Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong

by Katie Gee Salisbury

“Enlightening, nuanced, and honest.”—Lisa SeeSet against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, this debut book celebrates Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star, to bring an unsung heroine to light and reclaim her place in cinema history.   Before Constance Wu, Sandra Oh, Awkwafina, or Lucy Liu, there was Anna May Wong. In her time, she was a legendary beauty, witty conversationalist, and fashion icon. Plucked from her family’s laundry business in Los Angeles, Anna May Wong rose to stardom in Douglas Fairbanks’s blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. Fans and the press clamored to see more of this unlikely actress, but when Hollywood repeatedly cast her in stereotypical roles, she headed abroad in protest.   Anna May starred in acclaimed films in Berlin, Paris, and London. She dazzled royalty and heads of state across several nations, leaving trails of suitors in her wake. She returned to challenge Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry’s blatant racism. She used her new stature to move away from her typecasting as the China doll or dragon lady, and worked to reshape Asian American representation in film.   Filled with stories of capricious directors and admiring costars, glamorous parties and far-flung love affairs, Not Your China Doll showcases the vibrant, radical life of a groundbreaking artist.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Memoir, Audiobook, Film, Historical

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 12, 2024

About the author

I'm the author of Not Your China Doll, a new biography of Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star. The idea for this book has lived in my head for more than a decade, so I'm overjoyed that it's finally completed and forthcoming from Dutton in March 2024!

My work has appeared in the New York Times, MSNBC, Vanity Fair, The Ringer, the Asian American Writers' Workshop, and elsewhere. I was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in 2021 and I gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” I also write the newsletter Half-Caste Woman.

A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California, I've now lived in NYC for going on 15 years—though most days I'm still California dreamin'. Not Your China Doll is my first book.

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my mom, a refugee and immigrant to the US, the first time she saw a movie cast that looked like her on screen was THE JOY LUCK CLUB in 1993. For me, it was CRAZY RICH ASIANS in 2018.

Embarrassingly enough, I didn't know about Anna until Gemma Chan emulated her at the MET Gala in 2021. I also didn't know about the Chinese Exclusion Act or Japanese Internment until I was an adult. American education, am I right?

There seem to be more and more books about Anna coming out, which I find fantastic. While I enjoyed parts of this, and learning about her life and struggles as a Chinese American woman and actor, parts I had to slog through.

While I am very excited that a biopic starring Gemma will be made, this book mistakenly lists her and others as Asian American, when they are not. This is an ARC. Hopefully that is changed upon publication.

Book pairing: DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton

[emma]

is there anything more interesting than old hollywood

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna May Wong is clearly having her moment with a novelization of her life story (The Brightest Star) and two major biographies (Daughter of the Dragon by Yunte Huang and this title) appearing within one year. I've had the fortune of reading both of the biographies, and they are certainly both worth your time. Not your China Doll is the more novelistic and warmer of the two accounts while Huang's account is a bit colder and academic and is as interested in contextual digressions (e.g. chinese laundries, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, expat life in China) as it is in Wong's story. Salisbury's account mostly sticks with the protagonist, but has a major (and worthwhile) digression regarding MGM's production of The Good Earth, which is notable for not casting Anna May Wong.

It's pretty clear that the author intends this book as a celebration of the life of an extraordinary woman who for at least her first thirty-five years made the very best use of her talents and allure that a racist system could accommodate. For the most part she is successful, but the what-might-have-beens still creep through to the reader, causing us to wonder how much Wong and the film-going public missed out on. And unfortunately, the chronological nature of biography still causes this story to end on a downbeat as we see Anna May Wong's very sad booze-laden last twenty years or so till her death in 1961, just before she was supposed to be in the movie version of The Flower Drum Song.

If you are intrigued by Anna May Wong, you won't go wrong with this book. But you should probably see some of her movies as well to truly understand her allure (unfortunately her films are rarely as good as she is in them). I recommend Piccadilly, Shanghai Express and Pavement Butterfly.

[Phillip Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comprehensive biography of actress Anna May Wong but a bit disjointed and overblown. Wong was born in Los Angeles to Chinese parents and she became a successful actress in the 1920s but her career was hampered by the Hollywood system that hesitated to use her to her full potential. There are countless examples of Wong losing parts because of her ethnicity, even when she was perfect for specific roles (most involved romantic interactions with Caucasian men, which of course was taboo. Wong was intelligent, elegant and stylish and made the most of her situation and garnered an impressive fan base. At almost 500 pages, the book is vastly overlong and suffers from needless extraneous details. Every co-worker or individual she comes into contact with is profiled at length. The author really goes overboard about the film "The Good Earth", a film that Wong was not even in, although it was unfortunate that she lost out on a role that seemed tailor-made for her. As Wong travels to China, her visit alternates with an exhausting, blow-by-blow account of the making of "The Good Earth". At times fascinating but a frustrating read as well.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

An illuminating and beautiful look at the life of Anna May Wong, Chinese-American movie star, trailblazer and fashion icon.

I love when books contextualize and place their subjects within the history of the times, which Salisbury does really, really well throughout Wong's illustrious lifetime, from her start as a teenage actress in the silent films of the 1920s through to an older start of the early 60s, when she passed away. Throughout these years, she challenged the racist attitudes of white Hollywood, was a world-wide star and featured in the French, British and German film and stage industries, toured China and did so very much more.

I'm glad she's finally been getting the recognition she deserves over the past few years.

[Darrian Warach · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Netgalley, and am unfortunately marking this as DNF. I really wanted to hear more about the dazzling life and struggles of Anna May Wong, however, instead this book seems to detail at great length the careers of her colleagues and describe (in detail) the plots of movies she was not cast in. Might pick this up again at some point, but for now could not finish it.

[Laura Birnbaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Painstakingly researched but not as well balanced - as a result we get a lot of Hollywood minutiae and name dropping at the expense of learning about Anna May Wong’s personal life and relationships. I didn’t come away feeling like I knew who she was as a person; still, I hadn’t heard of her before this book, and her story is definitely one worth telling.

[Jessie Edsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narrative of Anna May Wong is uniquely complex, as is often the case with individuals who have since departed our world. The recounting of their lives can vary significantly based on different perspectives. Anna May Wong's life is no different, and numerous biographies have attempted to capture it, each offering its own interpretation. In 'Not Your China Doll,' author Katie Gee Salisbury presents what I consider to be the definitive biography of Hollywood's pioneering Chinese movie star. The remarkable accuracy of this portrayal is attributed to the extensive research and meticulous attention to detail evident throughout the book.

As someone who is relatively new to the Anna May Wong fandom, having been acquainted with her existence only last year. I, (like seemingly all of her fans) were overtaken by her story, and strove to learn as much about her life as possible. 'Not Your China Doll' adeptly chronicles Anna May Wong's journey, starting from her early childhood and her inaugural role in 'The Red Lantern' to her first leading role in 'The Toll of the Sea.' The narrative extends through her experiences in Europe, China, and back to America, culminating in her passing. While fundamentally a compilation of primary and secondary sources on Anna May Wong, the book is so skillfully written that it doesn't feel like a mere aggregation of newspaper articles or journal entries. Instead, it immerses the reader in the unfolding of someone's life as if witnessed firsthand.

The book unflinchingly exposes the harsh realities of the discriminatory treatment faced by minorities during the first half of the 20th century. Racism was an unfortunate and pervasive aspect of daily life during that era, and even Anna May Wong's celebrity status did not inoculate her from its effects. At times I was beside myself reading about how children would encircle Wong and her sister Lulu, berating her as a "Chink" while slanting their eyes in a mocking manner. Or how Anna was invited to a country club by a friend, only to find out that it was strictly a "whites only" establishment, the owner of whom allowed Anna to stay, but forbid her from taking part in any of the club's activities. While these anecdotes were challenging to absorb, they are crucial in providing a contextual backdrop to Anna May Wong's time, fostering a greater appreciation for her resilience in the face of such adversity.

While the book serves as a rich repository of Anna May Wong's stories, some sections were less engaging, particularly when it delved into the lives of other individuals connected to Anna May Wong or events occurring at the time. Particularly some of the people she met in Europe, where entire paragraphs are spent in my opinion giving unnecessary details on their lives. Only for us to never hear about them again later on in the book except for maybe a passing mention.

While it's essential to provide context by exploring the people and circumstances that influenced Wong's life, these segments seemed to linger unnecessarily. For example, in the middle of the book, the author details how Anna May, disappointed after losing the role of O-Lan in 'The Good Earth,' embarks on a year-long vacation to China with her family. While this is a noteworthy aspect, the narrative then extends for the next couple of chapters, delving into the production of 'The Good Earth,' which, despite its significance in Wong's life, seemed unrelated and somewhat slowed down an otherwise cohesive storyline.

In contrast, consider the earlier chapters of the book that delve into the details of Douglas Fairbanks and the production of 'The Thief of Baghdad.' These chapters are crucial, given Anna May Wong's significant role as one of the stars. In comparison, the extensive focus on 'The Good Earth' production in subsequent chapters appears to be less justified in terms of the time spent and its contribution to the overall narrative seeing as she wasn't in it.

These criticisms, though present, are relatively minor and do not diminish the overall captivating narrative of Wong's life. While the entire book provided a delightful reading experience, I found particular satisfaction in the detailed exploration of Wong's later years in the post-World War II era. As the 1940s came to a close, Wong's star experienced a dramatic decline, resulting in a scarcity of publicly available information about her life during that period. Author Katie Gee Salisbury excels in delivering a spectacular account, drawing from primary sources such as Wong's correspondence with friends and interviews with her former tenants. This meticulous approach vividly portrays what was undoubtedly a challenging phase in Wong's already tumultuous life.

Regrettably, as I neared the conclusion of the book, I was aware of the inevitable—the moment when Wong would depart from our world. Even with this foresight, facing the death of someone I admire didn't become any easier. Nevertheless, Author Katie Gee Salisbury handles the account of Hollywood's first Chinese film star's ultimate demise with both respect and reassurance that her death was not in vain, but an end of an era, and the beginning of a new one - a passed torch - to all of those who followed in her footsteps.

Wong's life has often been characterized as tragic—a tale marked by oppression, racial segregation, and stereotyping, factors that hindered an otherwise outstanding individual striving to dismantle the racial barriers affecting her people through film. Some have sought to question this narrative, contending that the challenges she faced or the way her life concluded doesn't necessarily categorize it as a tragedy.

While the book doesn't take a particular stance on this topic. In my view, there's no reason for these two perspectives to be seen as mutually exclusive. A life can encompass both fulfillment and tragedy. Consider Abraham Lincoln—his life ended in a tragic manner, yet when we reflect on him, we remember a self-taught lawyer who rose to become President and dedicated his entire presidency to earnestly trying to unite the nation during a civil war. His life was a blend of heroism and tragedy.

Anna May Wong's life was intricate, much like anyone else's. She was an extraordinary woman who skillfully forged a career as an actress, achieving a level of success that contemporary actors would envy. All this occurred in an industry that, frankly, struggled to understand her and within a nation that, by all indications, had failed her. This is precisely what renders her so significant to many—her ability to thrive remarkably despite the challenges and tragedies that marked much of her life. Her life was both inspiring, and tragic. A balance which this book manages to convey particularly well.

In conclusion, 'Not Your China Doll' provides a nuanced exploration of Anna May Wong's complex life, skillfully navigating through the triumphs and tribulations that defined her journey. While some sections could be considered less essential to the overall narrative flow, the author adeptly weaves a compelling story of a remarkable woman who faced oppression, racial stereotypes, and industry challenges, yet managed to carve out an extraordinary career in acting.

The careful attention given to Wong's later years, post-World War II, is particularly commendable, shedding light on a period with limited public information. The narrative handles Wong's inevitable departure with respect and reassurance, acknowledging the dual nature of a life that was both fulfilling and tragic. In essence, the book captures the essence of Anna May Wong's unique legacy, celebrating her resilience, achievements, and the indelible mark she left on the history of Hollywood.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

So dull I couldn’t finish. Anna May deserves better than this book.

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but it got a little repeatative. And was a little bit light on the Anna May Wong content in a book about her.

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Your China Doll is a biography of the first Chinese American Actress in Hollywood, Anna May Wong. Gee Salisbury is an engaging writer and a thorough researcher who includes many primary documents, which are perfect for my school research project. Though I appreciated her efforts to contextualize Anna May’s life, some detailed mentions of others overshadowed the book’s purpose. For example, The Good Earth was a major film that represented the Chinese and treated Anna May poorly. But Gee Salisbury focused too much on the non-Asian people involved in that film. This is a biography about Anna May, not those people.

[Alex Hirchert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to see that my library had this book and I was excited to see if was about Anna May Wong, who I studied in my history in the 1920s class BUT this was a tough one.

This book had so much promise but there were too many side quests - too much focus on crappy white males in Hollywood a chance and not enough focus on Anna May herself.

There was great historical context surrounding the racism she experienced through the decades and the most fascinating parts were about her travels across the globe but again so much detail but the lack of focus hurt how much I enjoyed this book.

Final rating - 3⭐️ but truly this could have been so much more

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It took me seven months to get through this book and a fourth of it is actually bibliography/footnotes. I was/am intrigued by Anna May Wong but the historical context, particularly the long and drawn out analysis of writing and casting of The Good Earth film, dragged down the pace. I know it was important to see Anna May as a product of the times she lived in. I wanted to know more about the woman and less about the industry during her life.

[JJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, was written too dry and boring. DNF 15%

[Nev · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - A fascinating portrait of Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star. The book details her life growing up, desire to be in the movies, her career, and personal life. In addition to just being about her and her time in Hollywood, the book also goes into great detail about Asian representation in old Hollywood, yellowface, behind the scenes stories, and the lives/careers of many of the people who crossed Anna May Wong’s path.

While I did enjoy getting the information about Hollywood outside of Anna May Wong’s experiences, at times it made the book feel overstuffed. I think the author could’ve struck a better balance between giving additional context but not letting the focus of the book drift so far away from being about the main subject.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Tossing in “she was a Scientologist most of her life” as an aside with like 10 pages left is a kind of crazy thing for a biography to do.

There were several other bits that made me wonder how thick the author’s undeniably rose-colored glasses were —

No deeper examination of her fundraising for nationalist China and socializing/corresponding with Madame Chiang Kai-Shek.

Unalloyed praise of Anna May’s performances (even when playing poorly written and/or minor characters in bad films, she is never described as anything but a faultless performer who adds incredible unwritten depth to all of her roles).

And I noticed a small factual error [calling Gemma Chan Asian-American], which always raises concerns as to how accurate the book as a whole is.

Overall, it was a decent and fairly interesting biography. But it took me three weeks to get through and I’m not certain how much I trust it.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book about a resilient star of the Hollywood film Industry. I found it to be very imformative.

Anna May Wong was the daughter of a Chinese laundry owner in Los Angeles and born in 1907. The book chronicles her career in the flickers (silent movies), talkies, and finally at the end of her career, work on TV. By all accounts she was a great actress but was repeatedly denied roles in movies where a white actress was chosen to play the lead in "yellowface".

Eventually Wong moved to Europe where she was wildly popular in both Germany and England. She later returned to America to be once again passed over for leading roles. The book talks about her travels to China to find her root. And finally, her untimely death. If you are interested in early film history or racism in Hollywood, you will enjoy this book.

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excruciatingly detailed and researched insomuch as it goes into *great detail* about the people Anna May Wong encountered at different points in her life.

For those new to Anna May Wong or her films, I'd recommend reading this, even if you are familiar with her, it *is* worth reading. It can feel like a lot to process; there are some pages that fully summarize some of her films or the films with roles she did not get, supplying the entire plot—some with dialogue—from beginning to end, particularly THE GOOD EARTH, but readers who are fresh or new to those films, I can appreciate it as a way to introduce readers to her, her story, and the people she encountered and/or worked with.

Carl Van Vechten's wife, actress Fania Marinoff, saying Anna May Wong had "no talent" ("I say 'represented' for as you know she had no talent.") ... Yeah, that's a no for me. Anna May Wong—for me—ignites the screen whenever she's in frame, be it in silent films or talkies, even when she's doing minimal onscreen, her expressions, body language, and eyes, speak volumes. Personally, I've always wanted SHANGHAI EXPRESS to be about her character with Dietrich in the supporting role.

The book dives a great deal in depth into Anna May Wong's conflicts and struggles with being a born American who was Chinese, and the discrimination/stereotypes she faced, even the extra evaluations she endured when leaving or entering the country she was born in (the USA) when going abroad.

If nothing else, it leaves you only wanting to know more about Anna May Wong herself, her work, her talent, her films, and her contributions to cinema. I'd recommend it as a good starting point to those unfamiliar with Miss Anna May Wong.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I’ve never watched anything with Anna May Wong, but now I want to. I liked the juxtaposition of showing what current Chinese-influenced project Hollywood was working on with white people in yellow face compared to what Anna May was doing because they wouldn’t give her the role (either being “too Chinese” or “not Chinese enough” or “sorry, we can’t have a white actor playing a China man kiss an actual Chinese woman” 🙄) I felt for Anna May not feeling entirely Chinese nor American but still managing to carve out a place for herself. She was incredibly remarkable and resilient. Every time she was pushed down she found a way to get back up again and move forward. I wish the studios realized how special she was.

Also, whoever designed this cover deserves a pay raise. STUNNING.

[Anna Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, but definitely padded out with the history of Silent Era and Golden Age Hollywood. It did slog at some points so I would give it a 3.5/5 star but I'm rounding up to 4/5. Overall I'd recommend if you're interested in a side of Hollywood history alongside your biographies.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - I typically love old Hollywood bios and this one didn’t disappoint but was slow reading at times.

[Pam (Gemini Rising) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a biography, I’d really give the 4 1/2 stars. It is warm, inviting, and interesting.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book is a boring read with lots of filler. The part about The Good Earth could have been relegated to a paragraph or two.

[Kallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is maybe more detailed than I was looking for, but I did enjoy learning about the first Chinese American actress and all the social and political movements she went through.

[Lee Salisbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book illustrates how incredibly broad Anna May Wong's life and experience was. Although the title description "Wild and Shimmering" appears at first sight to be overdramatic, having read this extremely well researched and documented biography, it is, if anything, an understatement. Starting as a child in Chinatown in early days Los Angeles in the era of intense racial discrimination against Chinese immigrants, just as the city was about to explode into one of the great metropolises and cultural centers of the world, she went about her own life. The book not only tells her story but also provides the context of her times and associates in so many varied areas -- Hollywood going from the silent film era to sound; her times in Europe between the wars in 1920s Berlin and London; China during the 1930s and always much detail about Los Angeles, movies and into the early years of television.

Although she faced many unfair and frustrating obstacles and set backs because of racial discrimination, such as laws against miscegenation and restrictions on racial mixing imposed by the movies and society -- especially in the US --, the book shows through her own words and actions, that she was not personally defeated by these things and led the life that she wanted to lead and accomplished so much artistically and professionally given the hand she was dealt.

The book moves along quickly and holds the reader's interest throughout, despite all the details about all aspects of her life and the larger context of the times and places she lived in.

My daughter wrote this book, but not one word of this review would have been different, if she were not my daughter.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
I love any book about old Hollywood, and it's very interesting to read about it from the POV of Asian representation.
This book looks at both the life of Anna May Wong, and how Hollywood in general treated the Asian Americans in their films - essentially, a LOT of yellow face. Even when blackface was being phased out, yellow face still remained as a standard, and basically this book is a list of films where actors like Anna May Wong were passed over in favour of a white actor with pinned back eyes.
Things dragged a bit as the book entered the final third, but I love stories of the golden age of Hollywood, and the change from silent to talkies. Things were a bit muddled in the beginning,where her story seems to jump from being a child working in he laundry, to having a bit part alongside Douglas Fairbanks - I was slightly confused at the timelines of what came in between this. But, it's a great book for anyone with an interest in this era of hollywood.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I love historical women, I love their lives and their stories and how they fit into the crannies of history, but I've only just started to get into biographies. Thankfully, this one is a good one: bubbly and frothy, as any good Hollywood biography should be, but still well researched. There are relatively few digressions into the lives of unworthy men (one of my biggest pet peeves with biographies of cool women). I knew nothing about Anna May Wong prior to this reading and would now like to travel back in time and fight all the producers who passed over her on Chinese roles in favor of white actresses. More biographies like this, please!

[Sabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna May Wong's memory has received a resurgence of sorts in recent years, with her inclusion in Barbie's Inspiring Women series and her uncanny likeness featured in Damien Chazelle's Babylon; it therefore, comes as no surprise that Anna May Wong is finally memorialized with a cinematic biography worthy of the big screen.

Katie Gee Salisbury proves herself an investigator in Not Your China Doll, and I was pleasantly surprised by just how much detail and context is provided regarding the production of Anna May Wong's films. Although readers will expect a biography of Hollywood's first Chinese-American film star, Salisbury goes above and beyond and provides a vivid portrait of screen-politics and the racist culture surrounding the golden age of cinema. For this reason, I'd recommend Not Your China Doll to not only Anna May Wong fans but any film and/or history buffs interested in Hays-era media and/or the 1920s flapper culture.

Although this biography is written to be inspirational in tone, Not Your China Doll's content remains grim, especially in the actress' later years. By the end of the biography I was left feeling angry towards the Hollywood Anna May fought tooth and nail to be a part of and yet, was never fully accepted nor respected by. Having finished the book, I'm impressed by Salisbury's ability to equally honor Anna May Wong's legacy while also condemning the corrupt Hollywood she contributed her talents to.

Between the pages of Not Your China Doll exists a nuanced depiction of Hollywood's dark history regarding the poor representation of Asian-Americans in cinema. Although Anna May Wong has contributed to projects depicting offensive and/or stereotypical portrayals of minority women and interracial relationships, she remains an inspirational figure who has done her best; that is, given her impossible circumstance of simply having been born too early to witness our present day, post-Crazy Rich Asians cinema landscape.

I will be thinking a lot about the complicated works and history of Anna May Wong’s filmography following my time with this immersive biography, and I’d like to thank Katie Gee Salisbury and Dutton Publishing for sending me a copy of Not Your China Doll to review. I thoroughly enjoyed this remembrance of Anna May Wong and can not wait to see where Sailsbury’s writing career takes her next.

[Lady Megan Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this isn’t a 5 star biography, I’m not sure what one would look like.

Anna May Wong was the first Asian American movie star, and as inherently important as that title is, there is precious little written about her. Or there was until this book, which as far as I can tell, is the definitive biography of this fascinating and inspiring woman.

Anna May Wong, born Wong Liu Tsong, grew up against the backdrop of the Jazz Age and the birth of Hollywood in Los Angeles. Her parents, second generation Chinese Americans, owned a popular and busy laundry business, and from there, Anna May Wong dreamed of being in pictures.

Remarkably, she didn’t just dream it; she made it happen. She was first cast as an extra in 1919’s The Red Lantern, and managed a big a break just a few years later in 1924’s Douglas Fairbanks spectacle, The Thief of Baghdad. Beautiful and exotic, Anna May Wonge became a fashion icon — the epitome of a flapper.

Though she appeared in many films, the story of her career is maddening. Time and time again, she was cast in big parts, while white actresses in yellow face were given top billing. Anna May Wong often coached them on set — there are many references to her teaching actresses how to eat with chopsticks.

One of the things I find so incredible about Anna May Wong is that, in the face of this unbelievable prejudice and unfair treatment, she remained open to possibility. She traveled to Europe, where she found more meaningful work. She returned to the States, always ready to give the studios another chance. She became an international star in every sense of the word.

Her life was sadly too short, but her story is long and well worth knowing. I loved reading about her, getting to know her, and now that the book is over, I miss her.

This biography feels incredibly complete and well-researched. It’s also accessible and fun to read, as breezy and elegant as Anna May Wong herself. If I have any complaint, it’s the lack of pictures — what I would have given for a section or two of glossy photos of Anna’s life.

[Halle Wassink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think I would have finished this if I didn’t listen to it. Really enjoyed the history and hearing about Hollywood in the 20s-40s. Teared up during the epilogue. My biggest takeaway however was how trashy Hollywood is omg. Pisses me off that they are such a big part of telling the stories that reflect society and influence culture. It horrifies me that it took so long for them to open doors to actors and actresses of color to get the opportunity to be in roles that are substantial and not sidelined for character acting. AND ITS STILL SO RELEVANT. #oscarssowhite was not long ago and Hollywood continues to crank out “Oscar bait” films that don’t even pass the Bechdal test let alone offer any degree of representation. I am giving this book another star as I write this review because dang that was some amazing storytelling about young Hollywood that finally told the story to the first woman of color to grace the big screen. It was truly a pleasure to hear about Anna May Wong’s tenacity and grit through the racism and obstacles she endured as she fought for a seat at the table. Hope the future biopic of her does great justice in telling her story and showing the dark ugly history of Hollywood that is still prominent today.

*side note: highly recommend listening to Code Switches “Rep Sweats, Or, 'I Don't Know If I Like This, But I Need It To Win” episode to hear more on Hollywoods representation of Asian-Americans.