Red Roulette
An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Today's China
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Red Roulette
Buy Now for $26.99
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Narrated by:
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Tim Chiou
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By:
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Desmond Shum
About this listen
'READS LIKE A THRILLER' FINANCIAL TIMES, BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2021
In the headline-making and bestselling tradition of Bill Browder’s Red Notice comes a unique and incendiary memoir from an entrepreneur who rose to the zenith of power and money in 21st century China and whose wife was disappeared - and then mysteriously reappeared four years later on the eve of Red Roulette’s publication and global media coverage about it.
As Desmond Shum was growing up impoverished in China, he vowed his life would be different. Through hard work and sheer tenacity, he earned an American college degree and returned to his native country to establish himself in business. There, he met his future wife, the highly intelligent and equally ambitious Whitney Duan who was determined to make her mark within China’s male-dominated society. Whitney and Desmond formed an effective team and, aided by relationships they formed with top members of China’s Communist Party, the so-called Red Aristocracy, he vaulted into China’s billionaire class.
Soon they were developing the massive air cargo facility at Beijing International Airport, and they followed that feat with the creation of one of Beijing’s premier hotels. They were dazzlingly successful, travelling in private jets, funding multi-million-dollar buildings and endowments, and purchasing expensive homes, vehicles and art. But in 2017, their fates diverged irrevocably when Desmond, while living overseas with his son, learned that his now ex-wife Whitney had vanished along with three co-workers.
In Red Roulette Desmond Shum pulls back the curtain on China’s ruling elite and reveals the real truth of what is happening inside China’s wealth-making machine. This is both Desmond’s story and Whitney’s, because she has not been able to tell it herself.
©2021 Desmond Shum (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, UK
Critic Reviews
What listeners say about Red Roulette
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rami de Marchi
- 05-03-2023
Raw
Really appreciated the raw and vulnerable share. Whilst self-serving, I really appreciated the perspective…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- David Morgan
- 03-12-2021
A Fascinating Life That’s Taken Place During A Period of Great Change in the World’s Most Populous Nation
Desmond Shum shares a complex life story that is told with thought and reflection. He takes us from his humble youth in Maoist Shanghai to the juxtaposition of British Hong Kong before finally landing in a prosperous post-Deng Beijing. His life story both mirrors and speaks truth to the inner workings of Chinese culture at both a family and a business level. China is a country full of contrasts, contradictions, charm and compulsion not readily on view to Western visitors. The book offers a rare glimpse into a 21st super power.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Zhuo Jia Dai
- 17-12-2021
absolutely absorbing personal tale
Fascinating story of how he got rich in China "selling his soul for $$$ but then got cold feet when his ex-wife was made to disappear
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Svar Barrington
- 04-01-2024
Fantastic
A must for anyone who wants to make sense of the transition from the heady days of free market capitalism in China, to the return of party primacy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carlos
- 14-12-2022
Excellent insights on Chinq
I found this book an excellent window into China's recent history, it's development and inner workings. Narrated as someone's 1st hand biography it describes the inner workings, corruption and practices of the Chinese government.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- FritzRadda
- 24-12-2023
I had no idea.
Narration 100%. Story is mind bogling. Wow! Very interesting how China operates. A must listen for any curious mind.
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