Review "A love song to 1930s Shanghai. Taras Grescoe has fallen hard for the 'the wicked old Paris of the Orient,' its barrooms thick with gangsters and newsmen, its alleys 'scented with sweet almond broth, opium smoke and the chemical bite of Flit insecticide'....Shanghai Grand is a headlong swoon for old Shanghai. The feeling is easy to catch.'" ―New York Times Book Review"Filled with excellent short character sketches and keeps the reader turning the pages to find out what will happen next....Brings to life a special time and a special place." ―The Wall Street Journal“A keenly observant, sometimes soulful portrait of Emily ‘Mickey’ Hahn, an American writer who lived in Shanghai from 1935 to 1943, and of China’s political and social realities during that tumultuous period in its history. . . . A wonderful book.” ―Publishers Weekly"The author deftly follows Hahn's adventures through this 'city of legend.' Grescoe exuberantly captures the glamour and intrigue of a lost world." ―Kirkus Reviews“Long before the city seemed custom-built to impress and intimidate, Shanghai was most notable for its people―a remarkable mix of refugees and adventurers, poets and fabulists, natives and outsiders. In Shanghai Grand, Taras Grescoe captures this lost world in all its richness.” ―Peter Hessler, New York Times bestselling author of Oracle Bones“A doomed world of glamour and decadence, a clash of cultures, a cast of larger-than-life characters – Shanghai Grand has it all. Taras Grescoe tells a riveting tale of lost innocence and lost love, set against the backdrop of China on the brink of war and revolution. Prepare to be transported to another place and time.” ―Dean Jobb, author of Empire of DeceptionPraise for Taras GrescoePraise for Taras Grescoe"[Straphanger] almost reads like a travelogue as the author revels in the wonders of his diverse destinations. With a smooth, accessible narrative style...captivating [and] convincing." ―Kirkus Reviews"This paean to public transportation is front-loaded with statistics edifying to city dwellers...the book unfurls into studies of a dozen cities around the world.” ―The New Yorker on Straphanger"Straphanger is a sort of love letter to mass transit...compelling and entertaining." ―The Wall Street Journal Read more About the Author TARAS GRESCOE is an award-winning journalist and the author of several non-fiction books, which have been translated into six languages on three continents. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, and The Guardian, and has written features for Condé Nast Traveler, the Times of London, the Chicago Tribune Magazine, Afar, Salon, Gourmet, Saveur, and the New York Times Magazine. Read more
C**Z
Absolutely fascinating view of Shanghai in the Thirties--a real page-turner!
This is a beautifully-written account of Shanghai in the 1930s, of a cosmopolitan city caught between political and geopolitical forces, including the Englishman of Iraqi-Jewish background who built the Cathay Hotel and other modern buildings, an American writer originally from St. Louis who wrote for the New Yorker and married a Chinese man (among others), and other interesting historical figures. It is all the more powerful in that it is NOT fiction.
M**N
Grand Shanghai Tales Brought to Life
A tour de force of Shanghai during its romantic and intriguing early/mid nineteenth century period when it became a magnet for the worlds elitevand a haven for the displaced from Europe. A frequent visitor to the now Peace Hotel, née Cathay, I can attest to its magnificence. Yet one would be remiss without a visit to Shanghai's iconic synagogue founded by the refugees from nazi persecution.
B**L
A great novel and if you are like me a Shanghai ...
Fascinating book . I am big lover of shanghai . And this book is highly reccomended ! So many historical details. So many interesting facts. A great novel and if you are like me a Shanghai fan you cannot miss this book!!
P**S
My husband and I both read the book and thought ...
My husband and I both read the book and thought (until we got to the ending) that it was a novel.We;d been to Shanghai years ago, but certainly didn't explore it the way Taras Grescoe did.A pleasure to read.Note: Taras also wrote a travel article about Shanghai in the NYTimes.
R**N
A significant book for the "western" mindset
Quickly read cover to cover, along with multiple discussions.
D**D
A Must Read for the China History Aficianado
This is a book filled with fascinating and well written details of the lurid and shocking lives of the colorful characters of Shanghai of the late 1930's.
B**A
Exceedingly well constructed history of Shanghai organized around the very ...
Exceedingly well constructed history of Shanghai organized around the very interesting lives of three major players there in the period between the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
S**W
needs to be made into a film or tv series there is just so little talked about in regard to this amazing era in China
Just outstanding.... needs to be made into a film or tv series there is just so little talked about in regard to this amazing era in China... title makes it sound romantic... it’s more historical
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