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Last night I was fortunate to be able to meet Jung Chang at Waterstones, on Sauchiehall Street here in Glasgow (I’ve previously mentioned it here). It was a fascinating evening, and all the better for the presence of a lecturer from Glasgow University who ensured a fascinating series of questions started proceedings.

I’m already a few hundred pages through the book, so it was delightful to hear her talk about some of the aspects I’d already read about. The opportunity to ask questions was taken by the audience, and a few interesting discussions ensued. The inevitable “Were there any redeeming features of Mao”, which has featured in almost every media discussion with her, was met with the short answer that “he loved books, and liked to read a lot”, but followed by the detail that he, regrettably, kept that very privilege from most Chinese unless the book served his purposes.

An interesting situation occurred when a chap stood up and asked a question. I say asked, he proceeded to make various points regarding Mao from what was clearly a prepared list. When Jung Chang started to answer, he rather abruptly asked to finish, before proceeding with his question. It was clear that this chap hadn’t actually read much of the book, but had already made up his mind that he didn’t agree with its central premise. The questions were regarding the Korean War, and various issues regarding nuclear arms, followed by references to military people she had excluded (based on a scan of the index he seemed to imply). At a guess, I’d suspect the chap was a Maoist, because despite Jung Changs excellent response which dealt with every one of his points, illustrating various facts that she had unearthed, he left as soon as another question was taken. Curious incident indeed.

I was unable to ask a question which has been fascinating me. Much of Jung Chang’s work has relied on “unprecedented” access to documents, sources and places. Access that would simply not have been possible until recently. However, with “Wild Swans”, her first book widely banned in China, it’s almost inevitable that Mao: The Unknown Story won’t meet with the same treatment (A chinese language version, which is likely to be the recipient of the ban, is currently being translated by herself). My question would have been, why has she been given this access? Sources she spoke to had been visited by authorities, and they chose to speak out. Regrettably I didn’t get the opportunity to ask.

A fluid and interesting speaker, our allotted hour of time soon passed, and it was over to book signings. I was luck to get towards the front of the queue, and when I reached her I took my chance to ask the question. She responded with an intriguing “It’s a mystery to me”, but I think I’d hit a soft spot and she looked ready to answer in more detail, but I was conscious of the 90 odd people in the queue behind me, all eager to have their short moment with this remarkable woman. I feel like it was an opportunity missed. I’d be interested to know if anybody else has come across an answer to my question, as I think that would say a lot about the current situation in China.

Of course, it’s unfair to attribute the entire book to Jung Chang. Much of the research she has had access to comes from Soviet archives that her husband, Jon Halliday, was able to read through as he speaks the language fluently. A book they thought would take two years took twelve years in total to write, and it’s a remarkable piece of research. Jung Chang mentioned she hoped it would help the Chinese, who continue to receive the official line which perpetuates the myth of Mao, to at last be aware of the monstrous route to power this man took.

It’s a remarkable book, that is delightfully well written. 800+ pages might seem intimidating, but I’d challenge anybody who’s remotely interested in political figures to pick this book up and read just a few pages and not be drawn in, astonished and horrified by the story. It’s easily one of the most remarkable books I’ve read in a long time, and I’m not even half way through!

Update More interesting comments at Roger Darlington’s website, following a talk Jung Chang gave in London earlier this week.