A Novel of Old Shanghai: In Conversation with Weina Dai Randel, by Susan Blumberg-Kason

Interviews   Weina Dai Randel burst onto the literary scene a number of years ago with her duology about Empress Wu Zetian, China’s first woman leader. After winning the prestigious Rita Award in 2017 and seeing her novels translated into seven languages, she is back now with a new historical novel set in 1940s Shanghai. Keeping with her love of strong women characters, her new book, The Last Rose of Shanghai, centers on a nightclub owner named Aiyi Shao who falls for a Jewish refugee who had recently escaped Nazi Germany. Through their love of jazz, they develop a forbidden bond set during one of Shanghai’s most volatile and exciting eras. Randel is the first Chinese American author to write about Shanghai Jewish refugees, although there have been dozens of memoirs, narratives, and novels about this phenomenon from Jewish authors. We recently spoke over Zoom about what made Shanghai so special and why it matters now, along with the reasons Jews escaped to Shanghai during World War II and how Chinese and Jewish traditions are so similar. Susan Blumberg-Kason: It seems that the popularity of 1930s and ’40s Shanghai rose both in China and the US about twenty-five years ago. Can you talk about the appeal of this time and why it’s so special, both to people in the US and China? Weina Dai Randel: I think many aspects of Old Shanghai appeal to us today. From the late 1920s to the early 1940s, the period of Old Shanghai was a symbol of... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2022-01-20 14:33:49 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2019: Broadening the Conversation

The notion of “Giving a Voice to the Voiceless” lends itself to a range of interpretations. At today’s stage event of the same name, a range of authors and illustrators will talk about how that guided them in their most recent books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2019: Greg Garrett Explains Why Conversation Matters

In 'In Conversation: Rowan Williams and Greg Garrett' (Church Publishing, May), Greg Garrett discusses faith, politics, art, writing, and culture with Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Susan Orlean talks ‘The Library Book’ on first day of L.A. Times Festival of Books

Susan Orlean cracked open her book and bent toward the microphone. “Covers burst like popcorn,” she said, reading from her book about the mysterious 1986 fire at downtown L.A.’s Central Library. “Pages flared and blackened and then sprang away from their bindings, a ream of sooty scraps soaring... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurter Buchmesse Stages a Conversation on AI During SXSW

Taking a talk to Texas, the Frankfurter Buchmesse's Holger Volland will be in conversation with Martina Mara of the Austrian Council on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence during SXSW on March 10. The post Frankfurter Buchmesse Stages a Conversation on AI During SXSW appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tributes paid to Morrow Secrets author Susan McNally

Susan McNally, author of The Morrow Secrets trilogy, has died at the age of 64.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Conversation Series Gets Cable TV Debut

Live Talk Los Angeles has launched on Spectrum Networks, turning an author event series into a weekly primetime TV show for 1.8 million subscribers in Southern California. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The 2018 Shanghai Children's Book Fair in Photos

The sixth edition of the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair, which concluded its run on November 11, hosted 367 exhibitors (of which 160 came from overseas), 33,796 visitors, and 237 events. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Perspectives from Two Digital Players at the Shanghai Children's Book Fair

The presence of EdTech companies, especially those merging technology with English-language learning, was noticeable at the recently concluded China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair, held November 9–11. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marine, novelist, dad: a conversation with Elliot Ackerman

Three-time novelist Elliot Ackerman's latest book, "Waiting for Eden," explores the multiple dimensions of veterans’ lives after war, and what it means to love someone despite limitations and challenges. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2018-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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STEM the star for British lists in Shanghai

British publishers experienced “extraordinary” interest in their titles at last week’s Shanghai International Book Fair, with Chinese buyers particularly interested in picture books and science titles. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shanghai Children’s Book Fair Looks to Capitalize on Growing Market

With sales of children's books in China up 14% in the first nine months of 2018, attendees at this year's fair see more opportunities for deal-making. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Italy in China: Bologna Children’s Book Fair Co-Organizes Shanghai’s Fair

The China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair opens Friday under new production arrangements–after Reed's departure–with BolognaFiere as a co-organizer. The post Italy in China: Bologna Children’s Book Fair Co-Organizes Shanghai’s Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-11-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shanghai’s Children’s Fair Gets the Bologna Treatment

Starting this year, BolognaFiere is signing on as the new co-organizer for the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair; the event will run from November 9 to 11, hosting more than 350 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Susan Moldow to Retire from S&S

The president of the Scribner Publishing Group and publisher of Touchstone will retire at the end of the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Liverpool University Press partners with The Conversation

Liverpool University Press has become the inaugural university press partner of The Conversation UK, an independent source of news and views sourced from university academics and researchers and delivered direct to the public, in a partnership LUP is calling the first of its kind. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Latest Omarosa Recording Proves Trump Campaign Duo Lied About “N-Word Tape” Conversation

Continuing her book tour, Omarosa Manigault Newman released an audio recording on Tuesday of former Trump campaign aides discussing the possible existence of a Trump “N-word tape” and how the campaign would respond if it were released. The recording itself did not shed any light on whether the... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2018-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'What We Were Promised' depicts post-Mao China in a deft debut novel set in Shanghai

'What We Were Promised' depicts post-Mao China in a deft debut novel set in Shanghai Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2018-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kamila Shamsie Joins Susan Hill in Judging the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award

Fresh from her win of this year's Women's Prize for Fiction, Kamila Shamsie is joining Susan Hill and Andrew Holgate in judging the Young Writer of the Year prize. The post Kamila Shamsie Joins Susan Hill in Judging the Sunday Times/PFD Young Writer of the Year Award appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Resident Evil and Sony Led E3 Conversations on Facebook

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) took place this week in Los Angeles. Now that the conference is over, Facebook revealed the most discussed games and publishers on Facebook and Instagram from June 9-14. On Facebook, the top five countries who talked about E3, as well as the major games and... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DC Comics Launches New DC Black Label Imprint, Plus a Conversation with Sean Murphy

All-star writers Frank Miller, Scott Snyder, Brian Azzarello, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Greg Rucka, and John Ridley join DC Black Label with their ultimate takes on modern superhero storytelling, bringing edgy and provocative standalone stories to the legends of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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