Ho Chi Minh is one of the towering figures of the twentieth century, considered an icon and father of the nation by many Vietnamese. Pierre Brocheux's biography of Ho Chi Minh is a brilliant feat of historical engineering. In a concise and highly readable account, he negotiates the many twists and turns of Ho Chi Minh's life and his multiple identities, from impoverished beginnings as a communist revolutionary to his founding of the Indochina Communist Party and the League for the Independence of Vietnam and ultimately to his leadership of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and his death in 1969. Biographical events are adroitly placed within the broader historical canvas of colonization, decolonization, communism war, and nation building. Brocheux's vivid and convincing portrait of Ho Chi Minh goes further than any previous biography in explaining both the myth and the man, as well as the times in which he was situated.

A fascinating biography of the Vietnamese icon Ho Chi Minh.

About the Author
Pierre Brocheux is retired Professor of History at Universite de Paris VII - Denis Diderot. His many publications include Une Histoire economique du Viet Nam, 1850-2007 (2009) and, with Daniel Hemery, Indochina: An Ambiguous Colonization, 1858-1954 (2010).

Reviews
'The founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam emerges as an appealing but still somewhat enigmatic figure in this impressionistic biography.' Publishers Weekly
'A noted French scholar of colonial and contemporary Vietnam, Brocheux (The Mekong Delta) has written a fascinating account of Ho Chi Minh the man (born Nguyen Sinh Cung in 1890) and 'Uncle Ho' the myth.' Patti C. McCall, Library Journal
'... the most sensitive treatment of Ho's complex personality, as well as iconic status, that I have read to date. Brocheux gives us his own interpretation of Ho while avoiding the temptation to extemporize in a quasi-fictional manner.' David G. Marr, Pacific Affairs
'... a must for anyone fascinated with Southeast Asia and the Vietnam wars.' Choice
'Pierre Brocheux has written an engrossing biography of Ho Chi Minh, based on an impressive range of unused or little-known sources.' Ngo Van, La Quinzaine Litteraire
'[Pierre Brocheux's biography] is full of life and humanity, and thoroughly investigates the complexities of the man's life. A rich book, with an index and a timeline which helps the reader to find his way in such a complex life.' Jean-Francois Klein, Outre-Mers. Revue d'Historie
'Written by one of the best specialists of colonial and contemporary Vietnam, this biography of the 'father' of the revolution offers a very 'historical' and objective account, without adding any of the biased and polemical views too often associated with the biographical genre.' Jean-Pierre Gomane, Politique Etrangere
'A noted French scholar of colonial and contemporary Vietnam, Brocheux ... has written a fascinating account of Ho Chi Minh the man ... and 'Uncle Ho' the myth. Culling a number of obscure resources, Brocheux pieces together the enigmatic life of a person who changed identities and personas as he worked toward his cream of an independent and free Vietnam.' Library Journal Review
'This is a lively and informative book on the life of Ho Chi Minh. The early chapters in particular, dealing with Ho's early life, travels and his developing ideology are among the best from the point of view of providing detail on the life of an early 20th century revolutionary. Asian Affairs



Book Information
ISBN 9781107622265
Author Pierre Brocheux
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 370g
Dimensions(mm) 223mm * 142mm * 16mm