The Cultural Revolution: A Very Short Introduction

摘要

University instructors are constantly seeking new readings to supplement existing courses. Seldom does a set of books present itself as an ideal core to build a course around. These three inspire me to do so. Specifically, I envision an undergraduate seminar on the meanings and legacy of China's Cultural Revolution as viewed through diverse lenses. My hidden agenda would be to contrast three very different approaches to political history: Richard Kraus's brilliant and nuanced precis; James Palmer's adroit rehash of conventional wisdom; and Yu Hua's candid, lyrical memoir linking dreams and delusions of the past with affluence and avarice of the present.