Farewell, Shanghai

by Angel Wagenstein, Deliana Simeonova (Translator), Elizabeth Frank (Translator)

The unforgettable novel of nearly forgotten refugees who fled Nazi Germany, and discovered the glamour and excess of Shanghai.

Elisabeth and Theodore Weissberg, famous musicians, Hilde, a young film extra, and Vladek, an Eastern European adventurer wanted by the police on political charges, flee Nazi Germany for Shanghai at the onset of World War II. A magnet for every human ambition and vice, Shanghai is a city of extremes—of dazzling wealth and wretched poverty, suffering and pleasure, and, for the four refugees, exile and safety. There, they enter the world of Jewish refugees, many of them artists and intellectuals, who must either starve or eke out an impoverished and sometimes degraded living, but they are determined to live intelligently, upholding the high culture, humor, and even, insofar as they can, the elegance of their former lives. Master storyteller Angel Wagenstein crafts an intense narrative of life and death, passionate love, and profound courage against the backdrop of the war and the millions of lives caught up in it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, China, Fiction, Audiobook, Bulgaria, Literary Fiction, Jewish

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Angel Raymond Wagenstein (Bulgarian: Анжел Раймонд Вагенщайн) is a Bulgarian film director and author. Wagenstein was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, but spent his childhood in France where his Sephardic Jewish family emigrated for political reasons due to their leftist politics.

Reviews

[Rafa Sánchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una decepción, abandono a la mitad, pensaba que iba a tener alma como "El pentateuco de Isaac" pero es una novelita escrita en estilo best-seller con muchos personajes y ambientes pretendidamente exóticos, que aparecen y desaparecen caprichosamente. La pena es que la historia debe ser apasionante, no sabía que hubiera habido miles de judíos de la propia Alemania escapados a Shanghai justo antes del comienzo de la guerra. Debió ser una colonia interesante, tendré que averiguar algo de su historia real pero sin las pamplinas de esta novela.

[Maude · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was in my teens, I began reading books on the holocaust. Most of them had pictures taken by soldiers who liberated the camps. These pictures showed the survivors - skin and bones, many times naked - and because of this it would have been difficult to identify a member of your family because, by this time, they all looked similar. I was horrified but I couldn't cry. It was not until I read another book on Auschwitz which had in it a picture of a middle-aged woman dressed in her best and holding the hand of her young son who carried a handkerchief with all his best things, that I began to cry, because I knew by then, that within minutes of their arrival, they both would have been taken to the gas chamber. The nazi's had no use for children nor women who would fight to protect their children. For years, I thought that the Jewish refugees who could make it to Shanghai were lucky since they were accepted there. After reading Farewell, Shanghai, I realize that, although the jews were safer there then in Europe, it was not an easy life, nor one without the theat of harm. Although this is fiction, I believe some of these events are based on real events. It is not an easy book to read but no holoccaust litereature is. The writer is a Bulgarian Jew, and I am always amazed how many jewish writers can put so much humor into books with so much depravity and horror. I thought it was a fantastic book but not for someone with a weak stomach.

[Lahierbaroja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una joyita para descubrir, que esconde un relato desgarrador, duro, cruel, pero al mismo tiempo real, que nos cuenta algo de la historia no oficial de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Wagenstein me encandila.

https://lahierbaroja.wordpress.com/20...

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been all over the map with this book. First of all, particularly in the first half of the book, I found the writing confusing. Here is an example of what you will have to contend with:

The days and months flowed by heavily and monotonously, with no news from Elisabeth (in contrast to normal prisons with legal regulations, here correspondence was forbidden), and the hour-long morning and evening roll-calls, always with the small three-times cursed pastry shop and the constantly perfected art of not stirring up in Hansi Steinbrenner the desire to hit you on the back with his club to the exact rhythm of the tango. (page 79)

This is one sentence, and it composes one paragraph. It is too long and parts are nonsensical I am not sure who is at fault, the author or the translator! There are numerous such sentences that make reading difficult, understanding compromised and enjoyment impossible.

Repeatedly words are placed in the wrong order, particularly adverbs. Sure, you do understand what is being said, but the natural flow of words is disrupted. For me, who particularly seeks a book that is well written, this detracts from the quality of the book. I am forced to only read this for “what happens”. The focus must be on the plot alone. So what is the book about? During the Second World War, when all countries were closing their doors to the Jews, the only place left for many was Shanghai. This book deals with life there in Shanghai, particularly the life of the Jewish émigrés. In 1937 the Japanese took control and soon the émigré Jews from Germany and Austria found themselves restricted to a ghetto in Hongku, a suburb of Shanghai. Life there was unimaginably horrible - overcrowded, rife with filth, vermin and disease. But Shanghai was a city of extremes. There too were found the luxurious quarters of the “International Concessions”. This book deals with life here in this city. This is interesting, and this is what kept me reading.

The author certainly incorporates humor into the book. Humor can be so varied; does this amuse you? Mr. Vincent (Vladek) has been summoned to the office of Lord Washburn. The lord’s secretary begins:

”Mister Vincent, it’s none of my business, but may I allow myself to draw your attention to the fact that Lord Washburn is not accustomed to a lack of punctuality on the part of his subordinates.”

Mr. Vincent was surprised in turn:

“Subordinates, did you say? Oh, subordinates! Look now, young lady, I am not a subordinate of the lord’s for three reasons. At least three! First, because I am not a soldier in Her Majesty’s colonial army, but a freelance journalist. Second, I‘m not an English subject, but through a lucky coincidence Swiss. And third, as a rule I subordinate myself to nothing and no one apart from the laws of my canton. They have their own state laws, in case you haven’t heard. “ (page 221)

The meeting continues:

“He ordered you to appear before him immediately! This, I hope, doesn’t violate the laws of your canton. And please keep it short because he has another meeting. “And the secretary in order to be convincing, looked at her watch again before ushering him into the office of the lord……..

The man who had just come in introduced himself cheerfully. “Jean Loup Vincent, sir. At your service!”

With the self-assurance of a general who doesn’t shake hands with lowly privates just like that, Lord Washburn declined the proffered hand. His own hands crossed behind his back, he looked with curiosity at the ragged Swiss with the unbuttoned shirt and rolled-up sleeves stopping with surprise at the latter’s enormous thick-soled boots.

Vladek followed his eyes and lent over to admire in turn his boots for a moment.

“Ah, my boots, great aren’t they? From the Spanish Republican Army. For two years I marched as a correspondent with them from Gibraltar to the Pyrenees and in spite of everything they are still like new! You’ll die laughing but during the bombing of Madrid—“

The lord interrupted him. “I have not invited you to tell me the story of your boots!”

“Oh really, then how can I be of use to you?” (pages 222-223)

Often the humor is ironic in tone. After Pearl Harbor, the following is noted:

To believe that it was only Washington that had the bad habit of rejecting every piece of information contrary to its preconceptions about the world is more than naive. French nonchalance, which almost bordered on treason despite precise information gathered by agents about Hitler’s real plans, proves the point as well. No one’s lunch in Paris was spoiled even when reports started flowing in that suddenly thousands of German tourists were pouring into Luxembourg and spreading tents all along the French border. No one bothered to talk to even one of these German nature lovers and to inquire a bit further about what they were doing there and why they preferred border landscapes to all others. And what about sleepy head Moscow, carelessly ignoring intelligence from the Ramsay group, which together with other reliable sources in Europe, kept issuing warnings about impending German aggression against the Soviet Union?.......

But the Kremlin masters had their own views on the matter, preferring to contemplate their own navels rather than listen to unpleasant news. (pages 242-243)

History is served with humor and irony. This I enjoy! At the same time I had a hard time understanding parts. Was it the writing or was it my stupidity? I do not know. The spy details left me confused. It is important to note that they play a significant role in the plot. Nowhere in the book’s description is it said that his is a spy novel. I personally do not enjoy spy intrigues. Please, do not consider this book if you do not like spy novels.

Finally, by the end of the novel, I grew to care for the principal characters. I did, but it certainly took a while and some of the plot twists are implausible. What happens to the principle protagonists is overblown, too exciting, too amazing and too melodramatic. The plot is made for the movies! Do you like that kind of book? I don’t, but maybe the book will fit you perfectly!

My last complaint is that there is an exceedingly short author’s note at the end. The story is based on true events and people, mixed with fiction. One character is a composite of several real people. I would have preferred a more detailed explanation of what was true and what was fiction.

Given my personal preferences, I cannot give this book more than two stars. If you are curious about Shanghai during the war, I would instead recommend Shanghai Diary: A Young Girl's Journey from Hitler's Hate to War-Torn China. Now that was my kind of book! My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Аria]

DNF

[Haim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the book was slow at first, I found the book moving us through this historical period as if we were there - it allowed us to experience the lives of several individuals as they experienced the war. Moreover, the author has done a remarkable job of bringing to life historical fact about the Holocaust that is often overlooked. I liked this book.

[Nevena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Три звезди и половина. Пак е написана добре, но ми липсваше хуморът в предишните две книги от трилогията. Авторът е заложил повече на документалната и събитийната част (имаме динамичен сюжет с много история), отколкото на вътрешно-емоционалната.

[Emanuella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Изревах си очите в края на книгата!!!
Харесвам стила на Анжел Вагенщайн.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelously written and translated novel of Shanghai and the Jewish colony there. The professional reviewers state very well how wonderful this novel truly is. And, evidently, it was translated from Bulgarian into French and then from French into English. This expert translation process speaks as well of the translators' skills as of the author's!

If you’ve read this book, buy his newer book “Isaac’s Torah”. Fabulous book, .

[Jim Luijten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this on tour while going through Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Hungary.
The story itself isn't the main attractian for me but the overall theme was. I learned so much history about a part of WWII that isn't a part of the Dutch education system that really intrigued me. If you are into the a different of Jewish history in the second world war, this is a great recommendation

[Otillaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forse non troppo riuscito come romanzo non-fiction, però rimane sempre una lettura interessante e veloce

[Xavier · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il paragone tra questo libro e una delle sinfonie suonate dall'orchestra filarmonica di Dresda - protagonista a sua volta del romanzo - è quanto mai azzeccato: splendido, delicato, toccante, e intriso di una malinconia e tristezza profonde.
"Shanghai addio" è la versione romanzata di un fatto storico realmente avvenuto, e già solo questo basterebbe a invogliarne la lettura. Ma rappresenta anche un approccio diverso, insolito ed "esotico" a quello che è forse uno degli argomenti letterari e storici più usati e abusati.
Questo libro infatti narra le vicende di una colonia di ebrei, fuggiti dall'Europa alle prime avvisaglie dell'imminente olocausto (o comunque, in tempo prima che venisse negata loro qualunque via di fuga lecita e ufficiale) per andare a trovare rifugio in Oriente, in una città che, oltre a subire le conseguenze indirette della guerra tra Hitler e gli Alleati, vive a sua volta un conflitto intestino tra Cina e Giappone.
Che gli ebrei siano una popolazione abituata alle avversità è purtroppo risaputo, ma le condizioni degli esuli a Shanghai sono così terribili da portare quasi il lettore a domandarsi: è stata davvero una buona idea per loro cercare rifugio in Oriente?
Come l'autore stesso ci segnala a fine romanzo, alcuni personaggi sono realmente esistiti, altri sono frutto della sua fantasia, nonché una letteraria combinazione di altri personaggi del passato. Alcune vicende si attengono alla realtà concreta, altre vengono più liberamente modificate.
Vada come vada, il risultato è un libro piacevolissimo ma difficile da leggere. Non c'è gioia, non c'è allegria, l'amore c'è ma non basta, e non sempre ha un lieto fine. È, insomma, la perfetta rappresentazione del clima dell'epoca.
Una lettura che consiglio a chi, come me, ama questo tipo di ambientazione letteraria, che sicuramente apprezzerà un punto di vista diverso dal solito.
La scrittura è fluida e appassionante, i capitoli non troppo lunghi, una struttura che suddivide la narrazione tra i vari, molti personaggi di spicco in modo sagace, senza trascurare troppo alcune linee narrative ma al tempo stesso senza portare il lettore a confondersi.
Nonostante la tematica e la quantità di personaggi la lettura resta sempre scorrevole, non si appesantisce mai rischiando di annoiare il lettore. Ci saranno momenti che vi provocheranno molta rabbia, altri che vi infonderanno immensa tristezza, e altri ancora che vi strapperanno un lieve, malinconico sorriso.
Una caratterizzazione dei personaggi ottima, che li rende tutti interessanti, tridimensionali e ben distinguibili, nonostante l'enorme quantità.
Davvero un gran bel libro.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this novel, BUT...

It was mostly non-fiction with a tiny bit of novel Much of that was based upon real people and as fictional characters, they were poorly developed. How much better it would have been if the author had written a straight non-fiction book.

I chose this book because the subject was totally new to me and I thought I would learn something. The book was mostly fact, but much of that material was added to flesh out the novel so it was not as cohesive as it could and should have been. In other words, way too much background material for a novel and too much fiction for a non-fiction book.

But I did learn a lot, and the subject matter is shocking and so sad. Shanghai was not the refuge for Jews that I (and the refugees) thought it would be.

The translation is good and the style probably follows the author's actual Bulgarian very well.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps the fault that lay with the version I read was its English translation. Events were conveyed without sentimentality nor depth. Content wise, it was an interesting perspective into WWII history, a subject that has constantly fascinated authors and filmmakers. This time I got to know more about Shanghai's role in the war, as well as the author's philosophical take on history and perspective-taking. This book melded both fiction and non-fiction, and speculating which parts were based on real characters was a fun exercise. I also appreciated the amount of detail given to characters of such different national backgrounds.

[Amira Litmanowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have studied the holocaust since I was a teenager and I have never come across a story like this, in an exotic and distant place that opened the doors to the Jews persecuted by the Nazi massacre. Undoubtedly it bears the imprint and influence of his training as a screenwriter, Ángel Wagenstein recounts several lives that intersect, emphasizing the absurdity of this terrible moment of humanity that permeates to this day. Spoiler alert, they all die.

[El Viejo Mochales · Rating 4 out of 5]

******** (8/10. MUY BUENO) Retrato de la comunidad judía alemana en Shanghai tras haber escapado de la persecución nazi durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Un peldaňo por debajo del genial El Pentateuco de Isaac, y -tal vez por la traducción- no tan poético. No obstante, magnífico también y muy recomendable.

[TaniaDT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Най-много ми хареса тази последна част. Много интересна/ не съм срещала другаде факта, че е имало евреи и в Шанхай/, тъжна, нежна и мъчна книга. Открих Вагенщайн като писател наскоро и много ми харесва как пише. Слушах/четох/ имаше опция и за двете възможности/ я през Сторител и отново не ми хареса прочита на диалозите на героите.

[Eneko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro muy interesante para conocer la historia del éxodo judío a Shanghai, para conocer cómo era la ciudad de Shanghai en la época de la segunda guerra mundial. Muy recomendable. Viví dos años en Shanghai y no supe de esta historia hasta ahora.

[Eduard Esteller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historia mig real mig ficticia dels jueus europeus que van fugir dels nazis cap a Shanghai, l'unic lloc on, d'entrada, podien sobreviure. La guerra, la política, les relacions internacionals van convertir el lloc en una barreja de miseria, enganys i drames poc conegudes. Ben escrita i documentada.

[Debege · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read lately.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

well written but completely confusing. by pg 140 I couldn't figure out where it was going

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Knowing someone who lived in Shanghai during WWII, and having read at least one other book about Jewish refugees there, I expected better things from this book.

I was initially impressed with the style of the writing, and it proved to be a relatively quick read, but ultimately, I didn't find it a satisfying story. The characters were not convincing or well-developed, and by jumping right into the action and keeping things moving, Wagenstein left out too much detail that might have made the characters' inner feelings and motives easier to understand. I didn't like the ending, and I felt somewhat cheated. Perhaps the fault lies in the fact that Wagenstein took a subject best treated as non-fiction and tried writing a novel about it, which resulted in a trivial, contrived story. Wagenstein created a book that might work well on the screen, with spies, intrigue, and atmospherics, but he failed to create believable or truly engaging characters, nor to pass the "So What?" test. I fear that the story wouldn't stand up in motion picture format, either.

To anyone wishing to learn about this fascinating footnote to history, I recommend Ursula Bacon's Shanghai Diary.

[Tia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this execrable book. The plot is a mish-mash of bad WWII movie cliches: the hot, blonde Jewess, the Vichy Paris, the bad sex, the hidden identities. Every page seems as if it's written to be translated to the screen, but it's so disjointed, the characters make no sense, and so it feels more like a regurgitation of images of what a movie about WWII should be like.
The writing is horrible--my first thought when I read it was: hmm... these sentences do not make sense, it reads like it was translated poorly from the Bulgarian. And lo and behold, after reading the back cover, I learned it was...translated from the Bulgarian.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chose this from my China shelf. Hopefully, it will set the stage for my trip to China this summer:-).

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I thought I was satiated with WWII novels, but the setting for this one moves from Paris to Shanghai and deals with a situation I was not very familiar with. Shanghai was a free international city during the early years of the war. Wagenstein's treatment of the class distinctions between the resident Jews and refugees was intruiging. The dilemmas and conflicts of this international city occupied by the Japanese were clearly laid out. The love story gave the book continuity and flow. And, I had my Shanghai map out the whole time:-).

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, but it didn't necessarily focus on the Shanghai ghetto quite as much as it could have. That story would have helped to bring all the characters together...which they do, but it seems like 200 pages of the book are involved in getting the characters to the ghetto and then you skip 5 years. An odd choice. Sometimes the author takes you on a weird tangent, but only for a few pages and then it's back to the story. The characters are interesting, I just wish we got to see more of them.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting fictionalization of an aspect of WWII I had no idea about. A tragic story with a beautiful atmosphere. I only wish the author or translator had been a little more explicit about what was fictionalized, and maybe provided some pointers to English-language sources. Though when I did a little poking around on the Internet, I didn't really come up with much.

There's a little discussion of the background here: http://www.cjss.org.cn/200706208.htm

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The description of this book is not accurate--there was no glamour and excess in the lives of the refugees who fled Nazi Germany to Shanghai. Wagenstein weaves fact and fiction into a fascinating drama focusing on three main characters and their struggles to stay alive.

The language is poetic--a tribute to the translators (from Bulgarian).

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads as though it was written for film. I think it would have fared better as a screenplay. However, I tend to read books about places I've recently visited, so this book held my interest and exposed a part of WWII history that I was unaware of... particularly the plight of Jews in Japanese/German-occupied Shanghai.

[Brenda Hawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different twist to World War II books about the persecution of Jews. This time in Shanghai where many of them fled in the late 1930s as it was the only open city where they could go. Interesting historical information as well as tragic consequences for many of the characters. Written in a literary style which is quite readable.