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

by **Katie Gee Salisbury** (Author)

******"Enlightening, nuanced, and honest."--Lisa See******

Set 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.

One of _Entertainment Weekly_'s "Books We Are Excited to Read in 2024"

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.

### Author Biography

**Katie Gee Salisbury** has spoken and written about Anna May Wong on MSNBC, in the _New York Times,_ and in _Vanity Fair_. She also writes the newsletter "Half-Caste Woman." She was a 2021 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship finalist and gave the TED Talk "As American as Chop Suey." A fifth-generation Chinese American from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn. _Not Your China Doll_ is her first book.

**Number of Pages:** 480

**Dimensions:** 1.41 x 9.24 x 6.37 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** March 12, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 32.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 32.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

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

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