I was struck especially by the fact that Mao advocated open hostility and violence toward the aged, who have been traditionally looked up to in Chinese society. His explanation for his support of wantonly destructive actions in his own country was the part I found most straining of credulity: he said revolutionary spirit must be maintained, and so a little chaos was a good thing. As I said above, reading this book really opened my eyes about Mao, and I recommend you check it out to learn more for yourself.
 |
| Two characters if there ever were any. Nixon was weird himself, but Mao had him beat by more than a nose in the peculiarity department. Read the book, you'll find out. / Source: RealClearPolitics.com |
There were other things as well, such as the various vagaries of Henry Kissinger, and the political situation in both the United States and in China, as well as more substantial light the author shed for me on the Sino-Soviet split. For instance, I wasn’t aware that Stalin and Mao actually didn’t see eye to eye. I knew Mao and Khrushchev didn’t get along very well, but Stalin also treated Mao and the Chinese Communists as second-class revolutionaries, and this helped to get the ball rolling in what would end the monolithic nature of communism in the world and give the U.S. an opportunity to open negotiations with the Chinese for Nixon’s visit. Of course, it's more complicated than that, but... well, read the book, and you’ll find out.
What I didn’t like about it:
The research in places did seem slightly one-sided. Though this is something I noted when I was glancing through Amazon’s user reviews of the book, I hope it wasn’t biased by that. Because I did notice it myself in several places. For instance, there are times when MacMillan seems to lean toward one particular faction or another in her discussion on some of the political topics.
On the other hand, to counter this argument, MacMillan goes to great lengths to cover all sides of the story. This included discussing the effect of Nixon’s visit and the rapprochement that followed on such places as Japan and Taiwan, and the historical ramifications of such actions. So I can’t say that my comment on her research is a fully justified complaint. But perhaps others might also notice what I mean too, as they are reading it. I suppose what I’m saying is that you too may see places where you’ll find yourself saying “hmmm... that seems a rather conservative thing to be focusing on.” Then again, maybe you won’t.
Recommendation:
I’d certainly recommend this book. The material is good, and there is much of value to learn. It does seem a bit long at times, since the author’s research is somewhat exhaustive - though certainly not to the extent that A Fiery Peace in a Cold War went - but at least the author doesn’t give the material short shrift, so to speak. Overall, it was a good read, and I’d recommend it to those who find the subject of Nixon’s visit to China even remotely intriguing.
I hope I'm not sounding like a broken record in these reviews. I like reading things about history (for semi-obvious reasons, if you know me), but there is only just so much you can say about these sorts of books. They tend to not be real page-turners, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, truth is truly stranger than fiction, from what I've learned.
Anyway, I'm trying to think of things to say in my book reviews that doesn't make them sound so analytical and book-report-ish, but that's been tough lately. As I noted above, I'd like to have time to write other things for this blog, but reading books on my headphones and then writing up reviews for what I've read seems to be the only thing I have any substantial time for lately. And I thought life was busy when school was still in. Ah well. The joys of a full existence.
The parting comment:
Anyway, I'm trying to think of things to say in my book reviews that doesn't make them sound so analytical and book-report-ish, but that's been tough lately. As I noted above, I'd like to have time to write other things for this blog, but reading books on my headphones and then writing up reviews for what I've read seems to be the only thing I have any substantial time for lately. And I thought life was busy when school was still in. Ah well. The joys of a full existence.
The parting comment:
If you were in a vehicle traveling at the speed of light and you turned the lights on, would anything happen? Hermits have no peer pressure. What's another word for Thesaurus? And I WANT a cordless extension cord.
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