MacMillan details the events of February, 1972, when Richard Nixon, the first American president ever to visit China, and Mao Tse-tung, the enigmatic Communist dictator, met in Beijing and changed the course of history, ultimately laying the groundwork for the complex relationship between China and the United States that we see today.
Critic Reviews
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Outstanding
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Kirkus Reviews
First-rate popular history featuring a compelling cast, swift narration and rigorous analysis. [1 Dec 2006, p.1210]
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Outstanding
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Publishers Weekly
[MacMillan] turns a potentially dry diplomatic story into a fascinating study in high-wire diplomacy, full of intrigue and drama. [4 Dec 2006, p.47]
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Outstanding
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Washington Post Orville Schell
What makes Nixon and Mao such a good read is not only that MacMillan, who has availed herself of some valuable new interviews, narrates the history beautifully; it is also that her story is peopled by so many larger-than-life figures.
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Favorable
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Christian Science Monitor Erik Spanberg
Nixon and Mao ranks as one of the most relevant, and worthy histories published of late.
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Favorable
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The New York Times Book Review John Lewis Gaddis
In an era when new diplomatic leaps are being called for, it’s important to understand why. Despite its shortcomings, Margaret MacMillan’s new book is the best place to go to find out.
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Favorable
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Wall Street Journal George Melloan
Nixon and Mao is a darn good read.
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Favorable
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Library Journal Karl Helicher
A lively narrative...Recommended for all public and academic collections. [1 Jan 2007, p.123]
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Favorable
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Los Angeles Times Seth Faison
MacMillan is strong on diplomacy but weak on Chinese politics; yet she’s a fine writer whose illuminating account shows why it's no wonder that the trip inspired an entire Western opera and a permanent place in our lexicon.
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Favorable
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Booklist Jay Freeman
The portraits of Nixon, the vociferous anti-Communist, and Mao, the uncompromising true believer in violent revolution, are both interesting and surprising. [1 Feb 2007, p.19]
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Favorable
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Chicago Sun-Times John Cruickshank
Nixon and Mao is both scholarly and stylish. It deserves, and ought to command, a large, popular audience.
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Favorable
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Entertainment Weekly Michelle Kung
With its vivid biographical sketches and tense tales of political intrigue, MacMillan's account of Richard Nixon's 1972 tour of Communist China is as entertaining as it is informative.
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Favorable
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Houston Chronicle Adam R. Seipp
Nixon and Mao is a sometimes gripping, always entertaining and ultimately insightful examination of Nixon's visit to China.
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Mixed
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Boston Globe Paul Kennedy
A book that is fun to read, but also somewhat jerky.
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Mixed
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The New York Times Joseph Kahn
Ms. MacMillan’s dispassionate approach does not challenge the historical record. She also does not fulfill her own promise of showing how the world was forever altered. But Nixon’s meeting with Mao was undeniably a shock, and Ms. MacMillan has written an electrifying account.
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