{"title":"Paul French","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the collection of works by \u003cem\u003ePaul French\u003c\/em\u003e, a renowned author celebrated for his captivating narratives that delve into the intriguing corners of history and biography. French's writings transport readers to the vibrant yet tumultuous landscapes of early 20th-century China, offering engrossing tales that blend elements of crime, thrillers, and historical insights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong his notable works, \u003cstrong\u003eCity of Devils: A Shanghai Noir\u003c\/strong\u003e stands out as a masterful depiction of the chaotic underworld of Shanghai, painting a vivid picture of the city's notorious criminals and their entanglements. This book is perfect for those fascinated by the collision of history, crime, and culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003eHer Lotus Year\u003c\/strong\u003e, readers will discover a reflective journey that weaves personal stories with broader historical contexts, providing an intimate and engaging exploration of identity and discovery against a backdrop of change and upheaval.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEmbark on a trip to the decadence of old Peking with \u003cstrong\u003eThe Badlands: Decadent Playground of Old Peking\u003c\/strong\u003e. This book immerses you in the vibrant yet perilous neighbourhoods of a city that thrived on its contradictions, offering a window into a world determined to remain enigmatic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those intrigued by the complexities of personalities that shaped history, \u003cstrong\u003eWallis Simpson\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a compelling biography of the woman who irrevocably altered the British royal family's path. French's meticulous research and narrative prowess provide fresh insights into her life and legacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a fan of crime and thriller, biography, or history genres, Paul French's collection offers a rich tapestry of stories that promise to educate and captivate. Dive into these fascinating narratives today and experience the storytelling genius of Paul French.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-badlands-decadent-playground-of-old-peking-by-paul-french-9780670080991","title":"The Badlands: Decadent Playground of Old Peking","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough portraits of eight White Russians, Americans and Europeans who lived and worked in the Badlands in the 1920s and '30s, Paul French brings the area and its era vividly to life. A small warren of narrow hutongs, the Badlands sat just inside the eastern flank of the Tartar Wall, which at that time enclosed the old Imperial City of Peking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts habitues were a mix of the good, the bad and the poor unfortunates, among them the fiery brothel madams Brana Shazker and Rosie Gerbert; the pimp Saxsen, who had no regard for the women he exploited; the young prostitutes Marie and Peggy, whose dreadful working lives drove them into separate pits of madness and addiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere was the cabaret dancer Tatiana Korovina, a White Russian girl who did not succumb to the vice of the district but instead married, had a family, and eventually left China to lead a long and happy life. There was the American Joe Knauf, who dealt violence and fear as well as drugs, and finally the enigmatic Shura Giraldi, of indeterminate sex, who was to some a charmer and to others a master criminal, but to everyone the uncrowned King of the Badlands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn depicting this colourful cast of characters, Paul French was assisted by readers of the extraordinary \u003cem\u003eMidnight in Peking\u003c\/em\u003e, who contacted him from around the globe. As the family and acquaintances of people he'd written about in that book, they had stories and recollections to add to French's own research.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is a short but potent account of a time and a place until now largely forgotten, but here rendered unforgettable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46343647101164,"sku":"9780670080991","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15483373482426.jpg?v=1744001996"},{"product_id":"city-of-devils-a-shanghai-noir-by-paul-french-9780670077281","title":"City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul French resurrects the denizens of old Shanghai's badlands, the drug-running, the gambling, and the graft, vividly restoring this long overlooked side of the city's history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShanghai, 1941–In a city under siege unfolds an astonishing story of two men whose lives intertwine in crime and twisted friendship. Viennese Joe Farren rose to fame by cashing in on Shanghai's desperate pleasure seeking. King of the chorus lines, his name was splashed in neon across the infamous Badlands nightclub, \u003cem\u003eFarren's\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican fugitive Jack Riley, his fingertips acid-burnt, found a future in Shanghai as 'The Slots King'. 'Dapper Joe' and 'Lucky Jack' collided, clashed and came together again in a frantic struggle to survive the city's last days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePaul French resurrects the denizens of old Shanghai's badlands, the drug-running, the gambling, and the graft, vividly restoring this long overlooked side of the city's history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46545859444972,"sku":"9780670077281","price":26.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15446273482426.jpg?v=1749820532"},{"product_id":"her-lotus-year-by-paul-french-9781783968183","title":"Her Lotus Year","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn her memoirs, Wallis Simpson described her time in China as her \u003cem\u003eLotus Year\u003c\/em\u003e, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePaul French, an 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 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHer Lotus Year\u003c\/em\u003e takes a headlong dive into Wallis’s early, formative years – and into the chaotic and thrilling China of the 1920s – to explore the untold, colourful origin story of a woman too often maligned by history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46627705651436,"sku":"9781783968183","price":45.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781783968183.jpg?v=1751934441"},{"product_id":"wallis-simpson-by-paul-french-9781783968800","title":"Wallis Simpson","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePaul French, an 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 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHer Lotus Year\u003c\/em\u003e takes a headlong dive into Wallis’s early, formative years – and into the chaotic and thrilling China of the 1920s – to explore the untold, colourful origin story of a woman too often maligned by history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46986689052908,"sku":"9781783968800","price":28.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/230cda573b2c57d5801ef5a64f9e51d4.jpg?v=1763028986"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/paul-french.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}