The Last Kings of Shanghai

The Last Kings of Shanghai chronicles two Jewish families - the Sassoons and the Kadoories - who built business empires in China spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. Their story begins in Baghdad and moves through British-controlled Shanghai and Hong Kong, where they established vast trading networks and luxury hotels. The families' parallel trajectories intersect with major historical events including the Opium Wars, the Japanese occupation of China, World War II, and the Communist Revolution. Through their experiences as outsiders who gained immense influence, the book reveals the complex dynamics between East and West during China's turbulent modernization. The narrative follows multiple generations as they navigate political upheaval, family tensions, and the challenges of maintaining wealth and power in uncertain times. Their legacy includes landmarks like Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel and deep impacts on Asian business and society that persist today. This multi-generational saga illuminates themes of identity, adaptation, and the role of outsiders in shaping modern China. It raises questions about family loyalty, cultural assimilation, and the moral complexities of building fortunes during colonial times.

Readers emphasize the book's focus on two Jewish families - the Sassoons and Kadoories - and their influence on Shanghai's development. Many note how it reads like a multigenerational family saga while providing historical context about China's transformation. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of complex historical events - Personal details and family dynamics - Connections between historical events and modern China - Documentation and research quality Common criticisms: - Jumps between time periods and characters - Too much focus on wealth and luxury - Lacks depth on Chinese perspective - Some historical details need more context "It filled in gaps about a fascinating period of Jewish and Chinese history" - Goodreads reviewer "The family trees were confusing to follow" - Amazon reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (850+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4.5/5 (150+ ratings)

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🌟 The Sassoon and Kadoorie families, who feature prominently in the book, were known as "the Rothschilds of the East" due to their immense wealth and influence across Asia. 🏛️ During World War II, the Kadoorie family helped save thousands of Jewish refugees by providing them shelter in Shanghai when most other countries had closed their borders. 🌏 The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, built by the Kadoories in 1928, remains one of Asia's most prestigious hotels and is still controlled by the family today. ✍️ Author Jonathan Kaufman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who previously served as China Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal. 🏰 The Sassoon family's famous Cathay Hotel (now the Peace Hotel) in Shanghai was known as the "Palace of the East" and hosted celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Noël Coward during its heyday in the 1930s.