Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

I saw the movie not so long ago but I remember very little of it. The book, on the other hand, is different.

The writing style is simple, fluid and succint.There is no messing around with metaphors and niceties. It is almost like you were there, witnessing Li's life from cradle to crest.On the face of it, it's the story of a poor peasant boy growing up in Mao's communist China, chosen for greatness by the fates. He goes on to becoming one of the finest dancers of our time, earning glory for his country of birth, his family and for himself.Literally a rags to riches story, sans the fairy tale.

Interwoven in all this is the story of modern China, from the days when the Gang of Four ran amuck through the land, to the 2008 Beijing Olympics - Li takes us on a journey across time. The transition from Mao's "Iron Curtain" to Deng's "Open Door Policy" is narrated in an unbiased, matter-of-fact manner as a gradual inevitability, leading to the present day boom with all the trappings of a political and economic giant that China has now become.

My favourite character in the book is his Niang. She seems to be such an incredible icon , a pillar of strength and virtue, just the way every good lad pictures his mother.His Dia isn't so bad either,so often described in the book as 'a man of few words', not too different from all other struggling parents with seven or more mouths to feed. Then there are his brothers and later, their wives. A very ordinary large family typical of generations past. He talks about the present day China and the mandatory 'one child policy' which he says has created 'young emperors and emperesses who are selfish and intolerant'. I disagree with that.

What really appealed to me was the transparency of the book.Without being patronising, he makes no secret of the fact that it was indeed Chairman Mao's regime that gave him the opportunity of a lifetime in the first place. How else would a poor peasant boy from the back of beyond so unwittingly get the attention of the powers that be, and make the life in a world that was completely alien to his father's realm of reality?

Luckily for Li, his is a story with a happy ending. He had a family that he loved with all his heart, he had an opportunity to shine and he did, and later found that his hard work and grit could lead him to unimaginabale heights. All other impediments on the way were mere hiccups. In the end, he lived his dream and remained united with his folks.

He had found a way to have the best of both worlds, to eat his cake and have it too.
Definitely a case of good karma.