Long before she became one of the most famous women in the world - and the love of a man destined to become a King-Emperor - Wallis Simpson had lived an extraordinary life. Perhaps the most incredible part of it was when she went to live in China as the unhappy wife of a drunken US Navy officer and ended up leaving him and entering a world of hedonism, intrigue (both politics and sexual) and all manner of complex relationships amid the glamour - and dangers - of Shanghai and Peking during the Jazz Age. Rumours of her behaviour in China - notably the infamous ‘Shanghai Grip’ she was alleged to have learned in a high class brothel - would be used against her many years later.Paul French, an expert in Chinese history, has researched every aspect of Wallis’s time in China and his book, Her Lotus Year, brings that lost world to life - and nails a few myths. It also explains how and why Wallis became the formidable woman that she was. You can buy Paul's book, and all the books we feature on the podcast here, along with thousands of others in our special Scandal Mongers bookshop...https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/her-lotus-year-china-the-roaring-twenties-and-the-making-of-wallis-simpson-paul-french/7624169?aid=12054&ean=9781783968183&***We now have a Thank You button (next to the ’three dots’) for small donations that help support our work***Looking for the perfect gift for a special scandalous someone - or someone you’d like to get scandalous with? We’re here to help...https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScandalMongers*** If you enjoy our work please consider clicking the YouTube subscribe button, even if you listen to us on an audio app. It will help our brand to grow and our content to reach new ears***The Scandal Mongers...https://x.com/mongerspodcastPhil Craig...https://x.com/philmcraigFollow Paul's work here...https://www.instagram.com/oldshanghaipaul/THE SCANDAL MONGERS PODCAST is also available to listen to watch on YouTube...https://www.youtube.com/@thescandalmongerspodcastYou can get in touch with the show [email protected](place 'Scandal Mongers' in the heading)Produced byPodcastWorld.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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