My American Cousin

Last weekend I received a forwarded message from my mother, about my cousin Greg’s book, which is soon to be out in print.

I haven't seen my cousin Greg since 1977, when my family and I went to visit them in Connecticut.

Like the movie, My American Cousin Greg represented everything, for me, that was hip and cool about growing up. Although we are a lot closer in age than the protagonists in the movie, Greg had a 1967 Mustang convertible. Which I remember as being red with cream seats. Going for a ride in his car fulfilled one of my teenaged fantasies.

Greg, spent three years and six months researching and writing his book. It is about the lives of the Old China Hands who came to China on ships at the beginning of the last century . Our grand father, Oliver Hall, was born in England. He arrived in China in 1910. While working for the Chinese Maritime Customs, CMC, he met a Chinese women, my grandmother whom he married, and together they had eight children. My father, Tom Hall, was the fourth child.

Greg’s book The Japanese Internment of Allied Civilians in China and Hong Kong, 1941-1945 documents my families lives in China with particular emphasis on the time they spent in Japanese internment camps during the war as well as going into a lot of the history of that time.

For me my cousins book is a piece of family history. The photos and stories about my grandparents, uncles and aunts are memories I treasure and want to pass on to my own children. I'm looking forward to reading his book.

If you are a grandchild or child of an Old China Hand I urge you to take a look at Gregs website