Handpicked recommendations to other books that have a similar writing style or theme to Mao

An indelible exploration of the invisible scar that runs through the heart of Chinese society and the souls of its citizens.

Spellbinding, unforgettable, and an important chronicle of modern China, The Bathing Women is a powerful and beautiful portrait of the strength of female friendship in the face of adversity.

Inspired by a true story, and set against the backdrop of a country in transition, The Scavenger's Daughters is a sweeping present day saga of triumph in the face of hardship, and the unbreakable bonds of family against all odds.

From the bestselling author of Red Azalea and Empress Orchid comes the powerful story of the friendship of a lifetime, based on the life of Pearl S. Buck.

At once a powerful allegory of a rising China, racked by contradictions, and a seminal examination of the Tiananmen Square protests, Beijing Coma is Ma Jian’s masterpiece. Spiked with dark wit, poetic beauty, and deep rage, this extraordinary novel confirms his place as one of the world’s most significant living writers.

Beijing University, 1986. The Communists were in power, but the Harvard of China was a hotbed of intellectual and cultural activity, with political debates and "English Corners" where students eagerly practiced the language among themselves. It was there that Wei met Dong Yi, beside the Lake with No Name.

The Man Who Loved Chinatells the sweeping story of China through the remarkable life of Joseph Needham's , a brilliant Cambridge scientist . Here is an unforgettable tale of what makes men, nations, and, indeed, mankind itself great—related by one of the world's inimitable storytellers.

A revelatory account that finally unveils the shadowy journey from obscurity to power of the Georgian cobbler’s son who became the Red Tsar—the man who, along with Hitler, remains the modern personification of evil.

By the author of the acclaimed bestseller Benjamin Franklin, this is the first full biography of Albert Einstein since all of his papers have become available.

The Long March is Communist China’s founding myth, the heroic tale that every Chinese child learns in school. Seventy years after the historical march took place, Sun Shuyun set out to retrace the Marchers’ steps and unexpectedly discovered the true history behind the legend.

The last decades of the nineteenth century were a violent period in China’s history, ultimately ending in the demise of the Ch’ing dynasty. The only constant during this tumultuous time was the power wielded by the resilient, ever-resourceful Tzu Hsi, Lady Yehonala -- or Empress Orchid.

An extraordinary portrait of a woman and the land of Tibet, each at the mercy of fate and politics. It is an unforgettable, ultimately uplifting tale of love loss, loyalty, and survival.

The true story of how a small, terrified, lonely boy, plucked from his life in rural China, became one of the greatest ballet dancers in the world. One part Falling Leaves, one part Billy Eliot, this is an unforgettable memoir of hope and courage.

China's 1.25 billion people comprise nearly a quarter of the world's population. Becker's China is both something very different and much greater than the stereotype suggests. The Chinese is the hidden story of the people of the world's largest nation.

A man's search for meaning -- in life, in the journey -- turns up the possibility that there may be no meaning. The elusive Lingshan (Soul Mountain) becomes the object of his quest. A novel of immense wisdom and profound beauty.