Selected as a Best Book of 2025 by The Economist, Foreign Affairs, BBC History Magazine, New Indian Express, and Marginal Revolution "[A] masterly biography of Xi Zhongxun, the father of China's present-day president, Xi Jinping.... [A] scrupulously researched and keenly perceptive account of an important but, in the West, little-known historical figure."―Robert B. Zoellick, The Wall Street Journal China's leader, Xi Jinping, is one of the most powerful individuals in the world―and one of the least understood. Much can be learned, however, about both Xi Jinping and the nature of the party he leads from the memory and legacy of his father, the revolutionary Xi Zhongxun (1913–2002). The elder Xi served the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for more than seven decades. He worked at the right hand of prominent leaders Zhou Enlai and Hu Yaobang. He helped build the Communist base area that saved Mao Zedong in 1935, and he initiated the Special Economic Zones that launched China into the reform era after Mao's death. He led the party's United Front efforts toward Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Taiwanese. And though in 1989 he initially sought to avoid violence, he ultimately supported the party's crackdown on the Tiananmen protesters. The Party's Interests Come First is the first biography of Xi Zhongxun written in English. This biography is at once a sweeping story of the Chinese revolution and the first several decades of the People's Republic of China and a deeply personal story about making sense of one's own identity within a larger political context. Drawing on an array of new documents, interviews, diaries, and periodicals, Joseph Torigian vividly tells the life story of Xi Zhongxun, a man who spent his entire life struggling to balance his own feelings with the party's demands. Through the eyes of Xi Jinping's father, Torigian reveals the extraordinary organizational, ideological, and coercive power of the CCP―and the terrible cost in human suffering that comes with it.

One of the Best Books of the Year: The Economist, The Christian Science Monitor China is in the midst of one of the world’s great spiritual awakenings: some 300 million Chinese currently practice a faith, while tens of millions more follow personal gurus, populist masters and New Age sages. This astonishing revival began in 1982 when the Communist Party pledged to allow what it thought would be a small-scale practice of religion under government supervision. But the faithful have expanded far beyond the Party’s expectations: Today, China’s cities and villages are filled with new temples, churches, and mosques as well as cults, sects and politicians trying to harness religion for their own ends. Fueling this resurgence is a popular desire to rediscover a moral compass in a society driven by naked capitalism. For six years, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Ian Johnson lived for extended periods with three religious communities: the underground Early Rain Protestant congregation in Chengdu, the Ni family’s Buddhist pilgrimage association in Beijing, and yinyang Daoist priests in rural Shanxi. Johnson distills these experiences into a cycle of festivals, births, deaths, detentions, and struggle that reveals the hearts and minds of the Chinese people—a great awakening of faith that is shaping the soul of the world’s newest superpower.

This publication presents the official text in a reader-formatted edition intended for educational and devotional use Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity) by Pope Leo XIV invites readers into a profound reflection on human dignity, faith, society, and the Christian call to holiness in today’s world. Rich with spiritual insight and timeless wisdom, this encyclical speaks not only to Catholics, but to anyone seeking deeper meaning, truth, and hope. This carefully prepared edition has been formatted for comfortable reading and study, making it ideal for personal reflection, group discussion, parish use, and theological exploration. Inside this edition, you will find: The complete official text of Magnifica Humanitas Clean and reader-friendly formatting Preserved references and notes for deeper study A layout optimized for print and Kindle reading A valuable resource for students, clergy, and faithful readers Whether you are studying Church teaching, growing in faith, or exploring contemporary Catholic thought, this edition offers an accessible way to engage with an important papal document. This annotated edition includes: a detailed biography of pope leo XIV prayers to accompany the text inline foot notes to better understand the text Read slowly. Reflect deeply. Let the Church’s wisdom speak to your heart.