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Shanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
This captivating book, Shanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today by Liu Heung Shing and Karen Smith, chronicles the transformation of Shanghai from its early days in 1842 to the vibrant metropolis it is today. Through an extensive collection of photographs, it offers a visual exploration of Shanghai's social, cultural, and architectural evolution over more than a century, capturing the city's dynamic spirit and pivotal historical moments. Ideal for enthusiasts of travel and adventure, this book provides a compelling insight into Shanghai's unique history and development.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$7000
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you have a keen interest in the visual history and cultural evolution of Shanghai from 1842 to the present day. Through compelling photographs, it captures the transformation of this vibrant city, offering insights into its rich heritage and dynamic changes over time. Perfect for those passionate about travel, adventure, and historical exploration.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Over the intervening 160 years, Shanghai has been shaped by outside forces - foreign concessions, Japanese invasions, the arrival of the Communists and the cult of Mao, they have all played their part in sculpting today's Shanghai. This is a visual history that tells the story of modern China.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The modern city of Shanghai rose up from truly 'muddy' origins, both in the soft subsoil its foundations were built upon and its early economy based on a trade in opium, or 'foreign mud'. Forced open to the British by the unequal Treaty of Nanking in 1842, Shanghai did what it does best—it beat the odds to become a 'bawdy and gaudy' metropolis that, 168 years later, commands a place in the contemporary imagination unlike any other city.

Despite civil war, invasion, revolution, and famine, Shanghai has continued to be a byword for style, culture, business, and opportunity, leading the way for China's ongoing boom.

Shanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today unravels the origins of today's Shanghai, exploring the forces that shaped the city through rare archive photographs, images from private collections, and original commissions from the world's top contemporary photographers. This is the story of China—told through the prism of the country's most international city.

With a foreword by Paul French.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Shanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today by Liu Heung Shing and Karen Smith is praised for its compelling visual storytelling, capturing the evolution of Shanghai over nearly two centuries. Reviewers appreciate the carefully curated images and insightful text that together offer a vivid narrative, making it a valuable resource for those interested in Shanghai's rich history and transformation. The book is often highlighted for its depth and ability to evoke the city's dynamic spirit through a blend of historical and contemporary perspectives.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780670080908

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 May 2011

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Viking

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 257.0mm

Height: 341.0mm

Weight: 2925g

Pages: 504

About the Author

Liu Heung Shing was born in Hong Kong in 1951. He began his career as a photojournalist covering the death of Chairman Mao Zedong in 1976. He was the first Chinese person to win a Pulitzer Prize, for his coverage of the collapse of the USSR. Liu is the author of China After Mao (Penguin, 1982), USSR: Collapse of an Empire (Associated Press, 1992), and editor of China, Portrait of a Country (Taschen, 2008). He has been named as one of the 100 most influential figures in contemporary history by Photo magazine. Karen Smith is the foremost authority on contemporary Chinese art, and is an art historian, curator, and collector. She was the curator of many high profile exhibitions, including The Real Thing (Tate Liverpool, 2007) and Chinese Photography and Video (Kunstmuseum, Wolfsburg). Smith is the author of Nine Lives: The Birth of Avant-Garde Art in New China (Scalo, 2006). She lives in Beijing, where she is involved in numerous philanthropic projects.

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