City of Devils: The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai

Paul French

City of Devils: The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Picador USA
Country
Published
2 July 2019
Pages
336
ISBN
9781250170590

City of Devils: The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai

Paul French

Now one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of the Year

From Paul French, the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Peking–winner of both the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime and the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction–comes City of Devils, a rags-to-riches tale of two self-made men set against a backdrop of crime and vice in the sprawling badlands of Shanghai.

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-U.S. 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.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 2 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.