Shanghai Tango

By: Jin Xing

Narrated by: Keith Brockett

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

At the age of nine, Jin Xing entered a military academy. He knew that he had been born to dance and, in Mao's China, it was the army that provided the best training. His exceptional talent was soon recognised; by the time he was eighteen, he was regarded as the best principal dancer in China. He won a scholarship to study in the United States where he discovered a new world of contemporary dance, and made both a new identity and a decision that was to change his life - and would shake the whole of China: Jin Xing underwent a sex-change. He became a woman - and then a mother and, later, a wife.

The incredible adventure of this solider with a young girl's heart was suppressed by Chinese authorities for years, but now Jin Xing can finally tell her story. From the regimented world of the Red Army, to Europe's most elegant boulevards; from the small Manchurian village of her birth, to the dizzying excess of New York; Jin Xing's story has all the drama and energy of a classic ballet - and a happy ending.

©2005 Jin Xing. (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

"An extraordinary story … gender surgery that cuts to the quick of China's double standards." (The Independent)

"Shanghai Tango is a breathtaking story... Everyone in the West should know about Jin Xing." (Xiaolu Guo, author of A Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers)

"Shanghai Tango is a fascinating insight into the changes in China over the past 40 years through its relationship with one extraordinary person." (The Spectator)

"This memoir stands out [and is] never less than gripping." (The First Post)

"A courageous memoir, Shanghai Tango is the story of prima ballerina Jin Xing's journey to international fame via the difficult route of gender transformation. One of the most promising stars of the Shanghai Ballet, Xing chose to confront communist China with her decision to become a woman. Keith Brockett tackles the sensitive role of a man becoming a woman with dramatic grace. His delivery bridges the gap between male and female, setting the perfect androgynous tone throughout. Brockett skillfully captures Xing's anguish, pain, pride, and eventual triumph as her transformation evolves. His compelling account is sweetened by his sharply accurate Chinese language pronunciations." (AudioFile Magazine)

The Breaker.

This was a great Book. I had seen the Movie and the Book was even better. I like the fact that it was a true story. I try to listen to nothing but true stories, and this one was truely a great on. I would recommend this Book over and over again.

An idealist view of The Breaker

Nicely written but does not ring true. All the characters are just that, characterisations of people who are no better than a 13 year olds view of heros and villains.
Harry Morant can do no wrong but is human enough to be a little bit of a rogue. The play is almost opposite in making characters too rough and forceful. The movie with Edward Woodward is perhaps closer to the truth, but what the truth is no one can really say. Records of the case seem to have been destroyed during the blitz. The British are not keen to dig up the past and some in South Africa see Harry Morant as a war criminal.
There is no doubt that expediency and abnormalities in the court case are evident but a good mystery needs gaps that can not be answered and this is what makes the Breaker case of killing Boer prisons and a German national so captivating.
Terence Donovan who I believe played the Breaker in the play, narrates this production very well and if you are not fussed with facts or lack of them and don't mind your characters being 'boys own adventure types' then this book is worth a listen to.

Ugh. Utter crap.

This was complete tripe. Historical fiction. . .heavy on the fiction and light on the history. I want my money back. At least the narrator was good. It's a shame his talents were wasted on this meandering piece of garbage.