Outrageous Fortune is a true story. It is the story of Zhang Yinyu, otherwise known as Charlie Zhang, as it was told to Englishwoman, Maggie Bede. It is a first-hand account of one man's life in modern China.The book describes Charlie's painful experiences in Mao Zedong's China, as he is confined in solitary confinement for eighteen months, sent to three labour camps, and finally physically beaten by the very students to whom he has diligently taught English. Finally, he witnesses the death of Mao Zedong, the demise of Madame Mao and the infamous 'gang of four', and the opening up of China under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping.