Lisa See loves discovering people and stories that have been forgotten, lost or deliberately hidden away. Through memoir and historical fiction, she recovers those lost stories and breathes new life into them.
See’s newest novel, “China Dolls,” comes out Tuesday. In it, she explores the Chinese American nightclubs that flourished in California and New York in the 1930s and ‘40s, yet disappeared after the end of World War II.
Over the next couple of months, See will give a number of readings and book signings throughout Southern California, including six appearances in Orange County and five in Los Angeles.
“My books are historical fiction, so for all of them, I try to use actual anecdotes from people,” said the author of the best-selling novels “Dreams of Joy,” “Shanghai Girls” and “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.”
“Sometimes I’m taking the real stories from real people and include my imagination, and I throw it all in a blender and see what comes out.”
For her latest book, she interviewed many women and men who danced, sang and showcased a variety of talents (magic, comedy, acrobatics) in the Chinese American nightclubs, which had names like Forbidden City, the China Doll, Club Shanghai and the Chinese Sky Room.
“A lot of people over the years had written to me saying, ‘Oh, I had an aunt who was a performer at the Forbidden City.’ Or, ‘We met at the China Doll.’ I have learned with the last few books, if I don’t go out and talk to people now, I may not have a chance.”
See interviewed folks like Dorothy Fong Toy, considered the Chinese Ginger Rogers; Mai Tai Sing, the actress and singer who has a popular tropical drink named after her; and Mary Ong Tom, one of the original eight Forbidden City dancers. All of these women are in their 90s now, and some of the people See interviewed have since died.
“I wanted to capture their stories,” said See, 59. “With men or women, they really broke the mold of what was considered traditional, and what a Chinese man or woman could do. Back then, there were all these stereotypes: Chinese can’t dance, they don’t have a sense of humor. In the case of women, who had been raised traditionally, they weren’t supposed to show their arms and legs in public.
“These performers showed great courage, broke the mold, had incredible persistence against terrible odds. They showed amazing resiliency in the face of so many no’s. I found them to be really very courageous people, as a set of people who were performers and artists.”
A HISTORY OF TALENT
See, a Brentwood resident, tells the story of “China Dolls” through the eyes of three young women – Grace Lee, Helen Fong and Ruby Tom. The novel starts in 1938. A world’s fair, the Golden Gate International Exposition, is about to get underway, and a sudden influx of workers and visitors make places like Forbidden City thriving night spots.
Later, during World War II, San Francisco served as a liberty port, or a city where servicemen shipped out and shipped back in. The military guys were a natural audience; however, families, both Chinese and white, would attend the nightclubs, too.
“It’s amazing to me, how many people told me that their parents took them,” See said. “Chinese and white – they would go celebrate birthdays and special occasions. Even though there was a bubble dancer and a fan dancer, it was very G-rated.”
The nightclubs served as a starting ground for many Asian American talents, such as Fong Toy, dancer and actress Noel Toy, dancer Tony Wing and Jimmy Borges, a.k.a. Jimmy Jay. Prominent Japanese Americans such as Pat Morita (“The Karate Kid”) and Jack Soo (“Barney Miller” and “Flower Drum Song”) proved that the performers didn’t have to be Chinese to succeed.
Filmmaker Arthur Dong made a documentary on the nightclubs and recently wrote a book on the subject, “Forbidden City, USA: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970.” A significant portion of his carefully preserved nightclub memorabilia is now on view at the San Francisco Public Library’s Jewett Gallery. “Forbidden City, USA” runs through July 6.
Dong and his collection served as important inspirations for See, who spent 3 1/2 years researching and writing her book.
“He was very helpful to me, and introduced me to a number of people,” she said. “He showed me the Chinese menus and the American-style menus. He gave me programs so I would know a particular floor show.”
So what caused the end of the Chinese American nightclubs?
“Television,” See replied. “TV comes on really pretty big after the war. All those men came back, marrying all the women working as Rosie the Riveters. They got washers, dryers, lawn mowers and TVs. Why go out when you can stay at home and be entertained? That was the end of the nightclubs across the country.”
A FAMILY TRADITION
Writing runs in See’s family. Her mother, Carolyn See, is a well-known author and book reviewer, and her grandfather, George Laws, was a writer too. But genes aren’t the only reason for her success. It takes discipline and hard work, too.
“I believe in writing 1,000 words a day,” said See, author of nine books. “Also, I believe you should really write what you’re passionate about. This idea of being passionate – it’s really the big difference between a one-night stand and a marriage.
“I’ve been very lucky in the sense that I don’t write what I think people might like. I really write about the things that I’m most passionate about, I’m most interested in, or obsessed with. I’m lucky that readers have gone along with my obsessions. These stories are very personal and very individual. But the more personal, the more universal it is.”
Contact the writer: 714-796-6026 or rchang@ocregister.com
