Book Talk: The Last Kings of Shanghai

"The Last Kings of Shanghai: The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China" traces the remarkable legacies of the Sassoons and the Kadoories, two Jewish families who stood astride Chinese business and politics, particularly in Shanghai and Hong Kong, over the past 175 years. Drawing on his extensive experience reporting on China, Professor Kaufman shared his thoughts with YCW on how the two families shaped the DNA of Shanghai and Hong Kong, and how their histories contributed to China's current geopolitical development.

Moderator: Neville Lai (Young China Watchers)

About Young China Watchers:
Young China Watchers is a dynamic network of China-focused young professionals. Through regular roundtables and talks with senior figures in academic, policy and business communities, YCW seeks to foster the next generation of China thought-leaders.

About Jonathan Kaufman:
Jonathan Kaufman is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, editor, and author who currently serves as Professor and Director of Northeastern University's School of Journalism. Prior to joining Northeastern, he held senior positions at Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe. Kaufman is the author of "The Last Kings of Shanghai" (Viking), a history of two families – the Sassoons and the Kadoories – who stood astride Chinese business and politics for the past 150 years and have shaped the rise of modern China. He is also the author of "A Hole in the Heart of the World: Being Jewish in Eastern Europe" and "Broken Alliance: The Turbulent Times Between Blacks and Jews in America," which won the National Jewish Book Award. He received his BA in English from Yale University and an MA in Regional Studies–East Asia from Harvard University.

Cover image courtesy of: Flickr Creative Commons
Webinar edited by: Sam Colombie
Music by: Blue Dot Sessions