Shanghai Boy

The autobiography of Ron Ratcliffe, a western boy growing up in Shanghai. It begins in the 1880s with the arrival of his grandfather in the mysteri-ous and fascinating city of Shanghai. He records tales of the adventures of his grandfather, an ’old hand’ in the East, of Ronny’s own travels on the great ocean liners, his journey across the USA, and later, during the early stages of World War Two, across the USSR on the Trans Siberian railway. It tells of his beautiful mother who performed on the now notorious German owned radio station, XGRS, and of his own thrills and spills as a half German, half English child/adolescent during the pre-war, world war and post-war periods in China. Through all these adventures and humorous tales of his early life, Ronny gives timely and priceless insights into the events, philosophy and politics of a tumultuous era. He holds a spotlight on a time and place few have ever experienced but which many would love to know, his family thinks his story too good not to share.