Who would imagine the autobiography of a leading Chinese government figure would read like a novel, engaging us with humor, suspense, surprise and the triumph of one man’s love for his wife? With a great assist from ghostwriter Foster Winans, that is the difficult literary feat that Ji Chaozhu’s “The Man On Mao’s Right” accomplishes.

This is also the first true “insider’s account” I have read of the creation and evolution of modern China. Thanks to his work as a translator for Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, Ji was literally the fly on the wall during such historic occasions as Nixon’s historic visit to China, the negotiations seeking an end to the Korean conflict, and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution.

Having fled the Japanese invasion of China with his parents, Ji spent much of his childhood in the United States, where he attended Harvard University. Devoted to the cause of Chinese socialism, Ji returned to his native land, where he was uniquely able to translate not just the language of the Chinese, but their culture and belief system, for Western leaders.

I cannot but wonder how history might have been different if not for his participation at so many pivotal moments in the evolution of the delicate relationship between China and the US.

“The Man On Mao’s Right” is essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand the modern history of China, its motivations, its people and culture. Best of all, this is such an enjoyable read, that it is certain to find an audience far beyond Chinese history buffs.

Ji’s life story is the epic odyssey of a Chinese Homer whose quest for his home, and to be with the woman he loves, literally spans the globe and encompasses several generations. “The Man On Mao’s Right” is destined to become a classic of its genre.