Sure! Always happy to recommend books. My top five recommendations are:

1. The Private Life of Chairman Mao: The Memoirs of Mao's Personal Physician by Li Zhisui

This book is pretty controversial and is banned in China. A number of party officials have stated that Li fabricated parts of it. However, it’s generally recognized outside China as one of the best biographies written by someone who was close to Mao (with the proviso that some of it can never be properly corroborated).

2. Mao: a Biography by Ross Terrill

This is a widely acclaimed biography of Mao. Originally published in 1980, a revised edition was released in 2000. A broader look at Mao’s life than Li’s memoirs.

3. Hungry Ghosts: Mao’s Secret Famine by Jasper Becker

Fair warning, this book is pretty dark. It explores the famine that resulted from Mao’s Great Leap Forward (a series of initiatives thought up by Mao, which were intended to modernize China). While this isn’t about Mao specifically, I personally think this is one of the most significant events that occurred during his time in power, which isn’t especially well known in the West. Understanding the fallout of the Great Leap forward is also critical to understanding the Cultural Revolution. (Another really good book on this subject is Mao’s Great Famine by Frank Dikötter, which builds on Becker’s ground-breaking work.)

4. The Long March: The True History of Communist China's Founding Myth by Sun Shuyun

Sun explores the Long March and what really happened. The Long March occurred during the Chinese civil war, when the Communists were on the precipice of losing to the Nationalists. Obviously, the Communists managed to turn things around, and the Long March became an important part of their propaganda. It was a very significant time for Mao’s rise to power. Sun does a good job unpicking some of the myths that surround this event and also explores how important myth building is for the CCP.

5. The Origins of the Cultural Revolution by Roderick MacFarquhar

This is a trilogy of books and, compared to the other titles in this list, they are a more demanding read. That said, they’re a brilliant look at the complexities and power struggles within the CCP and how Mao unleashed the Cultural Revolution on China.

Hope you enjoy!