Up the Creek Book Club

The Distant Land of My Father

by Bo Caldwell

March 2005

Synopsis

"Anna, the narrator of this riveting first novel, lives in a storybook world: exotic pre-World War II Shanghai, with handsome young parents, wealth, and comfort. Her father, the son of missionaries, leads a charmed and secretive life, though his greatest joy is sharing his beloved city with his only daughter. Yet when Anna and her mother flee Japanese-occupied Shanghai to return to California, he stays behind, believing his connections and a little bit of luck will keep him safe."

"Through Anna's memories and her father's journals we learn of his fall from charismatic millionaire to tortured prisoner, in a story of betrayal and reconciliation that spans two continents. The Distant Land of My Father, a breathtaking and richly lyrical debut, unfolds to reveal an enduring family love through tragic circumstances." (Publisher)

Book Club Rating and Comments

This was an interesting book that everyone liked. The narrative done through Anna was the strongest. Overall, we would highly recommend it.

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