Originally published: London : Jonathan Cape, 2005.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 653-790) and index.

Part 1 Lukewarm Believer -- 1 On the Cusp from Ancient to Modern (1893-1911; age 1-17) 3 -- 2 Becoming a Communist (1911-20; age 17-26) 10 -- 3 Lukewarm Believer (1920-25; age 26-31) 22 -- 4 Rise and Demise in the Nationalist Party (1925-27; age 31-33) 36 -- Part 2 Long March to Supremacy in the Party -- 5 Hijacking a Red Force and Taking Over Bandit Land (1927-28; age 33-34) 49 -- 6 Subjugating the Red Army Supremo (1928-30; age 34-36) 64 -- 7 Takeover Leads to Death of Second Wife (1927-30; age 33-36) 76 -- 8 Bloody Purge Paves the Way for "Chairman Mao" (1929-31; age 35-37) 88 -- 9 Mao and the First Red State (1931-34; age 37-40) 101 -- 10 Troublemaker to Figurehead (1931-34; age 37-40) 110 -- 11 How Mao Got onto the Long March (1933-34; age 39-40) 120 -- 12 Long March I: Chiang Lets the Reds Go (1934; age 40) 130 -- 13 Long March II: The Power Behind the Throne (1934-35; age 40-41) 138 -- 14 Long March III: Monopolising the Moscow Connection (1935; age 41) 157 -- Part 3 Building His Power Base -- 15 Timely Death of Mao's Host (1935-36; age 41-42) 171 -- 16 Chiang Kai-shek Kidnapped (1935-36; age 41-42) 175 -- 17 A National Player (1936; age 42-43) 184 -- 18 New Image, New Life and New Wife (1937-38; age 43-44) 190 -- 19 Red Mole Triggers China-Japan War (1937-38; age 43-44) 200 -- 20 Fight Rivals and Chiang-Not Japan (1937-40; age 43-46) 210 -- 21 Most Desired Scenario: Stalin Carves Up China with Japan (1939-40; age 45-46) 219 -- 22 Death Trap for His Own Men (1940-41; age 46-47) 227 -- 23 Building a Power Base Through Terror (1941-45; age 47-51) 236 -- 24 Uncowed Opponent Poisoned (1941-45; age 47-51) 252 -- 25 Supreme Party Leader at Last (1942-45; age 48-51) 264 -- Part 4 To Conquer China -- 26 "Revolutionary Opium War" (1937-45; age 43-51) 273 -- 27 Russians Are Coming! (1945-46; age 51-52) 281 -- 28 Saved by Washington (1944-47; age 50-53) 293 -- 29 Moles, Betrayals and Poor Leadership Doom Chiang (1945-49; age 51-55) 301 -- 30 China Conquered (1946-49; age 52-55) 312 -- 31 Totalitarian State, Extravagant Lifestyle (1949-53; age 55-59) 323 -- Part 5 Chasing a Superpower Dream -- 32 Rivalry with Stalin (1947-49; age 53-55) 337 -- 33 Two Tyrants Wrestle (1949-50; age 55-56) 346 -- 34 Why Mao and Stalin Started the Korean War (1949-50; age 55-56) 356 -- 35 Mao Milks the Korean War (1950-53; age 56-59) 365 -- 36 Launching the Secret Superpower Programme (1953-54; age 59-60) 380 -- 37 War on Peasants (1953-56; age 59-62) 392 -- 38 Undermining Khrushchev (1956-59; age 62-65) 404 -- 39 Killing the "Hundred Flowers" (1957-58; age 63-64) 416 -- 40 Great Leap: "Half of China May Well Have to Die" (1958-61; age 64-67) 426 -- 41 Defence Minister Peng's Lonely Battle (1958-59; age 64-65) 440 -- 42 Tibetans Rebel (1950-61; age 56-67) 453 -- 43 Maoism Goes Global (1959-64; age 65-70) 458 -- 44 Ambushed by the President (1961-62; age 67-68) 470 -- 45 Bomb (1962-64; age 68-70) 480 -- 46 A Time of Uncertainty and Setbacks (1962-65; age 68-71) 486 -- Part 6 Unsweet Revenge -- 47 A Horse-Trade Secures the Cultural Revolution (1965-66; age 71-72) 503 -- 48 Great Purge (1966-67; age 72-73) 514 -- 49 Unsweet Revenge (1966-74; age 72-80) 528 -- 50 Chairman's New Outfit (1967-70; age 73-76) 537 -- 51 A War Scare (1969-71; age 75-77) 548 -- 52 Falling Out with Lin Biao (1970-71; age 76-77) 552 -- 53 Maoism Falls Flat on the World Stage (1966-70; age 72-76) 565 -- 54 Nixon: The Red-Baiter Baited (1970-73; age 76-79) 579 -- 55 Boss Denies Chou Cancer Treatment (1972-74; age 78-80) 592 -- 56 Mme Mao in the Cultural Revolution (1966-75; age 72-81) 599 -- 57 Enfeebled Mao Hedges His Bets (1973-76; age 79-82) 611 -- 58 Last Days (1974-76; age 80-82) 624 -- Archives Consulted 651.