John Sklar's Office

Shanghai by Joseph Kanon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just a brilliant book. Where did jews go when they were kicked out of Germany in the thirties? Places that did not require visas. One of these was Shanghai, the location of this novel from Joseph Kanon. The characters are as real and emotionally tortured as one might imagine. Leaving their homes and often their livelyhoods. Always leaving their wealth behind because the Nazis would not allow it to leave the Reich.
What was Shanghai like? In some ways a lot like Germany. This tells a story that I had only heard about. This book gets down to the nitty gritty of what a lawless society is like and how people learn to cope.
What a special, magnificent piece of writing. I am in awe of Joseph Kanon's skill as a storyteller.
Read it.

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