Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikötter chronicles the consequences of Mao's Great Leap Forward, one of the most devastating man-made catastrophes in history. I leave it to others to debate the originality and historical accuracy of Dikötter's account. I found it a staggering read. It is shocking to read how, in little more than a few years, a society can fall apart and people can be driven to parenticide and infanticide in order to survive and all because of one man's political fantasies and the reluctance of countless others to stand up against those higher in hierarchy for fear of being purged from civil service. I urge you to read this book as it will alter your view of humanity.