Cast of Characters p. ix
Note on the Spelling of Chinese Words p. xviii
Introduction: Myths and Realities p. 1
The Apprentice
The Foster Child of the Bodhisattva p. 11
On the Threshold of a New World p. 21
"I Think, Therefore, I am" p. 31
The Sound of Footsteps in a Deserted Valley p. 47
Dreams of a Red Chamber p. 56
The Great Union of the Popular Masses p. 68
Breathing World Revolution, or the Magic of Dictatorship p. 85
"Following the Russian Path" p. 98
The Lessons of Bolshevik Tactics p. 107
The Revolutionary
Entering the Guomindang p. 119
Hopes and Disappointments p. 131
Playing with Chiang Kai-Shek p. 143
The Collapse of the United Front p. 161
The Path to the Soviets p. 185
Red Banner over the Jinggang Mountains p. 200
A Single Spark can Start a Prairie Fire p. 216
Under the Comintern's Wing p. 233
Dog Eat Dog, Communist-Style p. 254
The Long March p. 275
The Xi'an Incident p. 289
The Flirtatious Philosopher p. 305
Consolidating Control over the CCP p. 322
Stalin, Mao, and the New Democratic Revolution in China p. 343
The Dictator
Visit to the Red Mecca p. 363
The Korean Adventure p. 374
The Contradictions of New Democracy p. 390
Socialist Industrialization p. 400
The Great Turning Point p. 413
The Emancipation of Consciousness p. 424
The Great Leap Forward p. 449
Famine and Fear p. 470
"The Dismissal of Hai Rui from Office" p. 491
To Rebel is Justified p. 507
The Red Guard Tragedy p. 522
The Mystery of Project 571 p. 540
Death of the Red Emperor p. 555
Epilogue p. 573
Acknowledgments p. 579
Illustration Credits p. 581
MAO Zedong's Chronology p. 583
MAO Zedong's Genealogy p. 589
Notes p. 593
Bibliography p. 675
Index p. 715