2 March 2023

Strange Tales of Old Macao: a Paul French book talk

2023-03-02T18:37:51+08:00March 2nd, 2023|authors, events|0 Comments

Did Japan try to buy Macao in 1936? Were the men who declared Macao a republic in 1930 revolutionaries or extortionists? Paul French sails across the Pearl River on Friday evening to give a talk at the Livraria Portuguesa (Portuguese Bookshop) in the city's historic central district. The bookshop is at 16-18 Rua de Sao Domingos. No charge, all welcome. [...]

26 April 2021

Destination Peking: Zoom book talk by Paul French, April 28

2021-04-26T13:42:24+08:00April 26th, 2021|publishing|0 Comments

Bestselling author Paul French (Midnight in Peking, City of Devils) has returned to the theme of the Chinese capital to tell 18 true stories of fascinating people who visited the city in the first half of the 20th century. Now he is giving a talk on his new book, hosted by the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong. From the ultra-wealthy [...]

1 March 2021

Zoom talk by Paul French: “Destination Peking – Revisiting the City”, March 2

2021-02-28T18:30:09+08:00March 1st, 2021|authors, events|0 Comments

In this online talk to the Royal Geographical Society, well-known historian, raconteur and author Paul French talks of the Chinese capital, telling numerous true stories of fascinating people who visited the city in the first half of the 20th century.   From Bolsheviks and Nazis to artists and bank robbers, to English aesthetes, to transplanted New York Bowery Balladeers, he describes [...]

15 January 2021

A new book of true stories from Paul French: Destination Peking

2021-01-15T20:02:16+08:00January 15th, 2021|china, new books|0 Comments

Bestselling author Paul French returns to the Chinese capital in Destination Peking to tell 18 true stories of fascinating people who visited the city in the first half of the 20th century. From the ultra-wealthy Woolworths heiress Barbara Hutton and her husband the Russian emigré Prince Mdivani, to the poor “American girl” Mona Monteith who worked in the city as [...]

9 November 2020

Four Shanghai podcasts from Paul French on RTHK3 this week

2020-11-11T21:34:05+08:00November 9th, 2020|book excerpt|0 Comments

To celebrate this year’s Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the Morning Brew show with Phil Whelan on RTHK Radio 3 will be broadcasting four more excerpts from Paul French’s book Destination Shanghai, read by the author... Monday 9/11 - 11.40am - Florence Broadhurst Teaches Shanghai to Dance (1926) Tuesday 10/11 - 11.40am - Langston Hughes’s Shanghai Sojourn (1935) Wednesday 11/11 [...]

16 July 2020

New book: Strangers on the Praia, by Paul French

2020-07-16T22:15:27+08:00July 16th, 2020|new books|0 Comments

Based on true stories and new research, Paul French weaves together the stories of those Jewish refugees who moved on from wartime Shanghai to seek a possible route to freedom via the Portuguese colony of Macao – “the Casablanca of the Orient”. The delicately balanced neutral enclave became their wartime home, amid Nazi and Japanese spies, escaped Allied prisoners from [...]

3 June 2020

Webtalk by Paul French, June 3, 7pm: Strangers on the Praia, Macau in World War II

2020-06-03T02:24:41+08:00June 3rd, 2020|authors, events|0 Comments

In this talk for the Royal Geographical Society Hong Kong, well-known China historian, raconteur and author Paul French talks of Macau during World War II. Based on true stories and new research, he attempts to weave together the stories of those Jewish refugees who in the war moved on from their temporary haven of Shanghai. Many sought a possible route [...]

4 April 2019

Book talk at Bookazine, Hong Kong: Paul French, April 10

2019-04-04T23:14:16+08:00April 4th, 2019|authors, events|0 Comments

Join us for a book talk & signing with Paul French for his latest book Destination Shanghai: a collection of 18 biographical vignettes of the famous and infamous who travelled to Shanghai during the city's golden age. Wednesday 10th April 2019 6.30pm–7.30pm Bookazine Prince's Building, Shop 326-328, Landmark Prince's, Central, Hong Kong Free event – RSVP or enquiries: enquiries@bookazine.com.hk / [...]

4 April 2019

Book talk on Lantau Island: Paul French, April 7

2019-04-04T23:05:49+08:00April 4th, 2019|authors, events|0 Comments

Paul French is a well known British author whose work focuses on China's 20th-century history. One of his most successful books, Midnight in Peking, has won several awards, including both the CWA Gold Dagger and the MWA Edgar Award. His latest book is Destination Shanghai. He'll be at Vibe Bookshop in Mui Wo, Lantau Island, on Sunday 7th April at [...]

5 March 2019

Paul French on his new book: Destination Shanghai

2019-03-04T20:54:35+08:00March 5th, 2019|authors, book excerpt, china, media attention|0 Comments

Ahead of his appearance at the Shanghai International Literary Festival this month, Paul French shares a snippet of his new book, Destination Shanghai. He'll be presenting a session on March 23 at 4pm.  How well do you know your old Shanghai sojourners? Over the decades so many foreigners – rich, poor; famous, infamous; European, American; dodgy, legit – came to Shanghai. It’s hard to [...]