BornintothesteamandstarchofaChineselaundry,AnnaMayWong(1905-1961)emergedfromturn-of-the-centuryLosAngelestobecomeOldHollywood’smostfamousChineseAmericanactress,ascreensirenwhocaptivatedglobalaudiencesandsignedherpublicityphotos--withatouchofdefiance--“Orientallyyours.“Now,morethanacenturyafterherbirth,YunteHuangnarratesWong’stragiclifestory,retracingherjourneyfromChinatowntosilent-eraHollywood,andfromWeimarBerlintodecadent,prewarShanghai,andcapturingAmericantelevisioninitsinfancy.AsHuangshows,Wong’srendezvouswithhistoryfeaturesaremarkableparadeofcharacters,includingasmittenWalterBenjaminand(anequallysmitten)MarleneDietrich.ChallengingtheparodicallyracistperceptionsofWongasa“DragonLady,““MadameButterfly,“or“ChinaDoll,“Huang’sbiographybecomesatrulyresonantworkofhistorythatreflectstheraginganti-Chinesexenophobia,unabashedsexism,andageismtowardwomenthatdefinedbothHollywoodandAmericainWong’sall-too-brieffifty-sixyearsonearth.
