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Mao's Last Dancer
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
18 posts | 26 read | 16 to read
Raised in a desperately poor village during the height of China's Cultural Revolution, Li Cunxin's childhood revolved around the commune, his family and Chairman Mao's Little Red Book. Until, that is, Madame Mao's cultural delegates came in search of young peasants to study ballet at the academy in Beijing and he was thrust into a completely unfamiliar world. When a trip to Texas as part of a rare cultural exchange opened his eyes to life and love beyond China's borders, he defected to the United States in an extraordinary and dramatic tale of Cold War intrigue. Told in his own distinctive voice, this is Li's inspirational story of how he came to be Mao's last dancer, and one of the world's greatest ballet dancers.
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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
Mao's Last Dancer | Cunxin Li
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Captivating memoir documenting Li‘s childhood in Mao‘s Communist China and his journey from poor peasant boy to world renowned ballet dancer. Though the writing is simple, Li conveys his story with a passion and emotion that is deeply felt. He speaks eloquently about the family, friends, and mentors that inspired him and supported him. The Chinese fables, traditions, and customs that motivated and grounded Li provide a richness throughout. 4⭐️

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Becker
Mao's Last Dancer | Cunxin Li
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This memoir was a really interesting cultural story and I enjoyed it for the most part but I must say the writing was very basic. Almost juvenile. This bothered me a bit but it made for an easy relaxing read and the story kept me engaged. 🇨🇳

Curiouser_and_curiouser Would the copy you read be the Young Readers version by any chance? I think there are two versions of this book. 4y
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CafeMom
Mao's Last Dancer | Cunxin Li
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#ReadingtheWorld
#Hunsakermountain
Read a book set in the Far East. China.

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CafeMom
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this memoir about Li Cunxin's rise to fame to a world class ballet dancer. Some of the most memorable moments for me were learning about Mao's Cultural Revolution, close family ties (if you have family you have everything), seeing America through the eyes of an immigrant and enjoying the pictures included in the book. #ReadingtheWorld

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CafeMom
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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Books to read in May. I have started Mao's Last Dancer which I am enjoying. Really looking forward to Suite Francaise, it has been on my to-do list for quite some time.

BookwormM Suite Francais is a brilliant book but sad 5y
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KellyHunsakerReads
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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Li Cunxin shared a story that is so inspirational, so beautifully told ... I listened to all 15+ hours in two days.

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HotCocoaReads
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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An interesting true story about one of China‘s dancers who defects to the US. The story shows how he deals with his childhood in poverty and working hard to get himself to a place where he has opportunities. The most interesting part of the book is the seeing how brainwashed the people of China were during Mao‘s ruling. Writing was ok, but the story is interesting.

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Mindyrecycles
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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An Audible I haven't gotten to yet. I just today learned there's a 2010 movie. #dancingqueen #ABBAinAugust

Briguy73 The movie is amazing! i love it! Didn‘t realize there was a book lol 6y
Laura317 Yes, the movie is very good! Enjoy! 6y
68 likes2 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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An inspiring memoir by Li Cunxin,who was born into extreme poverty but rose to become a world famous ballet dancer. A moving tale about the quest for freedom & the courage to live your own life. It certainly took Cunxin more than #onedance to be admitted to the famous Madame Mao‘s Dance Academy, & became a great dancer. The book has been adapted to an Australian film in 2009.
#HeatofJuly

BarbaraBB This sounds great! 6y
Cinfhen Fabulous choice🙌🏻 6y
CarolynM Great choice! It's a good film, worth your time if you haven't seen it. 6y
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LapReader
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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I borrowed this off a colleague yrs ago & am finally finished with it. She asks for it back all the time! Moral to the story is don‘t lend me books! I am obsessed with ballet. I‘m off to ballet class now so of course I loved this book. A dancer‘s life is hard. You have to be so critical of yourself & you have to be able to put up with constant critique but it is a beautiful art form to attempt to master although you know you never will.

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tif
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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@CSeydel #weekendchat

📚 A Wrinkle in Time

📚 Too many to count! I am ALWAYS doing this

📚 Li Cunxin (Mao's Last Dancer)

📚 Tootsie rolls (I don't remember which book though!)

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Foxyfictionista
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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🇨🇳 🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳 Merry Christmas, everyone!

I was fully prepared for this book to be really dry (sometimes I find memoirs difficult to read) but it was lovely and heart warming. I could really tell how much he loves his family. It was heart breaking at times but it was brilliantly and honestly told.

Centique Oh I loved this too! 😍 6y
Foxyfictionista @Centique It was really good. ☺️ 6y
TrishB Ohh have this on the tbr - you‘ve made it sound really interesting! 6y
Foxyfictionista @TrishB It was! Although I'm not sure if Christmas was the best time to read it. 😄 But I'm glad I did. 6y
48 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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readordierachel
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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Cinfhen 💕💕👍🏻 7y
SpiderGoddess Well done! I love this image! 7y
Laura317 My mom says the movie is good, too. 7y
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readordierachel @Laura317 I've heard that too. I'll have to watch it one of these days. 7y
sisilia I saw him when he performed in Melbourne. He was with Australian Ballet at that time, I think. I didn't recognize him until I read this book. It was an excellent performance 6y
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TrishB
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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Do Not Say really gave me an interest in reading a bit more about China. Just got this in a charity shop - I think this is the authors signature too.

Jaimelire A great book about China is - Wild Swans Three Daughters of China (edited) 7y
TrishB @Jaimelire thanks! Just got a signed hardback for £2.80!! 7y
Ms_T What a great find! 7y
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shawnmooney Oh this looks so good! DNSWHN has awakened a similar curiosity for me… 7y
TrishB @shawnmooney I love when books do that. I've been down the internet rabbit hole reading about the author. 7y
LeahBergen I have this on my TBR. It looks so good! (and a movie was made of it) 7y
TrishB @LeahBergen cool - movie after book then! Once it gets to the top of the tbr 😀 7y
TrishB @Ms_T 👍 it was 7y
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KerriNTurner
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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#readjanuary #autobiography I don't read a lot of autobiographies, but when I do they are usually by ballet dancers. I write about dance, teach dance, and have my degree in dance, so only makes sense I'd read about dance too! #ballet #nonfiction

RealLifeReading Nice collection! 7y
KerriNTurner @RealLifeReading thank you! 😊👯 7y
LeahBergen I love dance books (I have both Mao's Last Dancer and Theatre Street 😀). 7y
KerriNTurner @LeahBergen they're both great books! I haven't read the other two yet, (they were Christmas presents) but they look really good. 7y
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Centique
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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#memorablememoirs #booktober @RealLifeReading
I'll never forget the descriptions of degradation and poverty in Mao's Last Dancer (this is a signed edition - heard him speak in 2007) An incredible life story; ballet gave him a chance to survive, but what happens when you become a world star in communist China?
The Spark is about a whole other kind of battle. A mother and her journey to raise her son with his "differently wired" brain. Inspiring!

RealLifeReading I've not heard of The Spark. Sounds interesting! 7y
Centique @RealLifeReading it's so good. The experts expect the little boy will never learn to read or have a job. But the mum sees something more In him and creates a new approach to learning for him.... Very human story, lots of ups and downs and very engagingly written. 👍 7y
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Gulfsidemusing
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
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For #Recommendsday: Mao's Last Dancer was a nonfiction print favorite a few years back. It's also today's audible daily deal... average rating of 4.4 👍🏻

LeahBergen I have this on my shelf (thanks for the reminder!). There's a movie, too, but I was waiting to read the book first (you know how that is). 8y
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Gulfsidemusing
Mao's Last Dancer | Li Cunxin
Pickpick

For #Recommendsday: Mao's Last Dancer was a nonfiction print favorite a few years back. It's also today's audible daily deal... average rating of 4.4 👍🏻