The Worlds of Victor Sassoon
Bombay, London, Shanghai, 1918–1941
Format:Hardback
Publisher:The University of Chicago Press
Published:12th Aug '24
Should be back in stock very soon
Exploring urban life in the 1920s and 1930s, The Worlds of Victor Sassoon chronicles the journey of a business tycoon amid global transformation.
In The Worlds of Victor Sassoon, historian Rosemary Wakeman delves into the vibrant urban landscapes of Bombay, London, and Shanghai during the 1920s and 1930s. These cities, bustling with activity, served as pivotal points in a rapidly globalizing world. Wakeman vividly depicts the crowded streets, flourishing markets, and busy ports that characterized this transformative era. Through her narrative, readers are transported to a time when commerce and culture were inextricably linked, shaping the lives of those who inhabited these metropolises.
The life of Victor Sassoon, a prominent business tycoon, serves as the lens through which Wakeman examines the broader societal changes occurring in these cities. Gaining control of his family’s trading and banking empire in 1924, Sassoon's journey reflects the ambitions and challenges faced by those navigating the complexities of a global economy. As he moves between Bombay, London, and Shanghai, the narrative explores not only his successes but also the intricate web of relationships and power dynamics that defined this era.
Ultimately, The Worlds of Victor Sassoon offers a comprehensive view of wealth, cosmopolitanism, and leisure, while also addressing the darker aspects of this period, including discrimination and exploitation. By intertwining Sassoon's story with the historical context of these cities, Wakeman presents a multifaceted portrait of a world increasingly driven by capital and its consequences.
“Wakeman is a historian at the top of her game. From the career of the international businessman Victor Sassoon between the world wars, she spins a tale of three cities and the myriad networks of trade, finance, and society that connected them. Mixing urban history, business history, and biography, this book is at once a story of empire and wealth as well as one of migration, poverty, strikes, and war. If you are looking for an imaginative take on global urban history, this is a wonderful place to start.” * Simon Gunn, author of Automobility and the City in Twentieth-Century Britain and Japan *
“Following the life of Victor Sassoon, this engaging and accessible book successfully argues that the interwar period in the first decade of the twentieth century was when large cities around the world became intricately connected through the circulation of global capital.” * Toby Lincoln, author of An Urban History of China *
“Wakeman brings imperial economic history to life, interweaving brilliant cultural analysis with lively stories of men, money, and markets. The result is a tour de force of global urban history during the interwar period.” * Lynn Hollen Lees, author of Planting Empire, Cultivating Subjects *
ISBN: 9780226834184
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 23mm
Weight: 481g
264 pages