ForeignersunderMao:WesternLivesinChina,1949–1976isapioneeringstudyoftheWesterncommunityduringtheturbulentMaoera.Basedlargelyonpersonalinterviews,memoirs,privateletters,andarchives,thisbook‘givesavoice’totheWesternerswholivedunderMao.ItshowsthatChinawasnotasclosedtoWesternresidentsashasoftenbeenportrayed.
ThebookexaminesthelivesofsixdifferentgroupsofWesterners:‘foreigncomrades’whomadetheirhomeinMao’sChina,twenty-twoformerKoreanWarPOWswhocontroversiallychoseChinaaheadofrepatriation,diplomatsofWesterncountriesthatrecognizedthePeople’sRepublic,thefewforeigncorrespondentspermittedtoworkinChina,‘foreignexperts’,andlanguagestudents.EachofthesegroupsleddistinctlivesunderMao,whilesharingtheexperienceofahighlypoliticizedsocietyandofofficialmeasurestoisolatethemfromeverydayChina.
