Jonathan Kaufman

I learned a lot reading this book. I can't believe I didn't know about Jewish refugees going to Shanghai....and I've been to the Holocaust Museum. In addition to learning some history, I think the book also gave me insights into modern day relations between China and the West. There was a lot of depth to the research in this book. There were strong women who were leaders in their families, but their contributions have not been highlighted in history. Which made me think about history show more embraced and history erased.

The book provides yet another example of greed and the lack of consequences for those with money and power. It got me thinking about right and wrong. Is it okay to live in luxury at the expense of thousands of Chinese people if you also take care of your servants and save Jewish refugees?

While I enjoyed this book, I felt that the subtitle, "The Rival Dynasties that Helped Create Modern China" was not appropriate. (I find this is often the case in modern nonfiction.) The two dynasties were not really rivals. They operated largely independent of each other. show less

Fascinating history I never knew, that explains so much about the relations between China and the West even today and tells a different sort of Holocaust story. While Kaufman doesn't shy away from the dark legacies of colonialism and rampant capitalism, he also fairly demonstrates the enduring legacies of both that have benefited millions. So many thoughts surfaced as I was reading this - legacies, history (both embraced and erased), the many shades of gray between dark devils and shining show more angels, and how one person can literally change the world for so many. show less

This is a fascinating story, much of it new to me (a Jew who lived in China and is reasonably well read on both subjects and who travelled to Henan twice to visit and support the Kaifeng Jews.) As much as I loved learning more about these families, Kaufman's reporting choices and writing style did not really work for me.

I confess that straight ahead biography is not my favorite thing to read. A linear narrative - this happened, then this happened, then that happened - is not something I show more respond to. It feels like a textbook. I suspect readers who like traditional biography are likely to enjoy Kaufman' style more than I did. I missed having more context. I wish Kaufman had talked more about what was going on in China while the Sassons and Khadooris were building their empires before the final few pages. Its so important to understanding what brought the families down. He spends a lot of time stressing how pivotal was the choice to not criticize China even when it was killing them and their love for Chinese art and generosity to their Chinese servants (all important things), but doesn't talk much about how their choice to fiddle while Shanghai starved might have led to the virulence of the attacks on the family. I don't think the story can be understood without that, but again, maybe that is just me. Still super worthwhile reading. show less

Long, but really great parts about Jewish refugees in Shanghai in WWII.