
City of Devils
The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai
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Narrated by:
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Paul Chan
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By:
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Paul French
About this listen
From Paul French, New York Times best-selling author of Midnight in Peking - winner of both the Edgar Award for best fact crime and the CWA Gold Dagger for nonfiction - comes a rags-to-riches tale of two self-made men set against a backdrop of crime and vice in the sprawling badlands of Shanghai. City of Devils is a dynamic audiobook that will captivate listeners everywhere.
Shanghai, 1930s; it was a haven for outlaws from all over the world: a place where pasts could be forgotten, fascism and communism outrun, names invented, and fortunes made - and lost. “Lucky” Jack Riley was the most notorious of those outlaws. An ex-US Navy boxing champion, he escaped from prison and rose to become the Slots King of Shanghai.
“Dapper” Joe Farren - a Jewish boy who fled Vienna’s ghetto - ruled the nightclubs. His chorus lines rivaled Ziegfeld’s. In 1940, Lucky Jack and Dapper Joe bestrode the Shanghai Badlands like kings while all around the Solitary Island was poverty, starvation, and war. They thought they ruled Shanghai, but the city had other ideas.
This is the story of their rise to power, their downfall, and the trail of destruction left in their wake. Shanghai was their playground for a flickering few years, a city where for a fleeting moment even the wildest dreams could come true.
©2018 Paul French (P)2018 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Nevertheless, if you are not too worried about the complete accuracy and if you are looking for an entertaining listen, this is your next audiobook. Shanghai of the 1920's and 30's is a fascinating place and for fans of pulp and noir, it checks all the boxes.
Captivating
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Fascinating Story
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Good research and writing
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Great book
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Vivid!
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Highly recommended, especially if one follows up with works of the same spirit, such as Kenneth Anger's, "Hollywood Babylon", and Alex Garland's, "The Beach". Outstanding and unforgettable.
One of my favorite books
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Thought this would be more engaging...
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Mesmerizing look at Old Shanghai
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The characterization
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Very hard to listen to
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