Unbound
A True Story of War, Love, and Survival
In 1934, Mao Zedong led 86,000 Red Army soldiers away from their homes in southeastern China, fleeing the forces of Chiang Kaishek in what became known as the Long March. One year, 4,000 miles, and countless battles later, fewer than 5,000 were left. Through the eyes of the thirty resilient women who accompanied this army of men, Unbound tells the story of one of history’s most epic military marches, of amazing physical and psychological hardship, of bonds formed under fire, of loss and redemption. In 2006 and 2009, Dean traveled sections of the route and interviewed seven Long March veterans, including notably 93-year-old Wang Quanyuan, the last female survivor. His 2009 journey through the Snowy Mountains on the Tibetan Plateau of China is the subject of his Outside magazine story, In the Land of the Human-Sucking Bogs.
Critical Acclaim
“A terrific feminist story and a significant document of this incredible human feat.” —Kirkus
“King, more than any other writer, recaptures the drama and flavor of this momentous time in Chinese history. . . . Unbound is a must-read for any student of modern Chinese history and ranks with Red Star Over China as one of the classic narratives of the early days of the CCP.”
—Daniel Metraux, Virginia Review of Asian Studies
“Deeply researched, drawing from first-person accounts of survivors, Chinese historians and a range of historical scholarship, much of it never before translated into English. . . . Never idealizing the story of the soldiers, Unbound renders, with thrilling precision, their fear and uncertainty.”
—The New Haven Advocate
“King . . . has done brilliant work bringing the march to life with a plethora of vivid, well-researched details. . . . Unbound is an authoritative account of the Long March, but its evocations of the marchers’ experiences will linger long after the historical details slip from readers’ memories.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch, “Doug Childers’ 10 favorite books of 2010”
“King gets to the heart of one of history’s greatest adventures. He captures the blood, guts and occasional glory of the Chinese Revolution. This is a remarkable tale, by turns thrilling, inspiring and heartbreaking. It’s a rattling good read.”
—Ed Jocelyn, co-author of The Long March
“Exciting, accessible and full of the stories of people who perform extraordinary acts of heroism and endurance. How wonderful that . . . Chinese history is brought to us in such a riveting and personal way.”
—Helen Praeger Young, author of Choosing Revolution
“An astonishing and gripping tale of heroism and endurance by the women on this year-long trek. . . . This book is a heart-stirring tribute to them, but not for the first time one is left wondering at the enigma of Chinese character. . . . Running through the tale like a scarlet thread is utter ruthlessness in the cause: women abandoning their new babies, those who can go no further willingly being left behind, enemies captured and beheaded in order to exhibit their heads on spikes. The conclusion I draw is that we should all learn and teach a great deal more Chinese history.” —Daily Mail, London
