Not Your
China Doll
A Reader’s Guide
Topics & Questions for Discussion
Did your perception of Anna May Wong change after reading this book? Why or why not? If this was your first introduction to Anna May Wong, how did your expectations and assumptions match up or differ from what you learned about her life?
Why do you think the author titled the book Not Your China Doll? What does it mean to be a China doll? And how does that connect to Anna May Wong’s story?
As a Chinese American, Anna May experienced racism in her everyday life and in Hollywood as she was building her career. One of her formative memories was of her and her sister Lulu being chased home from school by their white classmates to shouts of “Chink, Chink, Chinaman.” How do you think that experience informed her outlook on racism and the way she later dealt with it in her career? If possible, provide an example with your response.
Although Anna May Wong was Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star, she was by no means the only Asian or Asian American working in the industry at the time. Who were some of the other AAPI figures she encountered and befriended? Were you surprised to learn about their careers?
Anna May was in the right place at the right time to capitalize on the burgeoning movie business. What were some of the advantages she had that helped her get her foot in the door? In what ways was the industry different in those early years, such that women and other underrepresented groups were able to build successful careers? At the same time, how did the era’s racism, classism, and other biases limit the types of films that got made and the people who could appear in them?
When asked about her family, Anna May once told a reporter: “We’re not a family—we’re a dynasty.” How did she demonstrate her love and devotion to her family?
Anna May often butted heads with her father, Wong Sam Sing, who did not always approve of her choices in life. How would you describe their relationship?
In the book, we witness several heart wrenching events in Anna May’s life. For example, her mother dies in a tragic car accident while Anna May is performing in On the Spot on Broadway. Years later, her sister Mary dies by suicide. In both instances, Anna May carries on with her professional engagements. Some observers have commented that her refusal to return home after her mother’s death was cruel and unloving. Why do you think Anna May behaved this way? What were some of her reasons for putting her career above all else? What do you think her attitude towards death was?
Considered a great beauty and at one time “the best-dressed woman in the world,” Anna May was highly sought after by successful, powerful men. As her friend Frank Dorn put it, “Attractive and enveloped in the aura of Hollywood, men hovered around her wherever she went.” More than one man proposed to her. She indulged in many romantic affairs but never married. Reporters asked her at a near-constant about her plans for marriage, to which she had many retorts. Why do you think she never married? Or, are we asking the wrong question?
How did Anna May use her sense of humor to cope with challenging or uncomfortable circumstances?
The Hollywood tropes of “bigger and better” and “the show must go on” are themes that course throughout the book. How do these ethos work both in Anna May’s favor and against her at different points in her career?
One of the great disappointments of Anna May’s life was being barred from playing the role of O-lan in The Good Earth, which ultimately went to German actress Luise Rainer, who later won an Oscar for her performance. Would Anna May’s career have been different had she played the role? Why or why not?
Despite Anna May Wong’s absence in The Good Earth, the book devotes a significant amount of space to discussing the making of the film and the many Chinese American extras involved in it. This is juxtaposed with Anna May’s trip to China, the real place that MGM was attempting to fabricate for the cameras. Why do you think the author chose to include this material in the book?
In the preface, Katie Gee Salisbury writes about her personal connection to Anna May. After reading this biography, did you also find yourself relating to Anna May’s story in certain ways? If so, how?
What is Anna May Wong’s legacy today? How much has Hollywood changed (or not) since she was alive?
Extra Credit
Watch one of Anna May Wong’s films and discuss your impressions as a group. Many of her films are available for free through The Gallery of Anna May Wong on YouTube. If you need a suggestion of what to watch first, check out Katie’s top 10 list.
Read some of Anna May’s own writing or one of her many magazine interviews available via the Media History Digital Library. What strikes you about her voice and the way she writes/speaks about herself?