Last Boat by Helen Zia, and Other Books: Sunday Salon

 My review of this historical account of the people of Shanghai during and before WWII

Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution by Helen Zia

The life stories of four young people in Shanghai during the 1930s - Benny, Ho, Annuo, and Bing - are told in historical detail by the author, whose research and intensive interviewing made this history so poignant, informative, and moving.

The four young people share their families' fates during the Japanese invasion, and then during the Nationalists and Communists fighting for control of all of China. Fleeing from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the U.S., many people left Shanghai in a mass exodus during this time.

The author also shows the four as new immigrants to other countries, how they were received and their later accomplishments to fit into their new lives. She also shows how the Chinese are not a monolithic group as they differ in lifestyle and language and experience depending on the different parts of China they come from.

I am impressed by the amount of research and interviews that went into the telling of this history, and the amount of people who contributed information about their lives in Shanghai during wartime and after.

Daily Life  in the Summer Heat

 

I count the days till autumn weather, being tired of the extreme heat and dryness, the elevated air pollution from wildfires all over in Alaska, Seattle, British Columbia. All these make me more of a shut-in than I would like - there goes the garden, dry as a bone and needing a lot of tending, alas. There go my daily walking and outdoor activities.  I like being in air conditioning but only tolerate being in the house most of the time! 

Now, I'll be forced to finish the downsizing we started over a year ago, slowly  giving away all we no longer use or need. It's a chore, as I don't want to get rid of things I like, but then..... I also have to get back to the family history and family trees that are my current projects. There are so many things to do outdoors too, as who wants to be inside all the time! And travel? Where is there decent weather and no fires or floods or tornado watches? This is a terrible summer for me, as I'm not ready to head for Iceland as yet.

How about you? How are you weathering this summer? Watching a lot of Netflix? 

New Books Downloaded 

Notice they are all thrillers, except for the last book - romance and adventure in the South of France. 

What are you reading, watching, or listening to this week? 

Memes:  The Sunday Post, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, Sunday Salon, and Stacking the Shelves, Mailbox Monday, Book Blogger Hop