Expert Testimonials
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“Thrown Upon the World” tells a bitter truth that vividly depicts the damage inflicted on those forced into exile. The harshest truth of all is that not all who survived were ennobled by their suffering. Some were destroyed by it, and some destroyed others because of it.”
Michael Berenbaum
Professor of Jewish Studies at the American Jewish University -
"This richly written book is a true story about many of the side effects of WWII – the Nazi anti-Semitism, the flight of Jews to places of safety – Shanghai in this story, and the miscegenation resulting from loves cast on a sea of insecurity, and more and more."
Grady Harp
San Francisco Review of Books -
"This true family saga of war and betrayal is both epic and intimate, pulsing with unforgettable characters caught in the tumult of history. Impossible to put down, it is deeply moving, answering heartbreak with healing through the sheer power of storytelling. What more can be asked of a book?"
Nicole Mones
Author of Night in Shanghai, Lost in Translation, and The Last Chinese Chef
Reader Reviews
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A True Story of Family Love, Betrayal and Perseverance
"Everyone is aware of the horrors of the Holocaust... One little known fact is the tens of thousands who fled to China, mostly Shanghai....A must read for anyone who has had family or ancestors traumatically affected by historical events."
- Steve FL
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A Fantastic Read!
...I simply couldn't put it down! Written in an easy absorbing style, the reader is drawn very quickly into the trials and tribulations of the authors' grandparents' lives in one of the most turbulent times of the 20th century....
- Stephen Waxman
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Page Turner!
"Fascinating account of two families persecuted by different societies. One of the more interesting facets of this book, and there are many, is the cruelty that the Kolber family faced from people who were once their peers. This book illustrates a human side of the Holocaust which you will not get in most historical accounts..."
- Amazon Customer
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A Must Read for History Buffs
"This was a book that I didn't want to put down! It taught me so much history about the Jews who fled to Shanghai from persecution by the Nazis in Europe during World War II. I knew quite a bit of the history of the Nazi terror during the war but I was intrigued to learn about Japanese treatment of the Chinese during the war and even the presence of Nazis in China. I recommend this book without reservation!"
- Sherry K