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Red Star over China: The Classic Account of the Birth of Chinese Communism Paperback – February 16, 1994

by Edgar Snow (Author), Dr. John K. Fairbank (Introduction)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 260 ratings
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The iconic history of the Chinese Communist leaders who forever changed the course of China

The first Westerner to meet Mao Tse-tung and the Chinese Communist leaders in 1936, Edgar Snow came away with the first authorized account of Mao’s life, as well as a history of the famous Long March and the men and women who were responsible for the Chinese revolution. Out of that experience came Red Star Over China, a classic work that remains one of the most important books ever written about the birth of the Communist movement in China. This edition includes extensive notes on military and political developments in China, further interviews with Mao Tse-tung, a chronology covering 125 years of Chinese revolution, and nearly a hundred detailed biographies of the men and women who were instrumental in making China what it is today.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    544 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grove Press
  4. Publication date
    February 16, 1994
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.5 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802150934
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802150936
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A journalistic scoop in 1937, this book has since become a historical classic. When Snow made his way through Nationalist lines to the barren reaches of Shensi Province in June 1936, the communists had only recently emerged, exhausted and decimated, from their 6,000-mile Long March. Snow found them developing the distinctive brand of communism that governed the lives of the Chinese people during the Maoist era and that only in recent years has begun to change under the impact of Deng Xiaoping's reforms. Many of the men Snow interviewed in 1936 were the first- generation leaders of communist China. The best-known section of the book is Mao's autobiography as related to Snow, which is still one of the most important documents on that subject. Another important section is the graphic description of the Long March. Snow's sympathetic portrayal of the Chinese communists is somewhat naive, however, and it exposed him to widespread criticism during the McCarthy years.”―Donald Zagoria, Foreign Affairs

About the Author

Edgar Snow, a native of Missouri, went to the Far East when he was twenty-two. He made his home in China for twelve years, studied the country and the language, and lectured at Yenching University in Peking, where his friends included students who are among China's leaders today. As a foreign correspondent in China, Burma, India, and Indochina he worked successively for the Chicago Tribue, New York Sun, New York Herald Tribune and London Daily Herald. Then, as associate editor of the Saturday Evening Post, he reported wartime and postwar events in Asia and Europe and became its widely quoted specialist on China, India, and the U.S.S.R. He is the author of eleven books, including The Battle for Asia, People on Our Side,, Journey to the Beginning, Red China Today: The Other Side of the River, and The Long Revolution. He died in 1972.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; Revised edition (February 16, 1994)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802150934
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802150936
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.5 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 260 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
260 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Janlee Wong
5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable History
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
No better first person account of the rise of Communism and Mao Zedong than Snow’s captivating “can’t put it down read.”
One person found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars After reading this, history is different
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2020
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This book makes clear the distorted nature of “history” taught below college level in the United States. So many things in this book from 1944 have been willfully ignored in our textbooks that the only explanation is conspiracy.
39 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
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Great book - I heard it was very enticing and possibly too sympathetic, so I made sure to read a great deal on the real history before starting. It may be sympathetic but it is above all wonderfully written.
24 people found this helpful
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Stephanie Price
4.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent historical account of how China went from being a ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is an excellent historical account of how China went from being a country controlled by a Monarch to a collectivist, Communist society, though it seems that China has always been somewhat collective.
The problem with this book is the pinyin Wade-Giles system. Based upon modern Chinese pinyin adopted by the Chinese govt, which is still different from Tongyon Pinyin in Taiwan, the book's author makes some of the town names unintelligible. It is not Snow's fault, rather a reflection of westerner's struggle to have some sort of phonetic speech that would help one pronounce certain words.
It would appear that the author made no attempt to learn much Chinese.
Nevertheless, the book is still worthwhile. especially for students of Chinese history.
5 people found this helpful
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wild goose 39
5.0 out of 5 stars An eyewitness report from mr. Snow.
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2017
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Regardless of the writer's alleged political inclination, it is an important eyewitness account of the situation on the ground in those years. The Kuomintang effort in preventing information and opinion making other than their own propaganda testifies the validity of the report.
7 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars A personal account of his interactions with the China Communist ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2018
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A personal account of his interactions with the China Communist Party in a time where information comes only from the Kuomintang. Thus providing the other side of the story.
21 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Account of the LONG MARCH in China.
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2016
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Love this insight to a great movement in History and the courage and obstacles that the Chinese had to survive on the Long March. I love History and for those who do this a must read.
13 people found this helpful
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Emaido
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2020
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Used in class
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Top reviews from other countries

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Gunagping Wu
5.0 out of 5 stars It explains why the strong and continuous growth in that country in past fourth years
Reviewed in Canada on April 27, 2023
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Same as title
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Stella
5.0 out of 5 stars fab book!
Reviewed in Germany on March 11, 2024
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fabulous
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5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in India on February 11, 2019
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Very good account of China. Every Indian should read this book by an American journalist
2 people found this helpful
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B. Hough
5.0 out of 5 stars The Birth of Modern China
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2011
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China is now the worlds 2nd.largest economy, how could this have happened in just 60 years of Communist rule ? There are of course many explanations and view points,but all must start with the man who would become Chairman Mao. For all students of modern China,"Red Star Over China "is the first book they should read.
Edgar Snow was the first western writer to produce the real story of the Chinese peoples struggle, he writes as he saw things happen, he is honest with his views. He met Mao in 1936 and was the first westerner to interview and spend time with him. His view are somewhat prophetic with hindsight, and the book has stood the test of time, and will continue to be the only starting point for all who seek the truth.
4 people found this helpful
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アルベルチーヌ
4.0 out of 5 stars あのころ毛沢東も若かった
Reviewed in Japan on March 25, 2010
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著者エドガー・スノーは中国滞在数年を経た１９３５年、
Soviet District（共産主義自治領）を訪れ、そこの主席で
ある毛沢東に会うことを思い立った。当時の中国は１９２７
年の国共分裂後の国民軍と赤軍による内戦の最中にあった。
赤軍は蒋介石総統率いる国民軍の攻撃に耐え兼ねて、あの有
名なLong March｛長征）を敢行、中国西北部の侠西省延安に
拠点を移した。スノーがその延安を目指した１９３５年頃、
赤軍は漸く延安を中心とした広大な地域を支配下におき、
White Army（国民軍）との戦いについても力を貯えてきたと
ころであった。国民軍統治下のいわゆるWhite Worldにそれま
で滞在していたスノーにとってSoviet Districtは未知の世界
であったし、そこの主席毛沢東の人物像となると更に謎に包ま
れた存在であった。彼は周囲の反対を押しきって、一人のラバ
引きを案内人にして敢然と中国西北部へ旅立った。困難な旅で
はあったが、仲介者を通して赤軍首脳にあらかじめ連絡を入れ
ていたことから、スノーは西欧人初のSoviet Districtへの来
訪者として温かく迎えられた。同地域最初の宿泊地で出会った
人物が周恩来であったこともスノーにとって幸運であった。
フランス留学の長い経験があり西欧文化に対する理解も深い周
は「是非あなたにSoviet Districtをありのままに見てもらいた
い。」と言った。国の内情を外部にさらすのを極端に嫌う多くの
独裁国家や現在の中国等と比べても随分意識が違うものだ。周
のみならず、その後スノーが会見した毛沢東もその態度は率直
そのものだった。スノーは毛と近接した宿舎に住みながら長期に
わたって毛の話を聞くことが出来た。毛は非常にリラックスした
様子で自分の生い立ち、青春時代から現在に至るまでの人生模様
を語った。そこに現れた毛の人物像は意外なほど普通の人という
印象を与える。先に書いた通り１９３５年当時、赤軍は中国西北
部に拠点を固め、毛沢東は長征の達成感と相俟って、この地域で
の共産主義の浸透を実感出来るようになっていたようである。カ
リスマ性で自分を包み隠すことを必要としないほどに若さと自信
に溢れていたのだと思われる。

毛は Hunan（湖南省）の中級農家の子として生まれた。父はある程
度の富を貯えていたが、富を維持するために家族には厳しい労働
を強いた。少年時代の毛沢東はこのような厳しい父に反発して
ある時兄弟の団結を図ったことがある。後の共産党指導者の萌
芽らしきものが窺えるのはこの一時くらいなものである。どうも
毛は労働よりも勉学の方が好きだった様子で１０代後半は都市へ
出て入るべき学校を物色する日々を過ごしている。今で言うフリ
ーターのような感じで仕事は中途半端で時には家からの仕送りを
父に依頼することさえしていた。何を学ぶかもはっきりとはせず
、学校の広告を見る毎日だった。面白いのは「石鹸専門学校」と
いうのがただで入れるという理由で入学を考えたりしていたこと
である。毛沢東も未だ人生の目標の定まらない普通の若者だった
のだと僕達に思わせてくれる一例である。２０代になってから北
京の大学に入ってからも数学は全く駄目だったといった話があり
、これも理数系苦手の人間が聞くと少し嬉しくなるような話であ
る。

２０代で大学に入ってから毛は徐々に社会主義思想の影響を強く
受けるようになりorganizerとしての才能を発揮し始める。軍隊
経験はほとんどなく、数え切れないほど多くの英雄的武人達とは
軍事能力では比肩すべくもない。また戦略家としてはレーニンほ
どの天才的理論展開もない。彼の優れた点はどこにあるのだろう
か？まず言えるのは中国人の圧倒的多数を占めていた貧しい農民
を最初から最後まで（少なくとも１９３７年まで）支持基盤に据
えて、ぶれることがなかった。次にSoviet District時代に代表さ
れる率直でおおらかな性格が中国人民指導者にふさわしいもので
あった。そして最後に戦略に柔軟性があったことを付け加えなけ
ればならない。１９３７年の西安事件で蒋介石を拘束したにもか
かわらず、彼を処刑することなく南京（蒋介石政権の拠点）に返
したことにも毛沢東の柔軟な戦略が窺える。この時点での赤軍の
最大目標は抗日共同戦線を作り上げることであり、総統を処刑し
てはそれが難しくなるという判断が赤軍側にあった。更に国民軍
に最高指揮権を与え赤軍はその下位におくという妥協さえ毛沢東
はあえて行っている。レーニンはかつて語っている。「革命への
道のりは遠い。そこに至るまでの政策には妥協、退却、ジグザグ
等々が繰り返されるだろう。」

本書は１９３７年の西安事件とそれによる国共合同戦線の成立ま
でで記述を終えている。Soviet Districtに長期滞在したスノー
にとって国共合同戦線成立までの一連の過程は赤軍側からの大幅
な妥協ばかりが目について歯がゆくて仕様がなかった様である。
しかし前記レーニンの言葉にあるように革命は一筋縄で達成され
るものではない。いつの日か中国でも真の革命が達成されること
を信じつつスノーは筆をおいている。

革命への道半ばにあった中国を描いた本書はロシア革命達成の瞬
間を捉えたジョン・リードの「世界を揺るがした１０日間」とと
もに２０世紀の革命を描いた代表的ノンフィクションの一つだと
言えるだろう。
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