New Books In East Asian Studies

Macau–onetime Portuguese colony, now casino hotspot–has long captured the imaginations of travelers, reporters, artists and writers. The city served as the only gateway to China for centuries; then, after the rise of Hong Kong, its slightly seedier vibe made it a popular setting for books, articles and movies exploring the more criminal elements of society. Paul French joins us, once again, to talk about his new book Destination Macao (Blacksmith Books: 2024) the latest book in his Destination series. We chat about colonies and casinos, but also some of the lesser-known parts of Macau’s history, like an aborted British attempt to invade Macau in 1808; furious media rumors in 1935 about Japan’s interest in buying the colony, and the city’s brief time as an aviation hub for the Pan Am Clipper. 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