Shanghai Forever Lost: A Biography of My Grandmother and Mother

First edition. Originally published under the Chinese title 《上海浮生若梦》, this work was later revised and republished as 《浮生上海》. Explore the revised edition →

Drawing on the true stories of her grandmother and mother, Sonia Hu traces two women’s lives from 1920s Shanghai to 1950s Beijing. Family recollections and historical photographs preserve experiences of war, political change and personal tragedy.

At its center is the bond between mother and daughter: complicated, enduring and shaped by circumstances beyond their control. This work of oral history connects intimate family experience with a wider account of modern China, making the changing city and its people visible through their memories.