NIXON AND MAO The Week That Changed the World

This book uses President Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972 as the jumping-off point for an examination of Chinese and American history and the key figures in the event, Nixon, Mao Tse-tung, and Chou En-lai. The author shows how each country’s history and each man’s background influenced the meeting. The book gives clear insights into China’s movement from isolated giant to world power and can be read in the context of today’s burgeoning Chinese economic power. Barbara Caruso is excellent as narrator. Her pronunciation of Chinese names, places, and phrases is precise and clear. More importantly, she uses tone, phrasing, and cadence to good effect, giving what could be dry passages life that carries the listener through them. A less capable reader could have rendered this book deathly dull. R.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]