Her Lotus Year: China, The Roaring Twenties and the Making of Wallis Simpson

(Hardback)

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In her memoirs, Wallis Simpson described her time in China as her Lotus Year, referring to Homers 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 governments China Dossier of Walliss 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, 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.

Her Lotus Year takes a headlong dive into Walliss 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.

Reviews

Paul French has discovered a side of Wallis Simpson that few, if any, will ever have known existed...Her Lotus Yearis a compelling exploration of a woman too often reduced to mere scandal, offering readers a fresh perspective on one of history's most enigmatic figures.Dr. Amanda Foreman,New York Timesbestselling author ofGeorgianaandA World on Fire

"Rumors have always swirled about the two missing years Wallis Simpson spent in China. Here, China expert Paul French casts a detailed light on her stay, sifting fact from fiction, with some surprising conclusions."Anne de Courcy, author ofHusband Hunters

"Where does an unhappily married woman go in 1924 to seek peace of mind To China, for adventure and glamour. What happens to her after this mysterious lotus year She becomes none other than the Duchess of Windsor. A fascinating and very fun read." Lisa See,New York Timesbestselling author ofLady Tan's Circle of WomenandSnow Flower and the Secret Fan

"Riveting and fascinating, Paul French has put flesh on the bones in his detailed account of what Wallis really did in her Lotus Year.'"Anne Sebba,New York Timesbestselling author ofThat Woman

I thought there was nothing left to learn about the Duchess of Windsor. But Paul French has proven me wrong in this book of fascinating revelations.Laurence Leamer,New York Timesbestselling author ofCapotes Women

"Expertly woven into the backdrop of 1920s China, Frenchs new study challenges the clichs surrounding Wallis Simpson to reveal her in an intriguing new light." Julia Boyd, author ofA Dance with the Dragon

At last, a respected writer about China, who knows what he is talking about... [French] fills in the Duchess of Windsors year in China with prodigious and convincing research."Hugo Vickers, bestselling author ofAlice: Princess Andrew of Greece

Paul Frenchs expert knowledge of China brings a fresh and humanising perspective to Wallis Simpson, exposing some myths and filling an important gap in the literature.Andrew Lownie, bestselling author ofTraitor King

Wallis Simpsons time in China between 1924 and 1925 has been too long shrouded in rumour and innuendo. Thank God, then, for Paul French, whose magisterial, beautifully written and impeccably researched account of the future Duchess of Windsors activities during this period should henceforth be regarded as the definitive account. Forget the so-called China Dossier, which probably never existed anyway; this is all you need to know about the woman who was never queen. Alexander Larman, author ofThe Windsors at War

Author Bio

Paul French was born in London and lived and worked in Shanghai for many years. His book Midnight in Peking was a New York Times bestseller and a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. He received the Mystery Writers of America Edgar award for Best Fact Crime and a Crime Writers Association (UK) Dagger award for nonfiction. His most recent book, City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir, received much praise with The Economist calling him a champion storyteller. Both Midnight in Peking and City of Devils are currently in development for film.