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Reese Witherspoon’s New Role: Power Broker
Books
Reese Witherspoon’s New Role: Power Broker
A Week in the Life of Philip Rosenthal
My Week
A Week in the Life of Philip Rosenthal
The Natural Order of Things
Exhibit
The Natural Order of Things
Bruce Springsteen Cancels N.C. Concert to Protest Transgender Law
Bruce Springsteen Cancels N.C. Concert to Protest Transgender Law
Ken Burns Takes a New Look at Jackie Robinson
Culture
Ken Burns Takes a New Look at Jackie Robinson
‘American Idol’ Finale’s Audience Topped 13 Million Viewers
‘American Idol’ Finale’s Audience Topped 13 Million Viewers
‘Louder Than Bombs’ Review: Shimmering Images of a Loved One
Film Review
‘Louder Than Bombs’ Review: Shimmering Images of a Loved One
‘The Last Panthers’ Review: Bonds, Brotherly And Criminal
‘The Last Panthers’ Review: Bonds, Brotherly And Criminal
George Jones Was as Good as Sinatra
George Jones Was as Good as Sinatra
‘Chimes at Midnight’ Was Worth Any Number of Abandoned Wives
‘Chimes at Midnight’ Was Worth Any Number of Abandoned Wives
Batman: The Great American Nerd
Batman: The Great American Nerd
The Book of ‘Hamilton’
The Book of ‘Hamilton’
Late-Night TV’s Greatest Political Hits of the Week
Late-Night TV’s Greatest Political Hits of the Week
Watch Kelly Clarkson’s ‘American Idol’ Finale Medley
Watch Kelly Clarkson’s ‘American Idol’ Finale Medley
Listen to ‘I Don’t Wanna’ From Al Jourgensen’s Surgical Meth Machine (Exclusive)
Listen to ‘I Don’t Wanna’ From Al Jourgensen’s Surgical Meth Machine (Exclusive)
Watch Dylan LeBlanc’s ‘Brooding’ Video for ‘Look How Far We’ve Come’ (Exclusive)
Watch Dylan LeBlanc’s ‘Brooding’ Video for ‘Look How Far We’ve Come’ (Exclusive)
Liam Cunningham Shares a ‘Game of Thrones’ Clip, Avoids a Sniper on ‘Conan’
Liam Cunningham Shares a ‘Game of Thrones’ Clip, Avoids a Sniper on ‘Conan’
Bernie Sanders Joins Seth Meyers for a Special Edition of ‘Ya Burnt!’
Bernie Sanders Joins Seth Meyers for a Special Edition of ‘Ya Burnt!’
What Critics Are Saying About ‘The Boss,’ ‘Hardcore Henry’ and ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’
What Critics Are Saying About ‘The Boss,’ ‘Hardcore Henry’ and ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’

The Chutzpah of Jack Ma

Ma was turned down at nearly every job he applied for, including Kentucky Fried Chicken.

By

An English-speaking visitor to Hangzhou, China, in the late 1970s might have noticed the skinny, smiling teenager outside the Hangzhou Hotel, eager to strike up a conversation and always ready to translate or give a tour. His name was Ma Yun, and he had fallen in love at an early age with the English language. Richard Nixon and his delegation had been in Hangzhou when Ma Yun was only 8 years old; later the boy had taken to listening to readings of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” on a shortwave radio and riding 40 minutes on his bike so that he could be at the hotel at dawn. By 1979, thanks to the rapprochement Nixon...

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