Politics full of characters

It seems the nation's officials, at all levels, are eager to voice their opinions by publishing books.

Last year, the book market saw a boom in books written by officials, both in terms of number and popularity. The most influential one of this kind is, arguably, Authentic Speeches of Zhu Rongji.

The four-volume collection of the 84-year-old former premier's speeches, talks, articles and letters from 1991 to 2003 is marked by his signature bluntness and reveals the previously untold stories of China's social, economic and political reforms.