When Dr Wu Jieping was selected by Chinese Premier Zhou En lai as his personal physician, he had little choice in the matter though it transformed his life, not always in a positive way. Olivia Cox-Fill got to know Dr Wu Jieping following the death of Zhou En Lai and while Mao's wife was still in prison. He had attended several of China's leaders, including Premier Zhou En Lai, Chairman Mao, Liu Shao Chi and Madame Mao. Over a period of three years, Olivia Cox-Fill interviewed Dr Wu and gathered vivid and unique recollections of his contacts with the Chinese leadership. But Wu specified that none of these memories should be published until after his death, which occurred in 2011, since its frank revelations would lead to state repercussions. The memoir reveals the appalling conditions in China as experienced by one of its most famous doctors, who carried out research into TB and kidney cancer while attending to the health of the country's leaders. It also shows what it took to survive in Communist China at a time when most leading intellectuals were expelled to the countryside, imprisoned or beaten to death.

This unique social history spans the last half century, when developments in birth control and the education of women have increased opportunities for women to have successful careers. This book investigates how the first generation of modern women faced the challenge of combining marriage and family with professional responsibilities. Olivia Cox-Fill, an Irish journalist and professional filmmaker, interviewed hundreds of prominent women from 10 different countries on three continents before presenting this group portrait of 30 interviews of women leaders, diplomats, award-winning scientists, government ministers, doctors, and industrialists, to name a few of the professions represented. The interviews are set against the backdrop of the social history of women in each country. Their achievements, especially in light of the tenor of their times, and their desire and ability to have rewarding and fulfilling family lives make them inspiring models for later generations of women who may consider it necessary to choose between home and career. The author's international connections with high-ranking diplomats and politicians allow us valuable glimpses into the real world of outstanding women.