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The Suitcase: The Life and Times of Captain X
The Suitcase is a tour-de-force, an imagining of the autobiography of an opportunistic Czech playboy, who avoided legal troubles and subsequently, the Holocaust by moving to Shanghai. There, he joined the fight against fascism, and later continued that struggle in London while his family was murdered in the camps. This narrative, written in the style of a bygone era, will transport readers to a world far different, yet eerily similar to that of the 21st century.
This is the true story of Vladimír George Taussig, a veteran of the Great War whose unfortunate decisions in his native Prague forced him to flee to Shanghai where he fell in with high society—until the Japanese invasion, the beginning of World War II, encroached on the Shanghailanders’ rollicking lifestyle. On the other side of the world, his family’s lives began to disintegrate when Czechoslovakia was occupied and the horrors of the war reached their doorstep.
From dancing on Shanghai’s Bund, to mingling with radio stars in New York City, to speaking out against fascism across Britain, this tale, pieced together from Taussig’s letters and other memorabilia, is one of passion and tenacity, weakness and courage, impropriety and decency, lies and truths, exclusion and tolerance, and life and death.
This is the true story of Vladimír George Taussig, a veteran of the Great War whose unfortunate decisions in his native Prague forced him to flee to Shanghai where he fell in with high society—until the Japanese invasion, the beginning of World War II, encroached on the Shanghailanders’ rollicking lifestyle. On the other side of the world, his family’s lives began to disintegrate when Czechoslovakia was occupied and the horrors of the war reached their doorstep.
From dancing on Shanghai’s Bund, to mingling with radio stars in New York City, to speaking out against fascism across Britain, this tale, pieced together from Taussig’s letters and other memorabilia, is one of passion and tenacity, weakness and courage, impropriety and decency, lies and truths, exclusion and tolerance, and life and death.
504 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2023
3 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 21, 2023
The Suitcase is a gripping story of the fascinating life of Vladimir Taussig
The Suitcase is a departure from the typical Sci-Fi and Fantasy books I read, and I couldn't have been more surprised how much I enjoyed it!
Vladimir's story, his personality, his code of morals, and the incredible situations he lived through grabbed my attention from the first page.
The Suitcase takes you on a wild ride that follows Vladimir's journey and reads kind of like The Great Gatsby set in pre WWII Shanghai, ending up with a more Schindler's List feel towards the end of the book. The people, places, and events are all historically accurate which only made it more fascinating as I frequently went on internet searches to read more about them.
The Suitcase is clearly a labor of love from the authors. The exhaustively researched history blends perfectly with a compelling narrative and endearing dialogue. The whole book made me feel a personal connection to Vladimir and had me rooting for him the entire way. He lived four separate lives that were each more interesting than most people will ever live and it was fascinating to read about and experience through this book.
The Suitcase is a departure from the typical Sci-Fi and Fantasy books I read, and I couldn't have been more surprised how much I enjoyed it!
Vladimir's story, his personality, his code of morals, and the incredible situations he lived through grabbed my attention from the first page.
The Suitcase takes you on a wild ride that follows Vladimir's journey and reads kind of like The Great Gatsby set in pre WWII Shanghai, ending up with a more Schindler's List feel towards the end of the book. The people, places, and events are all historically accurate which only made it more fascinating as I frequently went on internet searches to read more about them.
The Suitcase is clearly a labor of love from the authors. The exhaustively researched history blends perfectly with a compelling narrative and endearing dialogue. The whole book made me feel a personal connection to Vladimir and had me rooting for him the entire way. He lived four separate lives that were each more interesting than most people will ever live and it was fascinating to read about and experience through this book.
July 20, 2023
I could not put The Suitcase down! Vlad's journey to escape persecution led him on many adventures around the world. 1 part history, 1 part travel journal, and 1 part biography, is the perfect mixture for an excellent read. Vlad was both flawed and hero, and at the end of the day when he found himself in upstate New York years later he was a loving and protective dad of two daughters. I laughed, I cried, and I celebrated his personal victories. The Suitcase: The Life and Times of Captain X is a must read!!!
March 15, 2023
The Suitcase by Lauren Housman & Deborah Taussig-Boehner is fantastic. Full stop.
Set in the 1920s and 1930s, and spanning through the Second World War, this novel is a powerful and poignant story that captures the essence of a tumultuous era, but in a way that isn't as commonly written about. The majority of books of the WWII era focus on the European theater or the Pacific theater (at least the ones that I've read), whereas The Suitcase deals with what was happening in China and Czechoslovakia in the years leading up to and during WWII, as well as what was happening in Britain during the later days of the war.
And it's all true! The Suitcase is based on the contents of a suitcase left by Deborah Taussig-Boehner's grandfather and all of the trials and tribulations he encountered in his journeys across countries and continents.
What makes this novel truly exceptional is its meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy. Lauren Houseman has clearly done her research, and the result is a rich and immersive portrayal of life in Shanghai, Czechoslovakia, Britain, and America during the pre-WWII and WWII era. The descriptions of the fashion, music, and culture of the time are vivid and engaging, and transported me to another time and place. I often found myself taking little mini-research trips myself, checking out various celebrities and musicians of the time that I almost certainly wouldn't have encountered otherwise.
Juxtapose all of this with the fact that the main character, Vladimír George Taussig, was Jewish in WWII?
In many ways, The Suitcase can be compared to classic novels set in the same era, such as The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye. It has that same timeless quality that captures the essence of an era and the human experience in a way that resonates with readers of all ages.
Overall, The Suitcase is both engaging and thought-provoking. Houseman and Taussig-Boehner have created a world that is both familiar and foreign, and the result is a story that is both timeless and timely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, as well as those who are simply looking for a great story to get lost in.
Set in the 1920s and 1930s, and spanning through the Second World War, this novel is a powerful and poignant story that captures the essence of a tumultuous era, but in a way that isn't as commonly written about. The majority of books of the WWII era focus on the European theater or the Pacific theater (at least the ones that I've read), whereas The Suitcase deals with what was happening in China and Czechoslovakia in the years leading up to and during WWII, as well as what was happening in Britain during the later days of the war.
And it's all true! The Suitcase is based on the contents of a suitcase left by Deborah Taussig-Boehner's grandfather and all of the trials and tribulations he encountered in his journeys across countries and continents.
What makes this novel truly exceptional is its meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy. Lauren Houseman has clearly done her research, and the result is a rich and immersive portrayal of life in Shanghai, Czechoslovakia, Britain, and America during the pre-WWII and WWII era. The descriptions of the fashion, music, and culture of the time are vivid and engaging, and transported me to another time and place. I often found myself taking little mini-research trips myself, checking out various celebrities and musicians of the time that I almost certainly wouldn't have encountered otherwise.
Juxtapose all of this with the fact that the main character, Vladimír George Taussig, was Jewish in WWII?
In many ways, The Suitcase can be compared to classic novels set in the same era, such as The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye. It has that same timeless quality that captures the essence of an era and the human experience in a way that resonates with readers of all ages.
Overall, The Suitcase is both engaging and thought-provoking. Houseman and Taussig-Boehner have created a world that is both familiar and foreign, and the result is a story that is both timeless and timely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, as well as those who are simply looking for a great story to get lost in.
February 20, 2023
Imagine delving into a suitcase of memorabilia kept by your father and finding out, long after his death, that he lived through an incredible adventure in his younger years. That is the story of The Suitcase. Although written as a novel, The Suitcase is about a real person, Vladimir Taussig, and his family, all Czechoslovakian Jews, during WWII. It takes place around the globe: Prague, Shanghai, New York City, London, and the concentration camps of WWII Poland. Through meticulous tracing of the articles, letters, photographs, etc, in the real-life suitcase and years of research on the times and places involved, the authors, Deborah Taussig-Boehner and Lauren Housman, have managed to piece together a narrative that immerses the reader in the time and locations where the story takes place. The authors describe the lavish ballrooms and decadent lives of the European and American elite in Shanghai with stunning detail, making you feel as if you've stood in those places, overheard the conversations, and navigated the streets. They portray the ever-shrinking, progressively brutal spaces inhabited by the Taussig family left in Czechoslovakia (and later Poland) with equal artistry, highlighting the horrors faced by European Jews in the second World War through the personal stories of several Taussig family members. If you’d enjoy a novel about a very colorful individual set against a historical backdrop that is masterfully rendered, The Suitcase is for you!
February 21, 2023
Loved this book.
The story is about Vladimir Taussig's trials and tribulations in Czechoslovakia and his escape to Shanghai, China where he joined high society until WWII officially broke out and the Japanese invaded Shanghai. After finding a clever way to flee Shanghai, he made his way to London and eventually made it to the United States where he started his family.
The entire story was pieced together by the authors from an old tattered suitcase that belonged to Taussig filled with letters, newspaper clippings, photos, matchboxes and other mementos from his epic journey.
I read the authors spent over a decade piecing together the entire story and confirming everything with public records as much as was possible. The size of the bibliography alone is testament to the amount of work put into this book!
If you enjoy WWII era history or just want to read a thrilling, well-written and historically accurate story, I'd highly recommend you check out The Suitcase.
The story is about Vladimir Taussig's trials and tribulations in Czechoslovakia and his escape to Shanghai, China where he joined high society until WWII officially broke out and the Japanese invaded Shanghai. After finding a clever way to flee Shanghai, he made his way to London and eventually made it to the United States where he started his family.
The entire story was pieced together by the authors from an old tattered suitcase that belonged to Taussig filled with letters, newspaper clippings, photos, matchboxes and other mementos from his epic journey.
I read the authors spent over a decade piecing together the entire story and confirming everything with public records as much as was possible. The size of the bibliography alone is testament to the amount of work put into this book!
If you enjoy WWII era history or just want to read a thrilling, well-written and historically accurate story, I'd highly recommend you check out The Suitcase.
February 26, 2023
A to je ta krásná země, země česká domov můj, země česká domov můj!
This biographical look at Great War veteran and Czech playboy Captain Vladimír George Taussig’s life as he traveled from Czechoslovakia to Shanghai, and from there to England and America, fighting and speaking out against fascism, reads as part autobiography, part history book, with a follow up on known acquaintances and bibliography at the end.
Some parts may be distressing: the invasion of Shanghai by the Japanese, as witnessed by Taussig; and the invasion, transport, and eventual deaths of Taussig’s family at the hands of the Nazis in Terezín ghetto and Auschwitz-Birkenau.
If any part of history, WWII especially, interests you, please pick up this book. It was written with great care and research. Lauren and Taussig’s daughter Deborah have poured their hearts into telling Vlada’s story, and you can tell with every page. 5★
This biographical look at Great War veteran and Czech playboy Captain Vladimír George Taussig’s life as he traveled from Czechoslovakia to Shanghai, and from there to England and America, fighting and speaking out against fascism, reads as part autobiography, part history book, with a follow up on known acquaintances and bibliography at the end.
Some parts may be distressing: the invasion of Shanghai by the Japanese, as witnessed by Taussig; and the invasion, transport, and eventual deaths of Taussig’s family at the hands of the Nazis in Terezín ghetto and Auschwitz-Birkenau.
If any part of history, WWII especially, interests you, please pick up this book. It was written with great care and research. Lauren and Taussig’s daughter Deborah have poured their hearts into telling Vlada’s story, and you can tell with every page. 5★
February 21, 2023
What an amazing journey The Suitcase provides for its readers. It’s a must read for history buffs, genealogists, and anyone who loves a great story!
From Prague to Shanghai to London to New York City, The Suitcase tells the remarkable story of Vladimír George Taussig. The book reads like a novel, but it is not one. Taussig was real. He lived during the tumultuous years of WW2 and experienced the grandeur as well as the horror of the time. The authors’ incredible research uses authentic documents and accounts and includes rich details of times and places. This makes the narrative come alive through Vladimír’s own voice.
This is a powerful read about one man’s life journeys told by his daughter. I loved joining the journey!
From Prague to Shanghai to London to New York City, The Suitcase tells the remarkable story of Vladimír George Taussig. The book reads like a novel, but it is not one. Taussig was real. He lived during the tumultuous years of WW2 and experienced the grandeur as well as the horror of the time. The authors’ incredible research uses authentic documents and accounts and includes rich details of times and places. This makes the narrative come alive through Vladimír’s own voice.
This is a powerful read about one man’s life journeys told by his daughter. I loved joining the journey!
February 21, 2023
For the millions who trace their ancestry to eastern Europe, The Suitcase: The Life and Times of Captain X is a majestic sweeping tour of the monumental changes of the world told through the eyes of the charismatic Captain Vladimir Taussig.
With elements of Ian Fleming, John LeCarre, Herman Wouk and James Michener, first time authors Deborah Taussig-Boehner and Lauren Housman weave a masterful story in the genre of creative nonfiction. Based on the life of her father, Taussig-Boehner spent a decade meticulously reconstructing events spanning four decades and three continents. All fans of World War II history won’t be able to put down The Suitcase once they begin.
With elements of Ian Fleming, John LeCarre, Herman Wouk and James Michener, first time authors Deborah Taussig-Boehner and Lauren Housman weave a masterful story in the genre of creative nonfiction. Based on the life of her father, Taussig-Boehner spent a decade meticulously reconstructing events spanning four decades and three continents. All fans of World War II history won’t be able to put down The Suitcase once they begin.
February 21, 2023
What I wouldn't give to read a book like this about my own father or grandfather or great grandfather's life! To spin together an accurate, personal depiction of someone's life who lived through such momentous parts of history all over the world! In history class I was never taught about the effect of World War II on countries like Czechoslovakia or China and to hear an intimate retelling of events in the first person is thrilling! Captain X is better than a great character-- he was a real, full person, and this book portrays him truthfully and completely. Now I just want to dig through the actual suitcase!!
February 22, 2023
Riveting and captivating story
The Suitcase is a riveting true-life story that transports readers to the turbulent early twentieth century. The authors expertly bring Vladimr's story to life, evoking a bygone era and transporting readers to a fascinating and poignant time and place. This book captivates from start to finish with its story of ardor, bravery, and tenacity. A remarkable story of perseverance in the face of insurmountable adversity, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Highly recommended.
The Suitcase is a riveting true-life story that transports readers to the turbulent early twentieth century. The authors expertly bring Vladimr's story to life, evoking a bygone era and transporting readers to a fascinating and poignant time and place. This book captivates from start to finish with its story of ardor, bravery, and tenacity. A remarkable story of perseverance in the face of insurmountable adversity, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Highly recommended.
February 22, 2023
This true story had me hooked from the beginning. This tale, pieced together by a daughter who inherited her father’s suitcase full of memorabilia, led her on an amazing journey through so many aspects of his life! The history comes alive on the pages, as seen through the eyes of Vladimir. If you love history and colorful characters, you will love this book!
February 21, 2023
What a good book. Very engaging writing style that quickly transported me back in time to 1930s Shanghai. Loved reading from the first person perspective and viewing history through that lens. Recommend!
February 21, 2023
I honestly couldn’t put this book down. It was fascinating to read a story pieced together from a father’s collected memorabilia and writings. Factual history is woven throughout the narrative to keep the reader engaged in the story, while learning about the time and culture. It’s a must read!
July 3, 2024
Wow! This book is meticulously researched and paints a detailed portrait of a man's life during WWII and the Holocaust.
April 29, 2024
Totally captivating and compelling!!! A must read for anyone who loves history of WWII.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews