Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History

Anna May Wong (1905–1961) was a Chinese American actress who became Old Hollywood's most famous Chinese American actress, captivating global audiences and signing her publicity photos "Orientally yours". Yunte Huang's biography challenges parodically racist perceptions of Wong as a "Dragon Lady" and "Madame Butterfly" and reflects the raging anti-Chinese xenophobia, unabashed sexism, and ageism towards women in Hollywood and America in Wongs all-too-brief fifty-six years on earth.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 29 September 2023
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Born into the steam and starch of a Chinese laundry in turn-of-the-century Los Angeles, Anna May Wong emerged as the most renowned Chinese American actress in Old Hollywood. A screen siren who captivated global audiences and signed her publicity photos with a touch of defiance, she declared, "Orientally yours." Now, more than a century after her birth, Yunte Huang narrates Wong's tragic life story, tracing her journey from Chinatown to silent-era Hollywood, from Weimar Berlin to decadent, prewar Shanghai. Huang's biography becomes a truly resonant work of history that reflects the raging anti-Chinese xenophobia, unabashed sexism, and ageism towards women that defined both Hollywood and America in Wong's all-too-brief fifty-six years on earth.

Wong's rendezvous with history is a remarkable tapestry of characters, including a smitten Walter Benjamin and (an equally smitten) Marlene Dietrich. Challenging the parodically racist perceptions of Wong as a "Dragon Lady," "Madame Butterfly," or "China Doll," Huang's biography becomes a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of Wong, a trailblazer who shattered barriers and defied stereotypes in her all-too-brief but influential life.

Weight: 736g
Dimension: 165 x 244 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781631495809