Forbidden City, USA: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 Paperback – April 11, 2014

This fascinating and well-written book fills in details which Arthur Dong’s 1989 documentary can cover only briefly. Dong’s timing in interviewing the surviving club owners and performers was fortuitous, since by the time he began, they were all at an advanced age. Dong captures the adventurous spirit they shared, and records stories that might be otherwise have been lost. It’s a rare glimpse into an era that which has long since passed, and deserves to be remembered.

We owe Arthur Dong a huge debt of gratitude for capturing these interviews, this living history, at the time he did. Most of the people who tell their stories in his book have passed away now. As often happens with Chinese history in America, it remains hidden until someone takes the time to reveal its importance to our culture. Dong's book (I haven't seen the documentary yet, but plan to) is more than a history of Chinese entertainers in America, it's a story about the San Francisco Bay Area and environs...how farm kids from the agricultural belt of the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Delta towns wanted something more than their small world offered them. These kids had grown up typically American during the Depression, but when they put themselves on stage for all to see, they discovered the stereotypes society expected of them. Not just from whites...they were hit even harder at that time by old-fashioned Chinese ideas of modesty and morality. So they got it from both sides. All in all an amazing story of everyday people doing extraordinary things. Dong adds to these great interviews by giving us a taste of his incredible collection of Chinese nightclub memorabilia, with publicity photographs, snapshots, and ephemera. Highly recommended.

The book and movie were purchased together and I've been extremely happy with both. The background on many of the Chinese entertainers of that amazing era in San Francisco were fascinating. I was in the Navy and stationed in the Bay area during the mid-60s and went to this nightclub often, but never had the background on the people who made it run; until now. The history is rich and revealing and these entertainers had to deal with prejudice from others and scorn from their own people. But they persevered, leaving a wonderful legacy for the reader to learn. Highly recommended.

I thought it was informative and especially during the club's early days. Also my mom danced there in the early 1960's was in there on 4 or 5 pages with her name mentioned. I thought this to be clearly the amount of work put into this in identefying even the minor characters, which my mom was, during this particular era. Although brief, I thought the overall history of the Fornidden City thru the years that wasconsolidated into this book must have been quite the project.

What a find! This beautifully illustrated book introduces readers to the amazing and colorful personalities associated with with the San Francisco Chinatown nightclub scene of a bygone era. Without Arthur Dong's passion for collecting photos and memorabilia this exquisite book could not have existed in its current format. It's presented in a way that produces a nostalgic feeling as it draws you into the world of Chinese forerunners of the entertainment industry. Page by page from beginning to end, it is both entertaining and informative. It belongs on the shelf of every library in the country. .

All due respect to Arthur Dong, his book has lots of steamy pictures and allusions are made to how the relatively brief history of these mostly San Francisco nightclubs in the 30s and 40s integrate against the background of Chinese Exclusion Laws and/or Asian fetishism but, otherwise, there isn't much in the way of penetrating analysis. Much of the book is devoted to verbatim transcripts of interviews with some of the (then) surviving participants in the scene.

Beautifully done book with great interviews of this almost-lost era in nightclub history; one that many of us know, if at all, from the few nightclub moments in 'Flower Drum Song.' Buy the book. Skip the DVD till they can find a way to make the DVD stop skipping.

Thank you Arthur Dong for spending so much love and effort on this project. It's so inspiring to me as an Asian American in the arts (and a San Franciscan!) to see that some really wonderful performers have been paving the way for me all along.

This book expands greatly on the personal stories recounted in the film documentary of the same name. The text includes some very candid comments (not heard in the film) from some of the featured personalities - indeed, everyone has story. Excellently laid out and full of vintage photographs, articles, menus and other memorabilia from the "golden age" of Chinese American nightclubs. Entertaining and educational - I haven't seen any other book on this topic as well done as this one. Highly recommended!