September 7, 2022, 7:15 pm - 8:45 pm
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“The Last Rose of Shanghai,” by Weina Dai Randel, is unlike other WWII-era novel. Set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai, it brings to life the little-known history of Jewish refugees desperately seeking shelter in the city. Had Shanghai not taken in nearly twenty thousand Jews, an untold number of them may not have survived the war.
It’s against this backdrop that a heart-wrenching love story plays out. Aiyi, a wealthy young Chinese woman, and Ernest, a Jewish jazz pianist, fall hopelessly in love. The stakes couldn’t be higher. From vastly different backgrounds, they must hide their relationship from their families and the authorities. As the horrors of war close in on them, they find themselves trapped—both by their respective cultures and by their enemies.
Desperate to survive, they have to make impossible choices. No matter what Aiyi and Ernest choose, there will be loss. But we also see what they gain as they fight for survival. We see their hope—not just to reunite, but for a better world.
Our evening begins with a brown bag dinner at 6:00 p.m. on the patio followed by a book discussion in the library and on Zoom.
RSVP to Debbie Herman.
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/
Zoom Call in: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York), Meeting ID: 864 5285 5779
