{"title":"Helen Zia","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the compelling works of \u003cem\u003eHelen Zia\u003c\/em\u003e, an internationally acclaimed author recognised for her insightful contributions to literature on history, immigration, and identity. With her profound narratives, Zia offers readers a poignant look into the complex intersections of culture and personal stories, making her works both educational and deeply engaging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of her standout books, \u003cem\u003eLast Boat Out of Shanghai\u003c\/em\u003e, delves into the tumultuous period of 20th-century China, recounting the gripping stories of individuals caught in the throes of socio-political upheaval. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Zia brings to life the harrowing experiences and enduring resilience of those who fled Shanghai during the Communist revolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eZia’s writings offer a captivating blend of personal histories and broader socio-political contexts, providing valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of immigration and identity. Discover her collection to gain a fresh perspective on pivotal historical events and their ongoing impact on present-day lives.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"last-boat-out-of-shanghai-by-helen-zia-9780345522337","title":"Last Boat Out of Shanghai","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dramatic, real-life stories of four young people caught up in the mass exodus of Shanghai in the wake of China's 1949 Communist Revolution—a precursor to the struggles faced by emigrants today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"A true page-turner... Helen Zia has proven once again that history is something that happens to real people.\" - New York Times bestselling author Lisa See\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLast Boat Out of Shanghai\u003c\/em\u003e was named one of the best books of the year by NPR and The Christian Science Monitor. It was also a finalist for the PEN\/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShanghai has historically been China's jewel, its richest, most modern, and westernised city. The bustling metropolis was home to sophisticated intellectuals, entrepreneurs, and a thriving middle class when Mao's proletarian revolution emerged victorious from the long civil war. Terrified of the horrors the Communists would wreak upon their lives, citizens of Shanghai who could afford to fled in every direction. Seventy years later, members of the last generation to fully recall this massive exodus have revealed their stories to Chinese American journalist Helen Zia, who interviewed hundreds of exiles about their journey through one of the most tumultuous events of the twentieth century. From these moving accounts, Zia weaves together the stories of four young Shanghai residents who wrestled with the decision to abandon everything for an uncertain life as refugees in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBenny, who as a teenager became the unwilling heir to his father's dark wartime legacy, must decide either to escape to Hong Kong or navigate the intricacies of a newly Communist China. The resolute Annuo, forced to flee her home with her father, a defeated Nationalist official, becomes an unwelcome exile in Taiwan. The financially strapped Ho fights deportation from the U.S. in order to continue his studies while his family struggles at home. And Bing, given away by her poor parents, faces the prospect of a new life among strangers in America. The lives of these men and women are marvellously portrayed, revealing the dignity and triumph of personal survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHerself the daughter of immigrants from China, Zia is uniquely equipped to explain how crises like the Shanghai transition affect children and their families, students and their futures, and, ultimately, the way we see ourselves and those around us. \u003cem\u003eLast Boat Out of Shanghai\u003c\/em\u003e brings a poignant personal angle to the experiences of refugees then and, by extension, today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\"Zia's portraits are compassionate and heartbreaking, and they are, ultimately, the universal story of many families who leave their homeland as refugees and find less-than-welcoming circumstances on the other side.\" - Amy Tan, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Joy Luck Club\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gardners Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45902054981868,"sku":"9780345522337","price":45.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780345522337.jpg?v=1731549372"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/helen-zia.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}