Escape from China - Hardcover

BOLI

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 074343160X ISBN 13: 9780743431606

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2002

Synopsis

Who can forget the searing images, telecast around the world, of the brave Chinese students facing the tanks that rolled toward them in Tiananmen Square as they rebelled against their Communist government? After a two-week standoff, the military forces charged in and brutally suppressed the revolt, killing many students and issuing a warrant for the arrest of all responsible for the insurgence. As one of the top student leaders in the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square, Zhang Boli became even more famous as he managed to evade a ruthless nationwide police manhunt. After two years as a fugitive, he was the only leader who had not been accounted for. Among the twenty-one students placed on the government's most-wanted list, Zhang knew that he would never again be able to live openly in China and that he must bid his beloved country -- as well as his wife and baby daughter -- farewell. In "Escape From China," Zhang Boli tells the fascinating, inspirational story of how he avoided capture and surpassed overwhelming obstacles in his struggle to survive and ultimately find freedom in the West. Traveling across the frozen terrain of the former Soviet Union, where Russian peasants rescued him, and finding his way through the deserted lands of China's precarious borders, Zhang had little but his extraordinary will to propel him, subsisting for months at a time on the flesh of wild animals. In the course of his long ordeal, he loses his love, finding God and, eventually, freedom. Although Zhang's incredible journey was filled with many harrowing experiences, he chooses, in this gripping first-person account, to focus on the many kind people who helped him through his darkestdays. A powerful memoir of great drama and historical resonance, "Escape From China" will not only astound you, but renew your faith in humanity and in the power of the human spirit.

About this title

Review:

Andrew J. Nathan

Professor of Political Science, Columbia University, co-editor of "The Tiananmen Papers"

An instant classic....Zhang Boli's searing memories are brought to life with a wealth of concrete detail....He loses all, and gains all -- a classic human quest told in fresh form.

"Publishers Weekly"

Incisive, fast-paced....Zhang Boli presents his exploits modestly, but one is awed at every turn by his steely nerve andstreet savvy, and by the compassion that he liberally accords to humans, animals, and the land that gave him shelter.

Perry Link

Professor of East Asian Studies, Princeton University, author of "China's New Rulers"

This book should be required reading for those who accept uncritically Chinese government claims to represent 'China.' The little people in this saga, generous and quiet, are China, too.

"Publishers Weekly" Incisive, fast-paced....Zhang Boli presents his exploits modestly, but one is awed at every turn by his steely nerve andstreet savvy, and by the compassion that he liberally accords to humans, animals, and the land that gave him shelter.

Andrew J. Nathan Professor of Political Science, Columbia University, co-editor of The Tiananmen Papers An instant classic....Zhang Boli's searing memories are brought to life with a wealth of concrete detail....He loses all, and gains all -- a classic human quest told in fresh form.

Publishers Weekly Incisive, fast-paced....Zhang Boli presents his exploits modestly, but one is awed at every turn by his steely nerve andstreet savvy, and by the compassion that he liberally accords to humans, animals, and the land that gave him shelter.

Perry Link Professor of East Asian Studies, Princeton University, author of China's New Rulers This book should be required reading for those who accept uncritically Chinese government claims to represent 'China.' The little people in this saga, generous and quiet, are China, too.

About the Author:

Zhang Boli was a student organizer during the 1989 uprisings in Tiananmen Square. He is now a pastor in Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife and daughter. He is a prominent figure and speaker in Chinese communities around the world.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 074343160X
• ISBN 13: 9780743431606
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288