Book

Griffin, Nicholas, 1971- author.

Ping-pong diplomacy : the secret history behind the game that changed the world / Nicholas Griffin.

First Scribner hardcover edition.

New York : Scribner, 2014.

xi, 336 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Examines how an aristocratic British spy circumvented more than 20 years of antagonistic foreign policy between China and the United States to further a fateful Communist agenda during the World Table Tennis Championships, revealing how players were tortured and murdered throughout the Cultural Revolution.

Table tennis.

China -- Foreign relations -- United States.

United States -- Foreign relations -- China.

Ping pong diplomacy

Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-323) and index.

The West. Not-so-humble beginnings ; Gentlemanly rebel ; Roast beef and Russia ; The dangers of derision ; Table tennis and Trotsky ; Culture and the coming war ; Suspect ; Brothers ; The end of the game? ; The Jewish question -- The East. Table tennis bandits ; The Trojan dove ; The rise of Asia ; Tiny tornadoes ; Reconnaissance ; The golden game ; Setting the table ; The end of brotherhood ; Preparation ; Sacrifice ; Nourishing the team ; Ping-pong espionage ; Cheery martial music ; The chance to shine ; Fallout ; Heroes of the nation ; Spreading the gospel ; The grinding halt ; Under pressure ; House of cards ; Death to the doubters ; Down to the country -- East meets West. The world at war ; The seeds of peace ; Long hair, light heart ; Could the Great Wall crumble? ; A measured coincidence ; An invitation home ; Surprise ; Decisions to be made ; The worries ; Crossing the borders ; All eyes on America ; Tension ; Nixon's game ; Political ping-pong -- Aftermath. Return game ; Capital performance ; United Nations ; The hippie opportunist ; The heights ; The costs.

Publisher description

Contributor biographical information

2013362518

9781451642773

1451642776

830352114

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439150

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327.73 Griffin