I was in tears and yet I was happy to know that I was in his heart for all those years. He was my first love and we tried to light the fire again. We saw each other a few more times and one day Vince called me from the Santa Anita racetrack. When I learned about his addiction to gambling on horses, the spark faded. It was not a happy ending like in the Hollywood movies. Sometimes it’s better to leave the good, old feeling where it was and bring it out with a smile from time to time. Life is to go forward.
Some life stories are defined by one place, one profession, or one defining moment. “Wild Orchid: From Beijing to La-La Land’’ is anything but that. Written by Lucille Soong, this memoir follows an extraordinary journey from childhood in China through marriage, migration, adventure, modeling, acting, business, real estate, friendships, heartbreak, and eventually a long career in Hollywood. Proudly published by Citi of Books, this is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retail platforms.
Lucille Soong tells her own story in Wild Orchid, drawing from memories that stretch from childhood in China to her experiences across Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the United States. Her path included teaching, business, modeling, acting, real estate, and decades of navigating unfamiliar environments. Her acknowledgment explains that actress Elizabeth Sung encouraged her to write down the important events of her life after they worked together on The Joy Luck Club. Although Soong was initially reluctant because she did not feel skilled in English, Sung’s encouragement eventually helped inspire the memoir.
The book is deeply personal, but it is also filled with humor, unexpected encounters, cultural observations, and the determination to keep moving forward even when life takes an unexpected turn. The book itself is organized into nine chapters that trace Soong’s life across several countries and cities.
The story begins in China, where Soong looks back on her childhood in Tianjin and Shanghai. Born into a relatively affluent family, she grew up surrounded by parents, siblings, grandparents, servants, and traditions that shaped her understanding of family and society. Her childhood was interrupted by war and political upheaval. The Japanese invasion of Tianjin in 1937 forced her family to confront danger and uncertainty, while later political changes under Communist rule dramatically altered their lives. Her father’s businesses were confiscated, her brothers faced restrictions on their education, and Soong herself was assigned to study coal mine engineering despite wanting to pursue English or art.
It is a story about growing up during periods of enormous historical change, leaving familiar places behind, navigating relationships, discovering unexpected talents, entering the entertainment industry, facing discrimination and rejection, building new careers, and continuing to reinvent oneself. Soong’s willingness to recount both the glamorous and difficult sides of her experiences gives the book its distinctive personality.
The memoir is also filled with the kinds of stories that make a reader stop and wonder what could possibly happen next. From childhood memories in wartime China to encounters with filmmakers and performers, from Jamaica and London to Hollywood and San Francisco, Soong’s life repeatedly takes unexpected turns. Her experiences reveal a woman who is curious about the world, unafraid of adventure, and determined to make something meaningful out of whatever circumstances she encounters.
Ultimately, “Wild Orchid: From Beijing to La-La Land” is a celebration of movement, reinvention, and persistence. Lucille Soong’s journey shows that a person’s path does not have to follow a straight line. Sometimes a setback leads to another country, an unexpected meeting leads to a career, and a seemingly impossible dream simply takes longer than expected. For readers who enjoy memoirs filled with history, travel, entertainment, colorful personalities, personal challenges, and remarkable life experiences, this book offers a fascinating journey from one side of the world to another, ending in the bright lights of Hollywood.
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