{"product_id":"the-book-of-secrets-9781399406680","title":"The Book of Secrets","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe story of a family in modern China with a history of deceit, betrayal and political intrigue, and the communist party''s long shadow over them, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003efrom the Cultural Revolution to today.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing the lives of military intelligence officer Jie and his wife Moon, \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Secrets \u003c\/i\u003eweaves recently found material into a narrative that not only illuminates the shadowy world of intelligence in China, but also the emotional tragedies that political extremism inflicted on those working within. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on Jie's own vivid biography of his youth, Xinran pieces together his trajectory as he joins the great hope of the Chinese young  the Communist Party  and becomes a loyal cadre until the late 1970s when, as a chief in the security forces, he makes a decision that will poison his family against him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This is a totally unique behind-the-scenes account of a family torn apart by the Tiananmen Square massacre and the attempts of Jie to finally open up th\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo one has done more than Xinran to tell the truth about the lives of ordinary people in twentieth-century China.  Her \u003ci\u003eBook of Secrets\u003c\/i\u003e is a tale of horror, redeemed as always by the story-teller’s warmth, grace and narrative grip.\u003c\/b\u003e * Hilary Spurling, author of Burying the Bones *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn extraordinary book of huge historical interest and value\u003c\/b\u003e, exactly the kind of book that the Western world needs to read, to understand the complexity of the Chinese political worldview since 1949. * Julia Lovell, author of Maoism: A Global History *\u003cbr\u003eXinran's talent is to survey the vast tidal waves of history and focus in on the human lives floating rudderless in their wake. \u003cb\u003eThis is a wonderful and compelling read.\u003c\/b\u003e * Tim Clissold, author of Mr China and Cloud Chamber *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eXinran recounts an epic journey through China's recent history with a rare passion and clarity.\u003c\/b\u003e The tale is seen through the tragic experience of a once powerful family, whose suffering she describes as though it were her own. * Patrick Marnham, author of The Man Who Wasn't Maigret *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eForeword – Words on the Night Breeze Snow’s Story Xinran, December 2018 PART ONE: The Tapes 1 A Family Fragmented by the Chaos of War 2 Tsinghua – An Awakening of Love and Faith 3 Questions of Career and Faith PART TWO: Jie’s Letters to his Wife Moon 4 1951–4 – Fantasy and Romance 5 1954–7 – Confusion and Disruption 6 1957–66 – Betrayal and Adversity 7 1976–2009 – Resurrection and Death 8 2010–17 – The Final Messages Afterword – Xinran Acknowledgements Index\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48866650849623,"sku":"9781399406680","price":22.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781399406680.jpg?v=1722279646","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-book-of-secrets-9781399406680","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}