Wow. This man is insane. Forget the failed economic policies. Forget 30 million people killed (some say 60 million and I've even heard 90 million) as a result of his tyranny. Forget the underground city he built. This man's private life is more insane. His insanity seemed quite contagious as the book starts out with the author in charge of preserving the man's corpse with pressure from other high officials. This was immediately hilarious as you read about Mao's face falling off and his body becoming bloated. Preserving a leader's corpse for further senseless worship is just the beginning to the book's hilarity. Don't expect any 20th century Chinese history as the author in this book was not in a position to learn about what was going on throughout the country except through Mao who was a horrible source for that sort of information. For example, the author was surprised when Mao told him, "Good news, we liberated our brothers in Tibet." This may fall under the category of sick humor if you have read anything about the brutal Chinese takeover of Tibet. It's harder to find a book more insightful to the potential madness power can create. Also, this book satisfies curiousity of those who know of Mao's policy and want to know what the hell were officials thinking, or how someone could be so heartless as well as stupid to implement these plans. The author exposes the inner politics of Beijing and the political logic of Mao. Last, this book shows how people became so obsessed with this figure. I don't think there is another book that digs as deep and exposes so much of a historical figure. Maybe Mao's rule is less a product of political ideology but more of Chinese culture. Mao, according to The Private Life, modeled himself after Chinese emperors especially the nut Qin Shi Huang, who ordered the construction of the beginning of the great wall and the terracotta warriors.

Very long, but one of the most fascinating books to read. Probably the best look into the mind of one of the most important, and psychotic, men of the 20th century.

This book is flawed in many respects. First, its author is an admitted naif as re politics, history, psychology etc. Although he delves into such perspectives, he doesn't get much beyond the surface. Second, as he also admits, his class background was bourgeois, his exposure to the lives of ordinary Chinese only coming late in his career. Third, he only entered the scene late, after the revolution. Fourth, having burned his original notes, his memoir is based on memory.

All of those considerations notwithstanding, I found this lengthy account a page-turner. While only skimming the major events of the period of the late forties to the mid-seventies, it did serve as a welcome refresher. The medical details are, of course, invaluable, given the author's expertise and privileged position. The personal details about the Chinese leadership and the politics of their "court" were intriguing. The whole thing came across, for me at least, as a meditation about how power can corrupt.

Although publicity for this book seems to emphasize Mao's sex life, Dr. Li really doesn't offer any purient detail. He found it more offensive than interesting.

Told from the perspective of Mao Zedon's doctor (Dr. Li), I suspect that this is one of those wonderful retellings of history through the eyes of a minor character. I always find these perspectives the most revealing.

کتاب بدی نبود...
اگر چپ گرا باشی خوش ات نمی آید ازش
اگر راست گرا باشی کیف میکنی از خوندنش...
این کتاب میگه زندگی شخصی بسیار کثیفی داشته سوژه کتاب...
اما خوب شاید انصاف این باشه که آثار به جا مانده از شخصیتهای تاثیر گذار در تاریخ زندگی انسان را بدون نگاه به حاشیه های زندگی شان بررسی کرد...
هنرمندانی بوده و هستند که بارها ازدواج کرده و جدا شده اند اما این قضیه جدا از هنرشان بوده و بررسی شده...و خوش نام مانده اند به خاطر آثارشان این هم نمیگویم خوشنام یا بدنام است در تاریخ دنیا و چین میتوانم بگویم تاثیرگذار بوده در اقتصاد و سیاست و تاریخ آن کشور اما زندگی شخصی اش تابع شرایطیست که قدرت و شهرت برای خیلی کسان دیگر رقم زده و ایجاد کرده است.

If Mao were still alive, this book would have cost the author his life. But Mao died in 1976, this book was published in 1994, and the author himself died a year later.

During Mao’s reign an estimated 50 million Chinese perished from persecution, hunger and disease. He was a bad leader in that sense, but is still revered in China (at least officially) for he is considered the founding father of modern China, no matter how much death and suffering he had caused to his own people.

The author was Mao’s personal physician for 22 years. This is a tell-all memoir of his life as such and here he revealed all the vileness of the Chairman, his lust for power, his paranoia, lack of empathy and his general wicked nature. Indeed, Mao’s only virtue, if one may consider it as a virtue, was his ability to acquire and keep power. That was his “greatness.” All the rest belongs to the sewer.

One can indeed already get a hint of what kind of person he was by the fact that his very own personal physician, who enjoyed his favour for man-years, and who was bound by secrecy under the doctor-patient privilege, would write this 600-plus page exposition of things Mao had kept top secret during his lifetime. Things like that he never, EVER, took a bath; that his genitals were never washed; that he never brushed his rotting teeth; and that he was so sexually promiscuous, with preference over young handsome men and women, that he would take them all to bed simultaneously in an orgy.

It was a life well-live, by the standards of dictators.

Li Zhisui, the attending physician to Mao for 22 yrs, gives 1st-person account of Mao and the high-level officials in Group One. He gave insight into perhaps one of the most influential person in world history, such as: Mao's personal hygiene (not brushing his teeth/but just rinse his mouth with tea; not bathing); his sexual needs (young women, multiple women); his health (not being treated for STD, traditional vs. Western medicine); his rule of China.

There were times when to determine what /if a medical procedure (eg, type of cataract surgery) should be done on Mao. To do this, they would be tested out on Chinese patients beforehand.

Perhaps Li summarized best when he said, "Even today, the Communist party continues to demand that people attack the innocent. It requires people to pledge public support for polices with which they do not agree. Survival in China, then and now, depends on constantly betraying one's conscience."

Wow. What a dude

The way this book is now part of my personality and the long-suffering look on my friends' faces when I mention with feigned casual-like manner "oh, when I read a Mao biography" are worth 4 months it took me to get through the book and are, in fact, priceless

This doctor could have had a comfortable and fulfilling life but chose to join the spirit of the new China. He, like so many idealistic youth, went back to China (as some went to Russia after its revolution) to join the "new society" only to be buried in a world created by the revolutionaries in whom they had put their trust.

Dr. Li's suffering was made meaningful in his writing this book. This may be the world's first up close portrait of a national dictator/cult leader. Some of the things that were most striking to me are:

· First, when Dr. Li accompanies Mao to his hometown, Mao tells him how his father, a minor but comfortable landowner, beat him and his brothers so badly that he would run away. Recently I had read how Fidel Castro, was humiliated by living in the workers' homes on the property where his father lived in the "big house" with his legal wife and family. Years ago I had read of Stalin's abuse at the hand of his stepfather. These bright, talented and unwanted sons turned their anger, resentment and hostility on millions of victims.

· Second is that revolutionary warriors had no time for education and their resentment for those that had it ran deep. The facts of the Great Leap Forward imply ignorance, but Dr. Li defines the know-it-all way it got started, grew, got implemented and institutionalized. With science meaningless, Mao's medical treatment was a political decision, and the doctor knew he would suffer when death eventually came.

· Third is the no-win situation everyone was in. The people setting the dynamics had not only the education of third graders, they had the emotional maturity of them too. Slights and unwanted facts create temper tantrums and grudges lethal to the inhabitants of Zhongnanhai and disastrous for China.

· Fourth, was how Dr. Li was expected to know about everything from water quality, to the poisons in food to dentistry and given no opportunities for professional development. When convenient this knowledge was used, but never applauded.

· It's interesting how Mao maintained power even as he lost his eyesight and speech. I'd be interested in some views why/how this happened.

· It's amazing that this book is free of acrimony and sensationalism. For all his troubles Dr. Li was banished to the countryside 3 times and often intentionally separated from his family.

It must have been both painful and cathartic to write this book. I'm curious how his sons got to the US.

This is a must read for anyone interested in 20th century China.

Do gần đây search Google về người giết nhiều người nhất thế giới là ai, thì thấy nổ tên Mao Trạch Đông nên mình tìm 1 cuốn để đọc về Mao tìm hiêủ xem sao thì thấy trong list sách có sẵn quyển này.
Cuốn này dễ đọc, tự truyện do chính bác sĩ riêng của Mao trong suốt 22 năm kề cận Mao viết.
Tóm tắt sơ qua là Mao gốc nông dân, không học đại học, đi lên từ đấu tranh để trở thành Chủ tịch chính phủ, chủ tịch nước...
Có những thú vui dâm dục đôi khi bệnh hoạn, đưa ra những chính sách kinh tế sai lầm khiến cho hàng chục triệu người chết đói những năm cải cách văn hoá nhưng không bao giờ nhận sai và toàn đổ cho người khác. Hỗn loạn trong bộ máy chính trị, thanh trừ nhau đấu đá quyền lực trong đảng, trong đó có cả vợ thứ 4 của Mao....
Không rõ những câu truyện về Mao trong này có bị thổi phồng lên để bôi xấu không nhưng cảm nhận của mình thấy nó khá chân thực do giọng văn bình tĩnh chắc một phần vì cuốn tự truyện được phát hành khá lâu sau khi Mao mất (18 năm) cũng sát với những tháng cuối đời của bác sĩ :)

1 người ngoại đạo,học y kể về kinh tế, chính trị nó dễ hiểu với mình và được tiếp cận những góc đời tư của một nhà lãnh đạo độc tài cũng thú vị.

خوندن زندگی رهبران دیکتاتور (این کتاب از نوع کمونیست) برام جذاب و ملموسه. بینش سیاسی و اجتماعی دقیقی از شرایط کشوری می‌ده که به‌جای دموکراسی به بیراهه کمونیستی رفتن. بهشت کمونیستی که تبدیل به دیکتاتوری شد و الگوگرفته از استالین و شوروی بود.

نویسنده این کتاب پزشک مخصوص مائو بوده که دسترسی بی‌نهایتش به مائو بیش از هر فرد سیاسی و مهم دیگه‌ای بوده و بالاخره تصمیم گرفته اطلاعاتش رو درباره لایه زیرین و حقیقی مائو به چاپ برسونه که دنیا رو آگاه کنه که در زمان رهبری مائو چه بر سر چین و مردم گذشته (حتی یک قحطی بزرگ رو از سر گذروندن که تا 30 میلیون نفر از مردم جانشون رو از دست دادن).
مترجم هم مترجم دکترای چین‌شناسی از دانشگاه پکن داره و حتی در جریان تجمع مردم در میدان تین آن حضور داشته و عکس‌هایی که گرفته رو در انتهای کتاب ضمیمه کرده.

این‌جور کتابا جوری واسه‌م ملموسه که خاطره ذهنی مشابهی در ذهنم شکل می‌گرفت و این خیلی تلخه. حتی در مواردی شرایط بدتر تجربه‌شده رو هم به ذهنم می‌آورد.
یکی از نکات جالب دیکتاتوری‌های کمونیستی اینه که حتی اگه بلندپایه‌ترین مقام مثل رئیس‌جمهورشون دچار اقدامی ضد ارزش‌هاشون بشه، بی‌درنگ مجازات می‌شه و حتی این مقامات هم ورای قانون هرچند اشتباه کمونیستی‌شون نیستن.

مثلا یکی از دلایل اعتراضات دانشجویانشون این بوده که 5 سال قبلش همسر رئیس‌جمهورشون در دیدار با رئیس‌جمهور اندونزی از لباس رنگین سنتی و گلوبند مروارید استفاده کرده که این نشانه شیوه زندگی اشرافی و غیرانقلابیه، حتی 5 سال بعدش اعتراضات دانشجویی برای این موضوع شکل گرفته.
در نهایت این رئیس‌جمهورشون به شهری تبعید شده و در حصر خانگی دچار بیماری شدید شده و پس از دو ماه بر اثر نرسیدن غذا و دارو، درگذشته.

و این یعنی در این نوع از دیکتاتوری حداقل همه به یک اندازه و به‌اندازه مردم در برابر همون قانون (چه غلط چه درست) به یک شکل دیده می‌شن و مقام بالا مانع مجازاتشون نمی‌شه و حسرتی که من حس کردم که چقدر تفاوته بین رعایت قانون در اونجا و اینجا و مایی که قانون فقط واسه ضعیفانه نه بزرگان!

درنهایت اینکه هیچ دیکتاتوری به هر نامی و به هر شکلی و در قالب رهبر، رئیس‌جمهور و هر اسم دیگه‌ای نمی‌تونه پایدار بمونه. هرچند اثرات زیان‌بارش نسل‌ها رو تحت تاثیر مخرب خودش قرار می‌ده اما خودش هم پایدار نمی‌مونه و هرچقدر هم تعظیم و ستایش افراد دستچین اطرافیانش رو داشته باشه نام ننگش بالاخره در تاریخ ثبت می‌شه و آیندگان حقیقت رو می‌فهمن.

اینجور کتابا باید خونده شن تا از تاریخ درس گرفته شه.

Unii nu au o carte preferată, dar eu am descoperit că am, e una la care revin de zeci de ori: Toamna patriarhului. O știu pe de rost. "Un poem despre singurătatea puterii", așa îl definește autorul. Patriarhul e ucigător de singur și dureros de crud, murdar, nespălat, irațional, dar nu complet nebun și îndeajuns de lucid în jocuri de putere. Spunea undeva Márquez că s-a inspirat din viețile tuturor dictatorilor când a creat personajul. Viața lui Mao îmi aduce aminte de Toamna patriarhului, care la început crezusem că e ficțiune pură: am aflat din memoriile lui Márquez că tot ce e acolo se bazează pe fapte reale. Așa și cu cartea asta, care pare a fi inspirația pentru Toamna patriarhului: pare ficțiune pură, e greu de imaginat (conceput?) gradul de depravare, de minciună, de exces, de mizerie umană al celor din jurul lui, dar cartea asta îți formează cumva o imagine a lui Mao ca om. Până și în privința igienei personale și a bolilor venerice seamănă Mao cu patriarhul lui Marquez, doar că adevărul e mult mai crunt decât ce-și poate imagina un scriitor.

Am recitit de curând povestea vieții lui Mao - există o ediție în română prin anticariate - pentru că am văzut într-un film american o scenă care, conform standardelor din închisorile americane, era absolut groaznică și inumană - cuiva care e închis într-o închisoare rusească i se dădea o supă de pește chioară (filmul btw e The Courier); pe mine literalmente m-a bușit râsul: atâta înțeleg ăștia din gulag. Fiind eu dintre cei care au avut pe cineva în beciurile Securității din România înainte de 1989 și care a cunoscut îndeaproape un om care "a fost la Canal" (prizonier politic la muncă silnică), știu că adevărul despre monștrii comunismului este dincolo de orice imaginație a americanilor ăstora. Cartea asta e dintre cele care întrec orice imaginație, zici că citești o distopie: nu doar că era nebun, dar cei din jurul lui îi alimentau nebunia, de frică sau din interes, iar el a pierdut complet contactul cu realitatea. Între timp, în China se murea pe capete, Mao este dictatorul care a omorât cel mai mare număr de oameni, istoric vorbind (vreo 80 de milioane, ecartul dintre el și Stalin, care e pe locul doi, e de vreo 60 de milioane: Stalin a omorât "doar" vreo 22 de milioane de oameni).

Revin la Márquez: în discursul lui de acceptare a premiului Nobel, el spune ceva ce a rămas cu mine, fiindcă și la asta m-am gândit când am văzut cum nu înțeleg americanii nimic despre gulag, cum nu înțelegem din afară realitatea istorică a unui întreg popor:

Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of imagination, for our crucial problem has been a lack of conventional means to render our lives believable. This, my friends, is the crux of our solitude.

Realismul ăla magic pentru care i-au dat premiul nu e deloc magic: așa arată realitatea lor. Iar tocmai faptul că noi îl considerăm și numim magic îi însingurează: nu reușim să-i înțelegem, așa cum americanii nu reușesc să înțeleagă gulagul.

Ce se făcea la noi cu rafturi pline ca să-l mulțumească pe Ceaușescu în timp ce populația făcea foamea, sau cu producția la hectar, e nimic față de ce făceau ăștia când mergea Mao prin vizită pe undeva, mai ales în timpul Marelui Salt Înainte. Viața lui privată și apucăturile lui sunt mult dincolo de imaginația celor care fac filme ca House of Cards. Practic, ne lipsește imaginația ca să creăm un personaj literar atât de nebun și de crud cum a fost ăsta în realitate.


Mao este venerat de chinezi, și deși cartea încearcă să explice oarecum de ce, eu, la fel ca americanii față cu gulagul, tot nu înțeleg cum se poate așa ceva. Asta apropo de esența singurătății popoarelor.

(se citește foarte ușor, ca un roman cumva, e o serie de anecdote și întâmplări, așa cum și le amintește autorul, care a fost doctorul personal al lui Mao și, la început, fusese un comunist convins. Detaliile despre mumificarea lui Mao, a cărui mumie există și azi în piața Tienanmen, sunt halucinante, din nou amintindu-mi de umorile omniprezente din Toamna patriarhului.)