Her Lotus Year cover art

Her Lotus Year

China, The Roaring Twenties and the Making of Wallis Simpson

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 The revealing story of the legendary Wallis Simpson’s controversial and formative year in China in the 1920s.

‘Compelling’ Dr Amanda Foreman
‘Fascinating’ Lisa See
‘Riveting’ Anne Sebba
‘Surprising’ Anne de Courcy
‘Convincing’ Hugo Vickers
‘Intriguing’ Julia Boyd
‘A book of fascinating revelations’ Laurence Leamer
‘Magisterial, beautifully written and impeccably researched’ Alexander Larman

In her memoirs, Wallis Simpson described her time in China as her ‘Lotus Year’, referring to Homer’s Lotus Eaters, a group living in a state of dreamy forgetfulness, never to return home. That year, however, was also used to damn her in the eyes of the British Establishment. Determined to ‘save’ the monarchy, the British government’s ‘China Dossier’ of Wallis’s rumoured amorous and immoral activities in the Far East portrayed her as sordid, debauched, influenced by foreign agents, and unfit to marry a king. But little was really known about how she spent that mysterious period in her life – until now.

Paul French, the New York Times bestselling author and award-winning historian of China, uncovers a completely different picture, portraying a woman of tremendous courage who may have acted as a courier for the US government, undertaking dangerous undercover diplomatic missions in a China torn by civil war. Despite the many challenges she faced, from violent riots to the breakdown of her abusive first marriage, it was there that she established her confidence and independence, developed her unique fashion sense, and forged friendships that would last a lifetime. She emerged from that year as the elegant, stylish, cosmopolitan and worldly woman for whom a king gave up his throne.

Her Lotus Year takes a headlong dive into Wallis’s early, formative years – and into the chaotic and thrilling China of the 1920s – to explore the untold story of a woman too often maligned by history. 20th Century Europe Great Britain Modern Politics & Activism Royalty China Imperialism War Imperial Japan
All stars
Most relevant
The narrator Laurel Nefkow was completely dull her tone the same throughout the whole book. I don’t think she enjoyed reading it to us?
The story lacks cultural heritage. it was about white people over drinking and partying the whole lives in China. No mention of any charities set up the help the Chinese people.
Is this really how Wallace Simpson behaved in China and Hong Kong?
The author Paul French could’ve done so much better than this. I will be most interested to read other peoples reviews and hopefully learn from them.

Dull

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If you’re looking for book that covers the political history of Hong Kong and China this book would be a good place to start.
With little documented history of Wallis during this time the author seems to have used it to fill out his book.
A disappointment.

Very heavy on the political history of Hong Kong and China.

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