Mao's Last Dancer
Young Readers' Edition
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Mao's Last Dancer
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Narrated by:
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Paul English
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By:
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Li Cunxin
About this listen
One day, not so very many years ago, a small peasant boy was chosen to study ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy. His mother urged him to take this chance of a lifetime. But Li was only eleven years old and he was scared and lonely, pushed away from all that he had ever known and loved. He hated the strict training routines and the strange place he had been brought to. All he wanted to do was go home - to his mother, father, and six brothers, to his own small village. But soon Li realised that his mother was right. He had the chance to do something special with his life - and he never turned back.
©2003 Li Cunxin (P)2006 Bolinda Publishing Pty LtdListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about Mao's Last Dancer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- ne5566
- 26-10-17
Inspiring
An informative, entertaining, evocative and inspiring story. I listened to this over several days and was captivated. Peasant China and Mao's 'Cultural Revolution' were especially informative areas and were dealt with in detail but I felt the ending a little rushed and sparse. Perhaps this was because 75% of the story is captivating due to the colourful and at times bizarre 'foreign' and 'exotic' setting. Once the story shifts to the West and focuses more on bureaucracy and politics, the pace was lost. Given the autobiographical nature of the book this is unavoidable but despite my criticism, Mao's Last Dancer is well worth experiencing - in any format.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- barjil
- 01-08-13
Not only for young adults....
I discovered this book by accident among the special offers with which Audible tempts us! If you're likely to be put off by the fact that it's about ballet, please don't be. The book starts with a short introduction (very short) about China's later history and goes on not only to describe the author's early life of hardship but adds a wealth of information about superstition and general background.
I had not realised to what extent Mao was a god to the people and the well-being of the state paramount. I have never read anything which portrays this so well. Li's removal from his family to ballet school (very late by western standards) is touching and the discipline of the school makes it like a prison. Li's attitude to western people when he first meets them is fascinating....
So there's much more about Chinese life than about ballet, and it's very well read and goes along at a good pace.
I have been trying to get all my friends to read it and hope that you will, too!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 04-04-19
Very moving story
Beautiful story of a brave spirit that never gave up against a background of the rigours of Communist China. Historically fascinating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ms Much
- 12-02-15
Maos last Dancer
A moving story of a courageous young man and his family i have spent had to go to rural china his description transported me there. He describes the people i've been loving and kind which they are
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