Badlands: Decadent Playground of Old Peking

More about the book

Set in pre-communist Beijing's notorious Badlands, the narrative explores the lives of eight diverse characters from the 1920s and 1930s. Paul French vividly depicts a world filled with contrasting figures, including brothel madams, exploitative pimps, and young prostitutes grappling with addiction. Among them is Tatiana Korovina, a resilient cabaret dancer who defies the district's vices, and Joe Knauf, an American entangled in crime. The enigmatic Shura Giraldi, a master criminal, adds intrigue as the self-proclaimed King of the Badlands, highlighting the area's complex social tapestry.