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

Salisbury opens her debut by recounting her thoughts upon seeing a photo of the Chinese American film star Anna May Wong, who seemed, at least in the author’s memory, to be nearly mythic in her elegance and beauty. After this winning introduction narrated by the author, narrator Caroline McLaughlin glides in for the rest of the book, an account of Wong’s life and career, which were filled with glamour as well as frustration, heartbreak, and regret. Even listeners unfamiliar with Wong might be unsurprised at her treatment in early Hollywood. She was relegated to smaller parts, often alongside white actors in yellowface. Disgusted by Hollywood’s racist attitudes, Wong moved overseas and achieved fame across Europe and beyond. As the book recounts Wong’s trials and tribulations, McLaughlin gives distinctive voices to her family and the Hollywood celebrities that surround her. Listeners will be immersed in decades long gone, making this storied time feel present and real—perhaps an easier task than it should be, as many disparaging attitudes and prejudices are still present in today’s movie industry.