The Rise and Fall of the House of Bo

Written by  John Garnaut

When news of the murder trial of prominent Communist Party leader Bo Xilai's wife reached Western attention, it was apparent that, as with many events in the secretive upper echelons of Chinese politics, there was more to the story. Now, as the Party's 18th National Congress oversees the biggest leadership transition in decades, and installs the Bo family's long-time rival Xi Jinping as president, China's rulers are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their poisonous internal divisions behind closed doors.

Bo Xilai's breathtaking fall from grace is an extraordinary tale of excess, murder, defection, political purges and ideological clashes going back to Mao himself, as the princeling sons of the revolutionary heroes ascend to control of the Party. China watcher John Garnaut examines how Bo's stellar rise through the ranks troubled his more reformist peers, as he revived anti-'capitalist roader' sentiment, even while his family and associates enjoyed the more open economy's opportunities. Amid fears his imminent elevation to the powerful Standing Committee was leading China towards another destructive Cultural Revolution, have his opponents seized their chance now to destroy Bo and what he stands for? The trigger was his wife Gu Kailai's apparently paranoid murder of an English family friend, which exposed the corruption and brutality of Bo's outwardly successful administration of the massive city of Chongqing. It also led to the one of the highest-level attempted defections in Communist China's history when Bo's right-hand man, police chief Wang Lijun, tried to escape the ruins of his sponsor's reputation.

Garnaut explains how this incredible glimpse into the very personal power struggles within the CCP exposes the myth of the unified one-party state. With China approaching superpower status, today's leadership shuffle may set the tone for international relations for decades. Here, Garnaut reveals a particularly Chinese spin on the old adage that the personal is political.

Review

It was amazing to learn of the corruption and appalling behaviour of so many of the Chinese leaders.  This book was primarily about one of them but it provided enough insight about others.  It was hard trying to remember who was who.
2/5

Available only as an eBook  $3.99

Frenchmans Cap

Written by Simon Kleinig

Frenchmans Cap tells the story of Australia’s most majestic mountain and 'one of the world's great wilderness walks' - a must for any modern day adventurer in Tasmania.
Named by convicts in Macquarie Harbour’s infamous prison in the 1820s, Frenchmans Cap has captured the public imagination as an icon of freedom, adventure, and terrifying danger.
From escapee convicts to bushrangers, from pioneer explorers to modern day rock-climbers, this book brings to life the record of many remarkable and life-risking efforts to reach the peak of this mountain.
Kleinig treats readers with mysteries such as the French female, known only as 'Nicole', who became history's first woman to climb the Cap, in 1935. Vivid descriptions of the treacherous beauty of this mountain will enthral any reader with a love of nature.
This book also records the struggle to protect the Frenchmans Cap region from industrial development, even after it became a national park in 1941. It is a joy to read that this jewel of Tasmania has survived degradation from men and bushfires, and is now protected for future generations to enjoy.

Review

I did like reading this book because it is a bushwalking destination that I have been to several times over the years.  It also brought back memories of people who I have known and also some who I had heard about.  There were also a few people mentioned in the book that I didn't even realise had an association with area.

Sometimes the contents in the book appeared to be out of sequence, but that didn't really detract from the enjoyment of the read.

Rating 3/5

Available as ebook at Amazon and iTunes for $9.99