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Title details for Daughter of the Dragon by Yunte Huang - Available

Daughter of the Dragon

Anna May Wong's Rendezvous with American History

by Yunte Huang
Rebecca Lam
Audiobook
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A trenchant reclamation of the Chinese American movie star, whose battles against cinematic exploitation and endemic racism are set against the currents of twentieth-century history. Born into the steam and starch of a Chinese laundry, Anna May Wong (1905-1961) emerged from turn-of-the-century Los Angeles to become Old Hollywood's most famous Chinese American actress, a screen siren who captivated global audiences and signed her publicity photos-with a touch of defiance-"Orientally yours." Now, more than a century after her birth, Yunte Huang narrates Wong's tragic life story, retracing her journey from Chinatown to silent-era Hollywood, and from Weimar Berlin to decadent, prewar Shanghai, and capturing American television in its infancy. As Huang shows, Wong's rendezvous with history features a remarkable parade 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 truly resonant work of history that reflects the raging anti-Chinese xenophobia, unabashed sexism, and ageism toward women that defined both Hollywood and America in Wong's all-too-brief fifty-six years on earth.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    October 13, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781696613101
      • File size: 382226 KB
      • Duration: 13:16:18

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from June 19, 2023
      Huang (Inseparable), an English professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, concludes his Rendezvous with America trilogy with a vital account of the life of Anna May (née Liu Tsong) Wong (1905–1961), the first Chinese American movie star, that masterfully chronicles her “spectacular rise from laundryman’s daughter to global celebrity against the backdrop of a world riven by racism, bigotry, and injustice.” Wong made her first onscreen appearance as an extra in The Red Lantern (1919) and three years later landed a breakthrough role as the Madame Butterfly–esque lead in The Toll of the Sea. Huang details how racism shaped Wong’s career, noting that she was often “considered too Chinese to play a Chinese” and lost roles to white actors in yellowface who conformed to Asian stereotypes, most notably getting passed over for the lead role in The Good Earth (1937) in favor of white actor Luise Rainer. Additionally, anti-miscegenation prohibitions kept Wong from starring roles in romances because she wasn’t allowed to kiss a white man onscreen. Huang’s sympathetic treatment brings out the nuances of Wong’s story, highlighting how she by turns acceded to and bristled against the stereotypes Hollywood asked her to play, a dynamic captured in Wong’s sardonic practice of signing publicity photos “Orientally yours.” It’s a fascinating—and long overdue—close-up of a Hollywood trailblazer. Photos.

    • Library Journal

      March 1, 2024

      Huang (English, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara; Inseparable) concludes the trilogy that began with an examination of fictional detective Charlie Chan and continued with the story of conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker. Here he focuses on Hollywood luminary Anna May Wong (1905-61), often called the first Chinese American movie star. Wong made a brief onscreen appearance at age 14 and, incredibly, just three years later, starred in the first technicolor film. Despite this early Hollywood success, she eventually grew tired of losing parts to white actors wearing yellowface and moved to Europe, where she achieved even greater fame. Huang's account of Wong's rise (from the daughter of a poor laborer to international film star in a time of rampant prejudice against Asian Americans) is riveting, and the historical background of the burgeoning Hollywood film industry and the wider Chinese American experience is equally gripping. Narrator Rebecca Lam's gentle voice, empathetic delivery, and steady pacing allow listeners to absorb the wealth of biographical, cultural, and historical details and highlight Wong's grit, determination, and sacrifice. VERDICT Cinema and history buffs alike will enjoy this engaging tale of a Chinese American cultural icon.--Beth Farrell

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Rebecca Lam unfolds the incredible events behind Anna May Wong's rise to fame as the first female Chinese actor in American cinema. Lam smoothly transports listeners to the glamorous, tumultuous world of Hollywood in the 1920s. With precision and clarity, Lam captures Wong's journey from her early struggles to her rise to stardom. She recounts the challenges Wong faced as an Asian actor in a predominantly white industry with a directness that mirrors the actor's personality. With her steady pace, emotional depth, and nuanced character portrayals, Lam brings this captivating biography to life. This is a must-listen for history buffs and cinephiles alike. Fans of Hollywood history hearing Wong's story for the first time are in for a treat. M.R. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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