Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao’s Revolution

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By Helen Zia

Published Jan. 18, 2019

Last Boat Out of Shanghai (Ballantine Books) traces the dramatic story of four young people who fled the city in the wake of the 1949 Communist Revolution. Seventy years later, journalist Helen Zia ’73 interviews these exiles about their decision to leave behind their life for uncertain futures in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States.

Paw in print

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PAW's July/August 2025 issue cover, featuring a photo of people dressed in orange and black, marching in the P-rade, and the headline: Reunions, Back in Orange & Black.
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July 2025

On the cover: Wilton Virgo ’00 and his classmates celebrate during the P-rade.