Red Memory

Red Memory by Tania Branigan (2023) 283 pages

A stylized history of the Chinese Cultural Revolution as recounted by Guardian newspaper journalist Tania Branigan. This is a harrowing read based on historical facts and the collective and individual traumas of the approximately ten-year reign of terror known as the Cultural Revolution. This is not a retelling of the period, but a series of vignettes exploring the wide variety of horrors inflicted during this time. Branigan attempts to interview a wide swath of participants and victims with mixed results. Obfuscation, lies, mis-remembered incidents and fear of the authorities litter the pages. In addition, the revolving nature of the bureaucratic state frustrates the author. However, in the process she outlines the changing definitions of the Cultural Revolution, the preceding era and the aftermath, i.e., the most recent regime. The horrid nature of the crimes during the Cultural Revolution is astounding – and the attempt to clarify the chaos is an admirable, albeit nearly impossible task.