Introduction . . ix
1 The Kiss of Death . . 1
2 The Making of a Revolutionary . . 21
3 A Young Communist in Europe . . 39
4 Building the Infrastructure of Revolution . . 49
5 Birds of a Different Feather . . 63
6 A Rising Star . . 75
7 Trapping the "Chinese Khrushchev" . . 89
8 "Preparing to Take the Test" . . 105
9 "A Man of Both Sides" . . 131
10 A Whirlpool of Absurdity . . 149
11 No Exit . . 165
12 Heir Pre-emptive . . 183
13 Night Flight . . 201
14 Whither China's Future? . . 229
15 Long Knives . . 237
16 From Duet to Duel . . 249
17 Sick-Bed Politics . . 263
18 The Final Battle . . 275

Epilogue: More Power in Death than Life . . 305
Author's Note . . 311
Translators' Note . . 316
Acknowledgments . . 318
List of Sources . . 319
Index . . 331