When We Were OrphansFrom the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of the Booker Prize–winning novel The Remains of the Day comes this stunning work of soaring imagination. Born in early twentieth-century Shanghai, Banks was orphaned at the age of nine after the separate disappearances of his parents. Now, more than twenty years later, he is a celebrated figure in London society; yet the investigative expertise that has garnered him fame has done little to illuminate the circumstances of his parents' alleged kidnappings. Banks travels to the seething, labyrinthine city of his memory in hopes of solving the mystery of his own painful past, only to find that war is ravaging Shanghai beyond recognition—and that his own recollections are proving as difficult to trust as the people around him. Masterful, suspenseful and psychologically acute, When We Were Orphans offers a profound meditation on the shifting quality of memory, and the possibility of avenging one’s past. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 42
Page
... smiling . " I have one or two things in mind . I'll let you know in good time . " “ What have you got up your sleeve ? Come on , out with it ! I'll get it out of you yet ! " But I revealed nothing to him , and before long got him ...
... smiling . " I have one or two things in mind . I'll let you know in good time . " “ What have you got up your sleeve ? Come on , out with it ! I'll get it out of you yet ! " But I revealed nothing to him , and before long got him ...
Page
... smile that might in an instant turn it into a sneer . A slight crouch around her shoulders , like that of a bird of prey , gave her posture a suggestion of scheming . Above all , I noticed a certain quality around her eyes - a kind of ...
... smile that might in an instant turn it into a sneer . A slight crouch around her shoulders , like that of a bird of prey , gave her posture a suggestion of scheming . Above all , I noticed a certain quality around her eyes - a kind of ...
Page
... smile as before , but did not break her stride . For just a second , her gaze fell on me , but almost instantly — before I could so much as smile - she had dismissed me from her mind and was making her way towards someone she had ...
... smile as before , but did not break her stride . For just a second , her gaze fell on me , but almost instantly — before I could so much as smile - she had dismissed me from her mind and was making her way towards someone she had ...
Page
... and shabbier than the figure from my boyhood. He was standing there in a mackintosh, regarding me shyly, and only when I exclaimed: “Ah, Colonel!” did he smile and hold out his hand. " How are you , my boy ? I was Chapter 2.
... and shabbier than the figure from my boyhood. He was standing there in a mackintosh, regarding me shyly, and only when I exclaimed: “Ah, Colonel!” did he smile and hold out his hand. " How are you , my boy ? I was Chapter 2.
Page
... smiling at me, patting my shoulder, nudging me and winking. Once he offered me a cup of tea, saying: “Now, Christopher, this will cheer you up,” and had bent right down to peer at me as I had taken it. After that came more murmuring and ...
... smiling at me, patting my shoulder, nudging me and winking. Once he offered me a cup of tea, saying: “Now, Christopher, this will cheer you up,” and had bent right down to peer at me as I had taken it. After that came more murmuring and ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
afternoon Akira asked Banks began believe Chapei Charingworth Chiang Kai-shek Chinese Christopher Christopher Banks colonel course crowd dark detectives door eventually eyes face fact father feel felt followed gave gazing gramophone records Grayson guests hand happened hear heard Inspector Kung Ishiguro Kazuo Japan Japanese Jardine Matheson Jennifer Kazuo Ishiguro knew lady laugh lieutenant Ling Tien looked Macao MacDonald Mei Li Miss Givens Miss Hemmings morning mother move Nanking never night old chap once opium Osbourne parents perhaps Puffin realised remember Sarah Hemmings Shanghai silent simply Sir Cecil sitting smile soldiers someone sorry sort standing staring step stopped suddenly suppose sure talking taxicab tell things thought took trying turned Uncle Philip voice waiting walking wall Wang window wish wonder words worry Yeh Chen Yellow Snake young