All things old China - books, anecdotes, stories, podcasts, factoids & ramblings from the author Paul French
I’ll be giving a talk on Denton Welch’s youthful experiences in Shanghai to the Royal Asiatic Society in that fine city on 27/3/19…
THE ART OF FACT: CREATING CREATIVE CHINA NON-FICTION
Helen Zia, Paul French, Michael Schuman, Jingwen Kang
Sunday, March 17, 6:00 PM
60 RMB | The Bookworm – TICKETS
Contemporary artists of non-fiction – to borrow from literary critic Barbara Lounsberry’s The Art of Fact – identify a documentable subject matter chosen from the real world as opposed to something invented by the writer; they engage in exhaustive research which helps them establish credible narratives and to portray and revive the scene; and they utilise polished language and an engaging prose style, which when assembled together reveals the artistry and literary merit evident in the pages. This evening we gather three fine artists of China-related non-fiction – Helen Zia (Last Boat out of Shanghai), Paul French (City of Devils) and Michael Schuman (Confucius and the World He Created) – to discuss how they approach their non-fiction projects, what issues they can face along the creative journey, and how they bring their work to literary life. Moderated by Jingwen Kang.
Tomorrow Xinran who will be in conversation with Paul French, discussing all things love, loss, and China in the new book ‘The Promise’. This Thurs (14th March) at 1:30 pm at Daunt Books, Marylebone. Tickets here: https://bit.ly/2GvNAgW
Delighted of course to be back at the Beijing International Literary Festival – promoting City of Devils and my new essay collection of old sojourner tales Destination Shanghai and talking with the ever-fascinating Jeremiah Jenne – Bookworm – Saturday 16th, 4pm.
Tickets here – http://bookwormfestival.com/events/blf-2019-sojourners-to-china/
I don’t do them very often but if anyone in Beijing is interested I’m doing a workshop on 17/3/19 as part of the Beijing International Literary Festival 2019….
http://bookwormfestival.com/events/blf-2019-writing-workshop-based-on-a-true-story/
Paul French
Sunday, March 17, 2 pm – 4 pm
200 rmb | Opposite House – ticket
How do writers bring the past alive? Is it OK to guess at a historical character’s motivations or put words into her mouth? When does creative non-fiction turn into historical fiction? In this workshop, participants will learn how to investigate and tell true stories in entertaining ways under the guidance of Paul French, author of a number of acclaimed books about China, including Midnight in Peking and City of Devils. French will also talk about researching family histories in China and using unexpected sources to get at the essence of an era.
Please Note: This event will take place in MESH in the Opposite House
Issue 2 of Tsundoku – a column by me for Asian Books Blog.com, that aims to make that pile of ‘must read’ books by your bed a little more teetering – fiction, non-fiction, photography and kids…and so…This is what has come across my desk so far that should be in the shops in March…
The new Channel 5 series brings the black-and-white films of the era back to life through colourisation. And here we are in Accrington, Lancashire in 1908 and a bicycling festival parade celebrating the British Empire. And here we see, colourised a man and woman dressed in Chinese garb of a sort….
Of course it’s hard to work out the reasoning for what appears to be blackface on the man. I’m also not sure how decisions on colourisation are made by the TV producers – though the black and white picture clearly seems to indicate that the man blacked his face up?
I wrote a piece about the South London pickled onions heir & convert to Islam Bertram Sheldrake, who was, briefly in the 1930s, the King of Xinjiang…
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2188216/last-king-xinjiang-how-bertram-sheldrake-went
