Before you can fly, you have to be free. A new edition of the phenomenal international bestseller. From bitter poverty to the stardom of the West - this is the extraordinary true story of one boy's great courage and determination. In a small, desperately poor village in north-east China, a young peasant boy sits at his rickety old school desk, more interested in the birds outside than in Chairman Mao's Red Book and the grand words it contains. But that day, some strange men come to his school - Madame Mao's cultural delegates. They are looking for young peasants to mould into faithful guards of Chairman Mao's great vision for China. This is the true story of how that one moment in time, by the thinnest thread of a chance, changed the course of a small boy's life in ways that are beyond description. One day he would dance with some of the greatest ballet companies of the world. One day he would be a friend to a president and first lady, movie stars and the most influential people in America. One day he would become a star: Mao's last dancer, and the darling of the West. Since its release in 2003, Mao's Last Dancer has sold all around the world and been made into a major motion picture. Like millions of other peasants' lives, it was a story that nearly vanished amidst revolution and chaos. It's a story of courage, a mother's love, a young boy's longing for freedom - a beautiful, rich account of an inspirational life, told with honesty, dignity and pride.

Details

ISBN13: 9781760899219
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 480
Edition:
Publication Date: 03 Nov 2020
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Publication City, Country: Hawthorn, Australia
Dimensions (cm): 19.7(H)x13(L)x3.5(W)351
Weight (gm): 351

Author Biography

Li Cunxin AO was born in communist China in 1961, the sixth of seven sons in a poor rural family. His life under Chairman Mao's regime changed dramatically when, at the age of eleven, he was chosen to become a student at the Beijing Dance Academy. Li went on to become one of the finest male dancers in the world, and was principal dancer at Houston Ballet and the Australian Ballet. From 2012 until the end of 2023 he was artistic director at Queensland Ballet, and in 2025 he was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Prix de Lausanne for his outstanding contribution to the arts and dance. Li's memoir, Mao's Last Dancer, is one of the most successful autobiographies of all time. It was published around the world and has been adapted into a young readers' edition, a picture book, a stage play and a major motion picture. Li lives with his wife, Mary, in Brisbane. He continues to contribute to the world of ballet and to Australia's cultural life.

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