MAO'S GREAT FAMINE The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958-62

Many Westerners are unaware of the great devastation that China endured from 1958 to 1962, when Chairman Mao’s policies directly caused the death by starvation of at least 45 million people. David Bauckham conveys Dikötter’s staggering statistics in a way that engrosses the listener in this tragedy. The author’s research also uncovers several firsthand stories, making this story of Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” painfully real. The many Chinese names and places could confuse English-speaking readers; Bauckham’s clear pronunciation makes them easier to keep track of. The accounting of the devastation caused by a government bureaucracy run amok could be overwhelming were it not for Bauckham’s neutral tone, which is the perfect voice to give us the horrifying details of this chapter in history. F.T. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2013]