Authentic description of life for a foreign diplomat living in Beijing at the height of the Cultural Revolution. China was still poor and in a state of chaos induced by Mao's attempt to transform human nature and win a power struggle against his opponents. Behind it all was a major military confrontation with the Soviet Union and a sudden decision by Mao to begin seeking better relations with the USA. Only a couple of thousand foreigners lived in China then and their lives were constrained & sometimes dangerous.
This book based on contemporary letters and recollections paints a vivid picture of how it was to live under Mao in the period 1969 to 1971. Amusing and informative and essential for anyone who knows China today and wants to learn something of the recent past.