Jung Chang

Jung Chang is a highly acclaimed Chinese-born British biography author, best known for her best-selling family autobiography, "Wild Swans." Born on March 25, 1952, in Yibin, Sichuan, China, Chang moved to Britain in 1978. "Wild Swans" has been a global success, with over 10 million copies sold worldwide, although it remains banned in mainland China.

Chang's "Wild Swans" is a powerful and moving account of her family's history, spanning three generations of Chinese women, from the early 20th century to the present day. The book provides a unique perspective on China's turbulent history, including the Cultural Revolution, and has been widely praised for its vivid and compelling storytelling.

In addition to "Wild Swans," Chang has also written a highly regarded biography of Mao Zedong, titled "Mao: The Unknown Story." Co-written with her husband, Irish historian Jon Halliday, the book was published in 2005 and offers a controversial and critical view of Mao's life and leadership. The 832-page biography draws on a wide range of sources, including previously classified documents, and has been praised for its thorough research and insightful analysis.

Chang's work has been widely recognized and honored, including the 1992 NCR Book Award for "Wild Swans" and the 2006 British Book of the Year Award for "Mao: The Unknown Story." She has also been appointed a visiting professor at the University of Buckingham and has been made an honorary fellow of Richard Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of Sussex.