Last Boat Out of Shanghai

Posted on 27 November 2018 by Helen Zia

The dramatic real life stories of four young people caught up in the mass exodus of Shanghai in the wake of China s 1949 Communist revolution a precursor to the struggles faced by emigrants today Shanghai has historically been China s jewel, its richest, most modern and westernized city The bustling metropolis was home to sophisticated intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and a thriving middle class when Mao s proletarian revolution emerged victorious from the long civil war Terrified of the horrors the Communists would wreak upon their lives, citizens of Shanghai who could afford to fled in every direction Seventy years later, members of the last generation to fully recall this massive exodus have revealed their stories to Chinese American journalist Helen Zia, who interviewed hundreds of exiles about their journey through one of the most tumultuous events of the twentieth century From these moving accounts, Zia weaves together the stories of four young Shanghai residents who wrestled with the decision to abandon everything for an uncertain life as refugees in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States.Benny, who as a teenager became the unwilling heir to his father s dark wartime legacy, must decide either to escape to Hong Kong or navigate the intricacies of a newly Communist China The resolute Annuo, forced to flee her home with her father, a defeated Nationalist official, becomes an unwelcome exile in Taiwan The financially strapped Ho fights deportation from the U.S in order to continue his studies while his family struggles at home And Bing, given away by her poor parents, faces the prospect of a new life among strangers in America The lives of these men and women are marvelously portrayed, revealing the dignity and triumph of personal survival. New Download Last Boat Out of Shanghai By Helen Zia For Kindle ePUB or eBook – kino-fada.fr The book Last Boat Out of Shanghai tells the story of four people who faced Mao s Revolution in China and about their experiences These people all lived in Shanghai, although their lifestyles and experiences were very different This is an important piece of history to cover, because the experiences of people in Shanghai and the rest of China during World War II and Mao s Revolution are often overlooked, especially in the American context This book offers valuable firsthand accounts about what The book Last Boat Out of Shanghai tells the story of four people who faced Mao s Revolution in China and about their experiences These people all lived in Shanghai, although their lifestyles and experiences were very different This is an important piece of history to cover, because the experiences of people in Shanghai and the rest of China during World War II and Mao s Revolution are often overlooked, especially in the American context This book offers valuable firsthand accounts about what it was like to live through these events and adds a needed complexity to how we view the rise of Communist China in history It also offers insights into the current refugee crisis, as the author intends, because of how it shows how refugees have been treated throughout the Twentieth Century while also demonstrating what they offer and how they will benefit the countries where they are accepted As a teacher, I would use this as a way to help students gain better understand...From 1931 onward, the Chinese people were confronted with continuous Japanese aggression, humiliation, occupation, and inhumanity In Helen Zia s new book, LAST BOAT OUT OF SHANGHAI THE EPIC STORY OF THE CHINESE WHO FLED MAO S REVOLUTION the author seems to begin here story in 1937 when the Japanese launched their invasion of China, however as she develops her story it is important to realize that the Japanese had their eyes on China as far back as the Sino Japanese War of 1894 5, the Twenty On From 1931 onward, the Chinese people were confronted with continuous Japanese aggression, humiliation, occupation, and inhumanity In Helen Zia s new book, LAST BOAT OUT OF SHANGHAI THE EPIC STORY OF THE CHINESE WHO FLED MAO S REVOLUTION the author seems to begin here story in 1937 when the Japanese launched their invasion of China, however as she develops her story it is important to realize that the Japanese had their eyes on China as far back as t...The Last Boat Out of Shanghai is an excellent engrossing read Zia proffers snapshots of four people who escaped from China prior to the onslaught of the Communists Each story is fascinating and equally gripping The...Book Review Last Boat Out of Shanghai The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao s Revolution by Helen ZiaAs a bibliophile, I approached this book as falling under the category And Now for Something Different , and what an incredible read Helen Zia deftly weaves a tale of history, drama and exodus in a tumultuous era clouded by the fog of war Out of the stories of thousands interviewed, people who were actually there that so called Paris of the Orient , the author chooses wisely fo Book Review Last Boat Out of Shanghai The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao s Revolution by Helen ZiaAs a bibliophile, I approach...I couldn t put it downThe Goodreads summary of this book says it follows the lives of four young people fleeing the 1949 Communist takeover of China It is that but their story actually begins with the Japanese invasion of China, which predates US involvement in WWII, continuing all the way to very recent times You may think you know their story, I ll bet you don t Helen Zia describes the interesting often sad tales of each of the four individuals in her book, each worthy of a separate book themselves Buttha The Goodreads summary of this book says it follows the lives of four young people fleeing the 1949 Communist takeover of China It is that but their story actually begins with the Japanese invasion of China, which predates US involvement in WWII, continuing all the way to very recent times You may think you know their story...Background Sis and I and our cousins on mom s side of the family were born in the US, while our parents grew up during WWII Mom was born in Shanghai and her father worked for China Merchant Marine At first they owned a house in Little Tokyo, then lived in row houses in Japanese controlled compounds, near 76 Jessfield In December 1948 mom s family took a Merchant Marine ship to Japan I first started hearing their generation s stories when I was 22, sis was 18, and my cousin was 20 I remembe Background Sis and I and our cousins on mom s side of the family were born in the US, while our parents grew up during WWII Mom was born in Shanghai and her father worked for China Merchant Marine At first they owned a house in Little Tokyo, then lived in row houses in Japanese controlled compounds, near 76 Jessfield In December 1948 mom s family took a Merchant Marine ship to Japan I first started hearing their generation s stories whe...This is an incredible read The author deftly weaves through the real stories of four individuals from the late 1930s during the second Sino Japanese War and during the aftermath when the KMT and CPC clashed What is amazing about this book is not only does it give you a great frame of reference of the history and the consequences of war, but the stories are deeply personal and emotional Mostly told from the point of view of children who grew up during this period, the urgency of survival and t This is an incredible read The author deftly weaves through the real stories of four individuals from the late 1930s during the second Sino Japanese War and during the aftermath when the KMT and CPC clashed What is amazing about this book is not...As a history buff and someone intrigued by China in particular, I bought the book expecting a matter of fact narration of the Chinese diaspora from Shanghai post WWII What I got was that but so muchI got sucked into the lives of four then young people and couldn t put the book down as I wondered what happened to them as they struggled to ...Last Boat captivated me from the start with its rich depiction of occupied Shanghai s wartime past witnessed through the impacted lives of 4 real protagonists from childhood I couldn t wait to find out what happened to each of the vastly different individuals from Bing, a 6 yo girl abandoned by her impoverished parentsto Benny, the privileged son a a wealthy police chief and traitor for the Japanese I was so engrossed in their stories that I missed my train stop while reading I found the Last Boat captivated me from the start with its rich depiction of occupied Shanghai s wartime past witnessed through the impacted lives of 4 real protagonists from childhood I ...

English
27 November 2018

Helen Zia