The Last Man: A Biography of Xi Jinping

A groundbreaking and revelatory new biography of Xi Jinping by award-winning foreign correspondent Lucy Hornby.

As the world stands on the brink of a new era in U.S.-China relations, understanding Xi Jinping – the leader of 1.4 billion people and a country vying for global superiority – is essential. With the specter of a Taiwan crisis or a Communist Party succession struggle looming, insight into China’s leader and how he will lead the country will reach a fever pitch.

In writing The Last Man, Lucy Hornby draws on two decades of award-winning reporting from inside China, years spent delving into personal memoirs – many of them designated for “internal eyes only,” and page upon page of public documents that shed light on Xi’s life and political evolution. Hornby brings to life Xi’s journey from privileged “princeling” to outcast, survivor of the Cultural Revolution, and ultimately, architect of China’s global resurgence. The Last Man reveals the paradox at the heart of Xi’s rule: he is a leader obsessed with the Party’s survival, haunted by the specter of Soviet collapse, and willing to upend China’s economy, society, and foreign policy to secure his legacy.

Lucy Hornby’s The Last Man offers the compelling, human story of one of the most powerful figures on the world stage. It’s destined to become the definitive account of China’s enigmatic leader.