Fabulous book! Johnson uncovers the stories that the Chinese Communist Party has long attempted to obscure or rewrite. What strikes me most is how these pivotal events, critical for understanding China’s socio-political evolution, are now labelled to the status of ‘underground history’ or ‘wild history’. Typically, the term ‘underground’ in cultural contexts refers to subcultures that challenge mainstream norms. Yet in China, it is the essential history of the nation itself have gone underground. However, despite this sad reality, it is also incredibly encouraging to see that so many individuals within China are still striving to document the truth of the nation’s history. These courageous efforts to keep historical memory alive in the face of state suppression are what Johnson refers to as the ‘sparks’ of hope. His optimism about these small but significant acts of resistance is a key takeaway from the book.