蒋介石与毛泽东是国共两党的旗手，从20 世纪20 年代至70 年代，毛泽东与蒋介石的合作和斗争，就是半个世纪的中国历史风云，就是国共两党的关系史。诚如美国前总统尼克松所言："半个世纪以来的中国史，在很大程度上是三个人的历史：一个人是毛泽东，一个人是周恩来，还有一个是蒋介石。"叶永烈独辟蹊径，透过国共两党的领袖蒋介石与毛泽东的谈谈打打、打打谈谈、边谈边打、边打边谈，把半个世纪的中国历史风云浓缩于本书之中。同时，运用"比较领袖学"的手法，不断将毛泽东与蒋介石进行比较，比较他们的策略和品格，思想和功过。(Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong were the standard-bearers of Nationalist Party and Communist Party respectively from the 1920 s to the 1970 s. The cooperation and fight between Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek's was half a century of Chinese historical events and the history of the relationship between the Nationalist Party and Communist Party. As former US President Richard Nixon said: "China's history of half a century, is largely the history of three people: Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Chiang Kai-shek". Ye Yonglie concentrates the Chinese history of half century into the book from an unique way by analyzing the talking and fighting, fighting while talking or something like that between the two parties leaders Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong. At the same time, he uses the approach of "comparing leader study " to compare their strategies and character, ideas and demerits.)