MAO'S LAST DANCER

Born in a poverty-stricken Chinese commune, the author rose to worldwide fame as principal dancer of the Houston Ballet. In this fascinating memoir, he recounts his early life within a loving family, dance training in Beijing, perilous defection to the West, marriage to an American girl, and triumphant visit to the village of his birth. He writes with a surprising fluency for someone who began learning English only in his teens. The biographical details unite a riveting picture of China after the Cultural Revolution and the political and artistic demands upon an aspiring artist there. His subsequent adventures in the West would pall were it not for the indefatigable reading by Paul English. He exercises such an intense and masterful concentration on the text that the listener’s interest never flags. In addition, he imbues the narrative with ingenuousness and enthusiasm, which endearingly befit the image Li is attempting to present of himself. The result is an example of an audiobook that is superior to its source. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]