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Red Roulette
- An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Today's China
- Narrated by: Tim Chiou
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
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Red Roulette
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Summary
Financial Times Best Books of the Year 2021
In the headline-making and best-selling tradition of Bill Browder’s Red Notice comes a unique and incendiary memoir from an entrepreneur who rose to the zenith of power and money in 21st-century China and whose wife was disappeared - and then mysteriously reappeared four years later on the eve of Red Roulette’s publication and global media coverage about it.
As Desmond Shum was growing up impoverished in China, he vowed his life would be different. Through hard work and sheer tenacity, he earned an American college degree and returned to his native country to establish himself in business. There, he met his future wife, the highly intelligent and equally ambitious Whitney Duan who was determined to make her mark within China’s male-dominated society. Whitney and Desmond formed an effective team and, aided by relationships they formed with top members of China’s Communist Party, the so-called Red Aristocracy, he vaulted into China’s billionaire class.
Soon they were developing the massive air cargo facility at Beijing International Airport and they followed that feat with the creation of one of Beijing’s premier hotels. They were dazzlingly successful, travelling in private jets, funding multi-million-dollar buildings and endowments and purchasing expensive homes, vehicles and art. But in 2017, their fates diverged irrevocably when Desmond, while living overseas with his son, learned that his now ex-wife Whitney had vanished along with three co-workers.
In Red Roulette Desmond Shum pulls back the curtain on China’s ruling elite and reveals the real truth of what is happening inside China’s wealth-making machine. This is both Desmond’s story and Whitney’s, because she has not been able to tell it herself.
Critic reviews
"The book China doesn't want you to read." (CNN)
"Reads like a thriller." (Financial Times)
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What listeners say about Red Roulette
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- The laughing fox
- 06-01-22
Fascinating Insight into China
Anyone with an interest in China or Geopolitics should read this gripping personal account of building and then losing power and wealth in a communist system and the terrifying reality of State control.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- J D A LAING
- 24-03-23
Insiders perspective of doing business in China
Gives an insiders perspective of China at the practical business level. The book futher confirms my view that we need to be highly sceptical in all our dealings with China.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- H.A.B.
- 03-10-21
Marvellous book !!!
From the first to the last page this Book is fascinating!!
Well written and superbly performed/read!!
It gives a great insight into china’s development!
I shall have it read to me again soon on a long trip as the details are fascinating!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ScepticalScot
- 18-12-21
This is the best book you could read on China
Acutely observed and beautifully written this book will tell you more about China than reading a shelf full of other books.
It also underlines how China's political elite intrigue and hold on to all aspects of life, ensuring that they and their children remain the top 1%.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Scott
- 20-09-23
Interesting insight into how china operates
Worth a listen - an interesting insight into how china operates at the highest levels of society
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Gustavo Medeiros
- 24-11-22
A great book to listen
An incredible story involving the power struggles and the challenges businessman faces when doing business in the second largest economy in the world. Desmond’s views maybe naturally partial and biased, given his unique position so close to the top of the Chinese leadership and his Western education and his heartbreaking personal situation. Nevertheless, Desmond’s courageous act of opening the curtains and exposing some of the most powerful individuals in the word is truly awesome.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 17-09-21
love it!!!
you may need to have a little background of china's development to truly enjoy this book.
nevertheless, the story is really interesting.
the only issue I have, as a Chinese , is the pronunciation of Chinese names...
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sam G Jones
- 21-09-21
Fascinating view of a very turbulent time in China
Fascinating account of growing up during the Cultural Revolution, through it's end and into the dynamic social/cultural and economic growth of '90's/00 China.
The role of corruption, greed, power, influence and the 'it's who you know' culture of climbing the ladder.
Very easy listen. Expertly narrated by Tim Chiou.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Marius
- 05-04-22
Insightful yet hypocritical
Wonderful insight into the workings of China's elite societies.
Told from a view of a morally corrupt rich boy who got lucky gambling on the stock market, and who resents government's corruption while praising his own.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mr. Rupert A. Oldham
- 13-12-21
brilliant book
what an absolutely amazing insight into the real modern China. terrifying . it's a great book.
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