MAO ZEDONG: A Concise Biography

Mao Zedong is an apt subject for this series of "concise" biographies since many Westerners know next to nothing about him. Listening to a simplified, but complete, summary of his life is a good idea. Within the strict two-cassette time frame, writer Delia Davin accomplishes a lot. She succeeds in describing and analyzing Mao's personal life, as well as his political evolution, and provides a clear explanation of the theories and conflicts in the Chinese Communist Party. Michael Tudor Barnes's comfortable voice proceeds at just the right pace to permit the listener to keep track of the many unfamiliar people and place names. S.P. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 99]