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The World of Nancy Kwan: A Memoir by Hollywood’s Asian Superstar
The first Asian actress to play a lead role in an American major motion picture tells her story of breaking ground in Hollywood, becoming an icon, and paving the way for future generations—with a foreword by international bestselling author Kevin Kwan.
When Nancy Kwan burst onto the scene in the early 1960s, there were no faces on screen that looked like hers. Asian characters in film were portrayed by white actors in makeup playing “yellowface,” and those minor roles were the stuff of cliché: shopkeepers, maids, prostitutes, servants. When—against all odds—Nancy landed the lead role in the much-anticipated 1960 film The World of Suzie Wong, she became the first Asian superstar and was touted all over the world for her beauty, grace, authenticity and a “Chinese Garbo,” the “Asian Bardot.” What obstacles did she face, what prejudices did she overcome, and would there be a path for an Asian actress at last?
Set in post-World War II Hong Kong, London, Hollywood and beyond, The World of Nancy Kwan charts Nancy’s journey from bi-racial daughter to global citizen to celebrity to icon, mother, filmmaker, and advocate. Never allowing the fads and fickleness of show business to change her, Kwan persevered in an industry where everything was stacked against her, breaking through barriers and becoming a beacon of hope to generations of Asians who aspired to be seen.
Written with award-winning author Deborah Davis, who has penned eleven books including Tina Turner’s bestselling memoir, and featuring a foreword by international bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan, The World of Nancy Kwan is a multi-faceted personal history of an iconic international actress whose triumphant rise and resilience illuminates the broader Asian American experience in Hollywood. Through this propulsive tale that is simultaneously rich, stylish, clear-eyed, and brave, readers learn how Anti-Asian prejudice has changed, how it hasn’t, and how the only way forward is to stay true to oneself.
When Nancy Kwan burst onto the scene in the early 1960s, there were no faces on screen that looked like hers. Asian characters in film were portrayed by white actors in makeup playing “yellowface,” and those minor roles were the stuff of cliché: shopkeepers, maids, prostitutes, servants. When—against all odds—Nancy landed the lead role in the much-anticipated 1960 film The World of Suzie Wong, she became the first Asian superstar and was touted all over the world for her beauty, grace, authenticity and a “Chinese Garbo,” the “Asian Bardot.” What obstacles did she face, what prejudices did she overcome, and would there be a path for an Asian actress at last?
Set in post-World War II Hong Kong, London, Hollywood and beyond, The World of Nancy Kwan charts Nancy’s journey from bi-racial daughter to global citizen to celebrity to icon, mother, filmmaker, and advocate. Never allowing the fads and fickleness of show business to change her, Kwan persevered in an industry where everything was stacked against her, breaking through barriers and becoming a beacon of hope to generations of Asians who aspired to be seen.
Written with award-winning author Deborah Davis, who has penned eleven books including Tina Turner’s bestselling memoir, and featuring a foreword by international bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan, The World of Nancy Kwan is a multi-faceted personal history of an iconic international actress whose triumphant rise and resilience illuminates the broader Asian American experience in Hollywood. Through this propulsive tale that is simultaneously rich, stylish, clear-eyed, and brave, readers learn how Anti-Asian prejudice has changed, how it hasn’t, and how the only way forward is to stay true to oneself.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published April 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
2025
October 2, 2025Memoir March TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books
October 28, 2024
Memoirs by actors and actresses often bog down in one place or another, but this one by Nancy Kwan did not. It's a highly readable account of her life from her birth in Hong Kong in 1939 to the present time. She comes across as very intelligent and very charitable. Not that she didn't provide much needed criticism at times. Ms. Kwan is a clear voice for describing the discrimination against Asians in the movie business and has been that voice for a long time. Interestingly, she had a Chinese father and a British mother, so she is half Asian and at least once had to have her eyes made up in a way for a movie that made her look more stereotypical Asian!
Nancy Kwan started off wanting to be a ballerina, but kismet tossed her into the acting world, and she worked long and hard to be an exceptional and diverse actress. She has acted in plays, television shows, commercials and about 40 movies. Lots of individuals whom she met and worked with are mentioned in this book, including Bruce Lee. (I specifically mention him here because he has fans who will read or watch anything and everything where he appears!) In addition, she talks about her personal life and love life without providing intimate details, which was refreshing for a contemporary memoir.
Maximilian Schell appeared to be her first actor boyfriend and that did not end well. She found him too moody, too jealous, too self-absorbed and too old. When she kindly told him it was over, he picked up the Oscar statue he had won for Judgment at Nuremberg and threw it at her. (A sidenote here: After his death, his niece and daughter revealed the great Austrian actor had far worse psychological problems than imagined.) Ms. Kwan then went on to marry another Austrian and had a son, but that marriage ended in divorce. Later, she would marry a second Austrian, her current husband, and said in the book exactly what I was thinking--her attraction to Austrian men had to be due to a past life!
Sadly, her beloved son died in his 30s, after contacting AIDS from a girlfriend, and Ms. Kwan describes the devastation she felt due to his death. Yet this is still very much a positive memoir filled with good things and happy times. There is no self-pity, no self-absorption, no dwelling on or obsessing about things that would bore the average reader. One feels this book would have made her father proud, and that would be important to her. Nancy Kwan knows what is important in life and what is not, and that knowledge has served her well; has served her fellow Asians well; and has served well everyone who believes race should not determine which jobs individuals get.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.)
Nancy Kwan started off wanting to be a ballerina, but kismet tossed her into the acting world, and she worked long and hard to be an exceptional and diverse actress. She has acted in plays, television shows, commercials and about 40 movies. Lots of individuals whom she met and worked with are mentioned in this book, including Bruce Lee. (I specifically mention him here because he has fans who will read or watch anything and everything where he appears!) In addition, she talks about her personal life and love life without providing intimate details, which was refreshing for a contemporary memoir.
Maximilian Schell appeared to be her first actor boyfriend and that did not end well. She found him too moody, too jealous, too self-absorbed and too old. When she kindly told him it was over, he picked up the Oscar statue he had won for Judgment at Nuremberg and threw it at her. (A sidenote here: After his death, his niece and daughter revealed the great Austrian actor had far worse psychological problems than imagined.) Ms. Kwan then went on to marry another Austrian and had a son, but that marriage ended in divorce. Later, she would marry a second Austrian, her current husband, and said in the book exactly what I was thinking--her attraction to Austrian men had to be due to a past life!
Sadly, her beloved son died in his 30s, after contacting AIDS from a girlfriend, and Ms. Kwan describes the devastation she felt due to his death. Yet this is still very much a positive memoir filled with good things and happy times. There is no self-pity, no self-absorption, no dwelling on or obsessing about things that would bore the average reader. One feels this book would have made her father proud, and that would be important to her. Nancy Kwan knows what is important in life and what is not, and that knowledge has served her well; has served her fellow Asians well; and has served well everyone who believes race should not determine which jobs individuals get.
(Note: I received a free e-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.)
October 24, 2024
I was delighted to get to read the memoir of Nancy Kwan. I received a copy of "The World of Nancy Kwan, from Net Galley. Nancy Kwan writes of her life. she was born to a Chinese man and a Caucasian mother. She lived in China as a child and saw the horror of the war between China and Japan. Her family escaping to safer parts of the country. She found she had a talent for ballet a studied it more seriously when she came to England. she writes of the pain of her mother abandoning her as a baby. At the age of twenty she is cast in her first movie movie "the World of Susie Wong' she went on to star in Flower Drum song. She writes of her decades of movies and tv roles. She is an advocate for Asian decent actors to get roles in movies and tv and not be typecast.
She gave birth to her only child Bernie and writes lovingly of her son who grew up to be a poet and writer. and tragically the loss of her son when he got aids from his wife. This is a good memoir from Nancy Kwan. I was happy to read of her life and learn some more about the Talented actress.
She gave birth to her only child Bernie and writes lovingly of her son who grew up to be a poet and writer. and tragically the loss of her son when he got aids from his wife. This is a good memoir from Nancy Kwan. I was happy to read of her life and learn some more about the Talented actress.
October 30, 2024
This memoir shows how an Asian woman became the first of its kind to star in a leading role. Nancy Kwan shows how she dealt with being an Asian actress and how she overcame it. Her story inspires so many people in the Asian community. I like reading memoirs that took place in the past like this one. Also, how Hollywood can handle people of color in films and TV shows. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this memoir and do a review.
June 19, 2025
I did not realize that Ms. Kwan wrote an autobiography which was published in late 2024. Once I realized that I downloaded a copy onto my Barnes and Noble NOOK e-reader which features crisp, clear print and photographs.
I have been a fan of Ms. Kwan for years, seeing "Flower Drum Song" and the film that she starred in with Dick Van Dyke ("Lt. Robin Crusoe USN") at my local cinema. The balance of her films have been shown on broadcast and cable television. Her later films, documentary and not, some of which she worked behind the scenes some not, are somewhat less available; hopefully that will be resolved in the future as Ms. Kwan mentions several of them here.
Ms. Kwan's life has been a fascinating one. Her point of view is a positive one (this is not a stab in the back memoir). It is great to read about celebrities who have been criticized portrayed in a different light like her friend William Holden, his spouse Ardis (Brenda Marshall) and their children.
Those who enjoy reading about the film industry, in the US and not, will enjoy the book. I enjoyed reading about mega-producer Ray Stark and his spouse Fran. When he became ill Ms. Kwan kept in touch with him.
Despite a hectic professional life family was and is a priority. She was very very close to her son who regrettably became HIV-positive from his relationship with his female companion and who subsequently died. As Ms. Kwan points out, this happened when research on AIDS and HIV was not terribly advanced; very fortunately treatment and protocols on lifestyle choices has assisted in partially solving the mystery of this disease.
Her discussion about Asians and casting in the film industry is fascinating. I would also suggest that the US film industry was cutting back on film production in the early 1960s going forward. Many actors went to where the filming was taking place, notably Europe or switched to the television industry (sometimes both) thus becoming international actor/stars without the support of a studio or mega-producers.
I will not give away anything further. Ms. Kwan's autobiography is highly recommended.
I have been a fan of Ms. Kwan for years, seeing "Flower Drum Song" and the film that she starred in with Dick Van Dyke ("Lt. Robin Crusoe USN") at my local cinema. The balance of her films have been shown on broadcast and cable television. Her later films, documentary and not, some of which she worked behind the scenes some not, are somewhat less available; hopefully that will be resolved in the future as Ms. Kwan mentions several of them here.
Ms. Kwan's life has been a fascinating one. Her point of view is a positive one (this is not a stab in the back memoir). It is great to read about celebrities who have been criticized portrayed in a different light like her friend William Holden, his spouse Ardis (Brenda Marshall) and their children.
Those who enjoy reading about the film industry, in the US and not, will enjoy the book. I enjoyed reading about mega-producer Ray Stark and his spouse Fran. When he became ill Ms. Kwan kept in touch with him.
Despite a hectic professional life family was and is a priority. She was very very close to her son who regrettably became HIV-positive from his relationship with his female companion and who subsequently died. As Ms. Kwan points out, this happened when research on AIDS and HIV was not terribly advanced; very fortunately treatment and protocols on lifestyle choices has assisted in partially solving the mystery of this disease.
Her discussion about Asians and casting in the film industry is fascinating. I would also suggest that the US film industry was cutting back on film production in the early 1960s going forward. Many actors went to where the filming was taking place, notably Europe or switched to the television industry (sometimes both) thus becoming international actor/stars without the support of a studio or mega-producers.
I will not give away anything further. Ms. Kwan's autobiography is highly recommended.
September 19, 2025
☆ 3.25 stars
Overall: I was looking for a memoir with some old school glamor, and Nancy Kwan did not disappoint!
Feels:
Glamorous
What I enjoyed:
- Nancy has led such an interesting life! From escaping war in British HK to a life in Hollywood and motherhood with international influences, this memoir was far more involved than I initially thought (not that I had any expectations going into it).
- It's fascinating to hear her perspectives of shows and movies, like The World Of Suzie Wong and Flower Drum Song, that are controversially received by the Asian community. Some think they encouraged racial stereotypes, but that would be taking it out of historicization. Suzie Wong and Nancy Kwan were mavericks of their time and paved the way for more Asian representation.
What I didn’t enjoy:
- While I felt that I could understand Nancy's perspectives and her priorities, I would have liked more introspection and for the story to have delved deeper, and perhaps included a snippet from people throughout her life to offer their perspectives on her influence.
Favorite quotes:
"I sat in a chair and listened spellbound while the King of Rock & Roll serenaded me... Elvis wanted me to be his love interest in Blue Hawaii, but I had to decline because of my previous commitment to Flower Drum Song. To this day, I still can't believe I said no to Elvis Presley."
"Bruce [Lee] saw a connection between the wing chun moves and the Latin dance and practiced his steps to the point where he entered abig dance competition and won. He loved telling people he was once crowned the 'Cha-Cha Champion of Hong Kong'."
"The best antidote to prejudice is pride, the pride that comes with celebrating the remarkable history of Asian Americans. I'm happy to add my voice to that constellation. I've lived through empowering highs and terrifying lows. I've been told that I'm 'too Asian' or 'not Asian enough,' when, in fact, I'm just right."
Overall: I was looking for a memoir with some old school glamor, and Nancy Kwan did not disappoint!
Feels:
Glamorous
What I enjoyed:
- Nancy has led such an interesting life! From escaping war in British HK to a life in Hollywood and motherhood with international influences, this memoir was far more involved than I initially thought (not that I had any expectations going into it).
- It's fascinating to hear her perspectives of shows and movies, like The World Of Suzie Wong and Flower Drum Song, that are controversially received by the Asian community. Some think they encouraged racial stereotypes, but that would be taking it out of historicization. Suzie Wong and Nancy Kwan were mavericks of their time and paved the way for more Asian representation.
What I didn’t enjoy:
- While I felt that I could understand Nancy's perspectives and her priorities, I would have liked more introspection and for the story to have delved deeper, and perhaps included a snippet from people throughout her life to offer their perspectives on her influence.
Favorite quotes:
"I sat in a chair and listened spellbound while the King of Rock & Roll serenaded me... Elvis wanted me to be his love interest in Blue Hawaii, but I had to decline because of my previous commitment to Flower Drum Song. To this day, I still can't believe I said no to Elvis Presley."
"Bruce [Lee] saw a connection between the wing chun moves and the Latin dance and practiced his steps to the point where he entered abig dance competition and won. He loved telling people he was once crowned the 'Cha-Cha Champion of Hong Kong'."
"The best antidote to prejudice is pride, the pride that comes with celebrating the remarkable history of Asian Americans. I'm happy to add my voice to that constellation. I've lived through empowering highs and terrifying lows. I've been told that I'm 'too Asian' or 'not Asian enough,' when, in fact, I'm just right."
June 23, 2025
This is an honest and beautiful autobiography of a lovely lady!
Honest, forthright, and to the point. Like having a chat with an old friend you haven't seen in years with all the old feelings of that friendship coming back despite the years apart. The good and bad times all being discussed.
When I was really little, my mom took me along to one of Nancy's movie matinees, probably Suzie Wong because she loved William Holden. I just remember being happy (we enjoyed being girls!) and soon after my mom sewed herself two silk dresses patterned from the movie, one bright red and the other emerald green, both included a modest slit on one leg. She was a novice seamstress so she wore them proudly, possibly the green more often because she was a redhead. I'm sorry no one ever took a picture of her in them, but Nancy's story brought back that happy memory of my young mom. We also grew up together, similar to Nancy and her beloved Bernie.
Over the years, I've seen Suzie Wong again and Flower Drum Song on television and sometimes spotted Nancy on other shows but never enough. The happiness she exuded in her early films was the hook for me, and brought back memories, like a lot in her story told here.
I also appreciate Kevin Kwan and his Crazy Rich Asians, and sat mesmerized by the different character's stories in that movie and the amazing actors! Some of those actresses have become new favorites and I'll watch anything they're in. I just hope someone will soon bring back Nancy Kwan, she deserves it and the audience who remembers will always love her.
Thanks for sharing your remarkable personal life with us Nancy and the wealth of lessons learned. I look forward to listening to the audio book now to hear it all again in your own voice. You are and have always been an inspiration, and I thank you. 👉💕👈
Honest, forthright, and to the point. Like having a chat with an old friend you haven't seen in years with all the old feelings of that friendship coming back despite the years apart. The good and bad times all being discussed.
When I was really little, my mom took me along to one of Nancy's movie matinees, probably Suzie Wong because she loved William Holden. I just remember being happy (we enjoyed being girls!) and soon after my mom sewed herself two silk dresses patterned from the movie, one bright red and the other emerald green, both included a modest slit on one leg. She was a novice seamstress so she wore them proudly, possibly the green more often because she was a redhead. I'm sorry no one ever took a picture of her in them, but Nancy's story brought back that happy memory of my young mom. We also grew up together, similar to Nancy and her beloved Bernie.
Over the years, I've seen Suzie Wong again and Flower Drum Song on television and sometimes spotted Nancy on other shows but never enough. The happiness she exuded in her early films was the hook for me, and brought back memories, like a lot in her story told here.
I also appreciate Kevin Kwan and his Crazy Rich Asians, and sat mesmerized by the different character's stories in that movie and the amazing actors! Some of those actresses have become new favorites and I'll watch anything they're in. I just hope someone will soon bring back Nancy Kwan, she deserves it and the audience who remembers will always love her.
Thanks for sharing your remarkable personal life with us Nancy and the wealth of lessons learned. I look forward to listening to the audio book now to hear it all again in your own voice. You are and have always been an inspiration, and I thank you. 👉💕👈
December 8, 2024
Reading this memoir felt like stepping into a time machine and living through the struggles and triumphs of one of Hollywood’s most groundbreaking figures. I knew of Nancy Kwan as an Asian icon, but this book brought her story to life in a way that was so personal and inspiring.
What struck me most was how much she had to overcome. As an Asian actress in the 1960s, she wasn’t just fighting for roles—she was fighting for the chance to be seen. Her journey from bi-racial daughter to international icon was filled with challenges, but she faced them all with incredible grace and resilience.
I loved how the book didn’t shy away from exploring the harsh realities of anti-Asian prejudice in Hollywood while also celebrating her successes. Nancy’s courage paved the way for so many, and her story made me reflect on how far we’ve come and how much work there is still to do.
The writing is warm and engaging, making it feel like I was sitting with Nancy and hearing her tell her life story herself. As someone who loves stories of resilience, this memoir captivated me from start to finish. It’s not just about Hollywood history; it’s about identity, perseverance, and hope. I’m so glad I read it, and I know I’ll carry Nancy Kwan’s story with me for a long time.
Highly recommend to anyone interested in Hollywood history, Asian representation, or simply a great personal journey. An absolute must-read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
What struck me most was how much she had to overcome. As an Asian actress in the 1960s, she wasn’t just fighting for roles—she was fighting for the chance to be seen. Her journey from bi-racial daughter to international icon was filled with challenges, but she faced them all with incredible grace and resilience.
I loved how the book didn’t shy away from exploring the harsh realities of anti-Asian prejudice in Hollywood while also celebrating her successes. Nancy’s courage paved the way for so many, and her story made me reflect on how far we’ve come and how much work there is still to do.
The writing is warm and engaging, making it feel like I was sitting with Nancy and hearing her tell her life story herself. As someone who loves stories of resilience, this memoir captivated me from start to finish. It’s not just about Hollywood history; it’s about identity, perseverance, and hope. I’m so glad I read it, and I know I’ll carry Nancy Kwan’s story with me for a long time.
Highly recommend to anyone interested in Hollywood history, Asian representation, or simply a great personal journey. An absolute must-read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Currently reading
August 19, 2025Not having seen any of Nancy Kwan's movies, I began reading this memoir wondering if it would be interesting. Nancy Kwan was born in Hong Kong, and became the first major Asian actress in Hollywood films after she trained to be a ballet dancer. I appreciated her descriptions of white actors originally getting Asian roles, and being made up to "look" Asian. Kwan's persistence and patience while developing her movie career were admirable, and made her into a role model for other Asian actors.
May 10, 2025
****SPOILERS******
****** Read at your own risk*******
A mostly breezy reading experience of the life of Nancy Kwan. Never realized how much she vibed with Austrian men before this memoir. The love she has for her son felt incredibly real and authentic so his loss was even more heartbreaking.
****** Read at your own risk*******
A mostly breezy reading experience of the life of Nancy Kwan. Never realized how much she vibed with Austrian men before this memoir. The love she has for her son felt incredibly real and authentic so his loss was even more heartbreaking.
December 18, 2024
Intereting memoir but I felt it glossed over too much and wasn't as interesting as I thought it woul be. She is a truly gifted and creative person and that really didn't showcase her talents only her past history
June 7, 2025
Audiobooked with my Mom while road tripping to and in Canada. A look into old Hollywood I’d never have thought of with deeply personal anecdotes about experiences during the Sino-Japanese war and the AIDs crisis of the 1980s. Speech in afterword was a real tear jerker. What a life well lived!
November 7, 2024
very awesome memoir discussing the racism in the acting industry and overcoming it as well as her personal life. 5 stars. would recommend. tysm for thea rc.
June 4, 2025
I did not know her work but enjoyed this. Recommended!
June 11, 2025
I remember some of her movies from when I was a child & I had no idea that she had achieved a groundbreaking moment for Asian actors nor some of the tragedies she had dealt with.
June 15, 2025
Audiobook.
August 21, 2025
A very enjoyable read. Reading about other movie stars was a treat.
September 9, 2025
A truly delightful memoir. The insightful and breezy writing made for a thoroughly enjoyable accounting of her adventures as an actress and as a person. A wonderful reflection on her journeys.
November 18, 2025
3.5 stars
August 18, 2025
A beautiful memoir.
Finding the story of an Asian-American actress in 1960s Hollywood feels like striking gold. Sometimes I think certain narratives would have us believe Asian women have been quiet, bad at English, and shy of the spotlight until only recently. Nancy Kwan was none of these things. Beautiful, well-educated, and outspoken, she shot to fame, had many lovers, and endured tragedy in her long and storied life.
Finding the story of an Asian-American actress in 1960s Hollywood feels like striking gold. Sometimes I think certain narratives would have us believe Asian women have been quiet, bad at English, and shy of the spotlight until only recently. Nancy Kwan was none of these things. Beautiful, well-educated, and outspoken, she shot to fame, had many lovers, and endured tragedy in her long and storied life.
August 22, 2025
Dull read that is only for those who want to know more about the misrepresentation of Asians in Hollywood. The book isn't much of a memoir and is more like an attempt to detail Asian racism in show business.
Kwan's life is relatively boring--she was the daughter of a rich Hong Kong businessman. But her childhood included shocking details of their 3-year run from the attacking Japanese. Those stories are too short and rushed. Suddenly she's in her early teens and alone in England going to boarding school, then before you know it she's at the Royal Ballet School. Kwan stumbles into getting her first film role of Suzie Wong without intending to act, and that same year she does Flower Drum Song.
It all goes by very quickly in the first third of the book, and those are the highlights of this text--she did little of significance beyond her first two movies. Sadly the author thinks those were classics, but the first is a bit racist in retrospect (thought she denies it) and the second is simply one of the worst movie musicals of all time (shot almost totally in a fake-looking studio version of Chinatown).
What's odd about the rest of the book is the obvious attempt by the co-writer to turn it into a propaganda piece on racism and a history of Asians in modern American cinema. Instead of focusing on Kwan's life beyond her three husbands, this becomes a lop-sided liberal political tool that seems out of place. It goes off on tangents about other Asian actresses and discrimination against gays--neither of which have anything to do with very well-off, highly educated and successful Nancy Kwan.
The author (or co-author) appears to be advocating for true representation in movies and TV, where Asian roles are only played by Asian performers. Yet Kwan is actually half-Asian (her mother was white and from England) and if racism was the focus of the book then why wasn't an Asian co-author hired to work on this? Another question is why someone of mixed race, equally half-and-half, is only categorizing herself as "Asian" instead of calling herself both? She is as much white as she is Asian, so technically a half-white woman did play the Kwan roles despite their claim that she was soley an Asian role model and innovator.
It's odd then that they'd out-of-nowhere include this line: "I hope that one day, we won't look at people because of color or race but for their abilities. The best person should always get the job." HUH? They just spent a whole book complaining that people weren't given jobs due to skin color or ethnicity and that whites were unfairly given Asian roles!
Then the book ends decades before publication, with thirty years covered in the final 18 pages! When someone wants to make a documentary about her, she responds, "My life is not that interesting." I agree that Nancy Kwan's world, as presented here, is not that memorable.
Kwan's life is relatively boring--she was the daughter of a rich Hong Kong businessman. But her childhood included shocking details of their 3-year run from the attacking Japanese. Those stories are too short and rushed. Suddenly she's in her early teens and alone in England going to boarding school, then before you know it she's at the Royal Ballet School. Kwan stumbles into getting her first film role of Suzie Wong without intending to act, and that same year she does Flower Drum Song.
It all goes by very quickly in the first third of the book, and those are the highlights of this text--she did little of significance beyond her first two movies. Sadly the author thinks those were classics, but the first is a bit racist in retrospect (thought she denies it) and the second is simply one of the worst movie musicals of all time (shot almost totally in a fake-looking studio version of Chinatown).
What's odd about the rest of the book is the obvious attempt by the co-writer to turn it into a propaganda piece on racism and a history of Asians in modern American cinema. Instead of focusing on Kwan's life beyond her three husbands, this becomes a lop-sided liberal political tool that seems out of place. It goes off on tangents about other Asian actresses and discrimination against gays--neither of which have anything to do with very well-off, highly educated and successful Nancy Kwan.
The author (or co-author) appears to be advocating for true representation in movies and TV, where Asian roles are only played by Asian performers. Yet Kwan is actually half-Asian (her mother was white and from England) and if racism was the focus of the book then why wasn't an Asian co-author hired to work on this? Another question is why someone of mixed race, equally half-and-half, is only categorizing herself as "Asian" instead of calling herself both? She is as much white as she is Asian, so technically a half-white woman did play the Kwan roles despite their claim that she was soley an Asian role model and innovator.
It's odd then that they'd out-of-nowhere include this line: "I hope that one day, we won't look at people because of color or race but for their abilities. The best person should always get the job." HUH? They just spent a whole book complaining that people weren't given jobs due to skin color or ethnicity and that whites were unfairly given Asian roles!
Then the book ends decades before publication, with thirty years covered in the final 18 pages! When someone wants to make a documentary about her, she responds, "My life is not that interesting." I agree that Nancy Kwan's world, as presented here, is not that memorable.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews