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That's China

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That's China

By: Mark Kitto
Narrated by: Mark Kitto
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About this listen

"One of the better known foreign entrepreneurs of his generation in China." (The New York Times)

In his best-selling debut China Cuckoo, Mark Kitto described how he "lost a fortune and found a life in China". In That's China, the thrilling prequel, he tells the story of how he made that fortune. For seven roller-coaster years Kitto outwitted competitors and jealous partners to build the most profitable and popular English language publishing business in China since 1949.

To the Chinese Communist Party, media is state-owned propaganda. No individuals, let alone foreigners, will ever have a stake in it. No foreigner in modern times has come so close to the heart of the Chinese propaganda machine on his own terms. Not even Rupert Murdoch.

Told with Kitto's trademark self-deprecating humour and unsettling honesty, That's China is a rare thing - a business saga that will have you on the edge of your seat all the way to the final showdown; in the highest law court in China.

"Mark Kitto beat the odds." (Sunday Times)

©2014 Mark Kitto (P)2021 Mark Kitto Business Business Development & Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Leadership Management & Leadership Professionals & Academics

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I lived in HK during the events that Mark describes so well in this memoir. I too worked for an establishment firm before starting my own business.

Little did I know that this friend of a friend and occasional guest was such a brilliant writer nor one so able, and so honestly, to capture the high’s and low’s of entrepreneurial life or of living and succeeding as an outsider in an established culture

Anyone wanting to know more about China or starting a business will find this an entertaining, invaluable and moving guide.

And anyone wishing to compile a social history of China’s great march to prosperity should view this as essential source material too. I look forward to this becoming a staple for China-watchers and academic syllabuses for years to come

Essential reading for all entrepreneurs

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This is the prequel to China Cuckoo which was also an excellent book I read when it first came out and I always wanted to get the story as to how the author ended up were he did, so it was fascinating to hear the first part of the story. That aside this is a brilliant listen which stands on its own. The narration is fluent and easy and because it is read by the author you really get a real feeling of the emotion and sense of place which you don’t get from a narrator.

The story is a real rollercoaster, well paced with all the participants fully drawn and you can visualise everything that takes place. It is also an amazing insight into what China was like in the late 90s/2000s, and especially what it is like to do business there.

It is more like a thriller than a biography and all the better for it. I recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers, biographies etc. I couldn’t stop listening to it and found myself parked up at home listening, just so I could find out what happened in one of the many twists and turns. I will definitely buy the sequel when it comes out, even though I have already read it twice!

Fascinating and Gripping

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elucidating and entertaining! can't wait for another book from Mr Kitto.

from one Bollywood star to another

Another Excellent book from Kitto

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Never, never give up, while ever we have breath we have opportunity. Tenacity, determination, the character and personality determines the man

Unable to put the book down

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This excellent book eloquently describes how corruption and betrayal are the twin forces that erode the foundations of trust and the belief that what is right, should prevail. Corruption normally thrives in the shadows, where power and greed go hand in hand but in “That’s China” it is not shy in any way. A veritable sun worshipper. Betrayal, its filthy little bedfellow, is the stab through the back into the heart, shattering the author’s faith in decency, trust and loyalty.

The author has to be applauded for his resilience and dogged determination in spite of everything. I know I personally would not have handled quite as well!

Superb narration throughout, it reminded me of listening to another fine Englishman; Mr David Niven.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are ever planning to do business in China. It will definitely make you tread more carefully.

Ground control to Major Tom

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