Monday, May 18, 2009


PRISONER OF THE STATE
The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang
Translated and Edited by
Bao Pu, Renee Chiang, and Adi Ignatius
Foreword by Roderick MacFarquhar

I posted a story about this Simon & Schuster title from The Times to the blog last week and now Penguin Books NZ have advised that they will release it here on 19 May, RRP NZ$55.

China watchers lamented that Zhao never had the opportunity to tell what really happened behind the scenes during the turbulent years when he stood near the pinnacle of his nation’s power structure. But in fact, Zhao did produce such a memoir, without the knowledge of the Chinese authorities, which is being made public for the first time in PRISONER OF THE STATE: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang

The publication of Zhao’s memoir marks the first time that a Chinese leader of his stature has spoken frankly about the internal workings of the Communist Party and the Chinese government, as well as his central role in many of the key events of modern Chinese history.

China watchers will be lining up for this one!

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