Once Upon A Time In Shanghai: A Jewish Woman's Journey through the 20th Century China

Publisher : China Intercontinental Press; 1st edition (November 1, 2008)
Language : English
Paperback : 152 pages
ISBN-10 : 7508513444
ISBN-13 : 978-7508513447

In the early years of the 20th century, Shanghai was famous not only for its spies and intrigues but as a refuge for the world's persecuted.Once upon a time in Shanghai is the memoir of Rena krasno, from a Russian Jewish family growing up in Shanghai during World War II. The setting is multicultural, multilingual and multiracial, and the author provides fascinating details from the history of a city that no longer exists.This book is based on the diaries of Rena Krasno. The historic value of the book lies in the fact that Rena made
daily diary entries and the entries included facts about the social events and people's life at that time. It gives readers a broad picture of various sides of Shanghai. Reading it feels like appreciating a huge social life roll unfolding.First-rate research, good writing, and an interesting story add up to a great read.The book is remarkable because Rena is such a great and optimistic person who never lost her courage, never complained, and, in spite of increasing pressures, ploughed forward, maintaining intellectual and moral standards.
Rena Krasno was born in Shanghai, China, in 1923 and lived there until 1949. Her parents, stateless Russian Jews from Siberia, arrived in China in the early 20th century.In her professional life, Krasno worked as a freelance interpreter for international organizations in Europe and Asia. Krasno has lectured at Stanford University, UCLA, UC Berkeley, the Commonwealth Club, and other wellknown institutions in America, Asia, and Europe. She is currently Public Affairs Officer of the Sino-Judaic Institute in Menlo Park, California, as well as a member of the Editorial Committee of their publication, Points East .Krasno was featured in several documentaries including the Chinese one (Sanctuary Shanghai, Chen Yifei, 1999). Nine of Rena's books have been published, including Floating Lanterns and Golden Shrines (Pacific View Press, Berkeley,a winner of 2002 Benjamin Franklin Publishers Award).
Contents
Preface 1
Chapter 1 Beginnings 5
Chapter 2 Early Childhood 13
Chapter 3 Tea Time 20
Chapter 4 Walking to School 24
Chapter 5 Pidgin English 29
Chapter 6 Tailors 33
Chapter 7 Broadcasting 38
Chapter 8 Blue Caps 43
Chapter 9 Money, Bank and a Tycoon 51
Chapter 10 The Triumph of Jesse Owens 58
Chapter 11 Expatriate Households-Life in Paradise 64
Chapter 12 Bloody Saturday 69
Chapter 13 Christmas 1939 75
Chapter 14 Abbot Chao-Kung and His Hatred 80
Chapter 15 The Portuguese Colony and Father Robert
Jacquinot de Besange 85
Chapter 16 Albert Einstein's Visit to Shanghai 91
Chapter 17 The Shanghai Volunteer Corps
and Boy Scouts 96
Chapter 18 December 8, 1941 100
Chapter 19 City of Refuge 106
Chapter 20 Jack Riley 113
Chapter 21 U.S. Bombing 117
Chapter 22 Pacific War Unwinding 121
Chapter 23 Japanese Internment Camps 128
Chapter 24 U.S.