Mao is certainly a more interesting figure than were many tyrants – a poet, an intellectual, a student of history as well as a serial philanderer, who, according to his doctor, Li Zhisui, liked to swim in water, not bathe in it. I know of no better, more fascinating “warts and all” portrait of any political leader than Li’s book, The Private Life of Chairman Mao .
显然，毛泽东是一个比其他许多暴君都更有趣的人物——他是一位诗人，一个知识分子，一名历史学生，并且是一位同多位女性都有着韵事的风流男子。据其私人医生李志绥所说，毛泽东喜欢在河流里游泳，而非沐浴其中。而据我所知，世上再也没有比这本《毛泽东私人医生回忆录》更好，更加全面而充满事实魅力的政治领导人传记了。