🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Paul French
About Paul French Paul French is a British writer known for his books and articles on various topics. He has focused much of his work on China, exploring its history and culture through gripping stories. His writing stands out because he turns real events into engaging narratives that hold readers’ attention. He has a talent for making facts feel as exciting as fiction. One of his most famous books, Midnight in Peking, delves into a true crime story set in 1930s China. Another notable work, Her Lotus Year, examines Wallis Simpson’s time in China with careful detail. French has a skill for blending history with suspense, keeping readers hooked from start to finish. His ability to craft vivid scenes and build tension makes his books hard to put down.
All Book Series by Paul French
North Korea: The Paranoid Peninsula - A Modern History
Book 2 of 25 · published 2005
Carl Crow, a Tough Old China Hand: The Life, Times, and Adventures of an American in Shanghai
Book 3 of 25 · published 2006
Oil on Water: Tankers, Pirates and the Rise of China
Book 5 of 25 · published 2010 Co-authored · Sam Chambers
Fat China: How Expanding Waistlines Are Changing a Nation
Book 6 of 25 · published 2010 Co-authored · Matthew Crabbe
The Badlands: More Stories from Midnight in Peking
Book 10 of 25 · published 2012
Man’s Fate – Andre Malraux’s Shanghai of the Absurd
Book 13 of 25 · published 2016
City of Devils: The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai
Book 19 of 25 · published 2018
Strangers on the Praia: A Tale of Refugees and Resistance in Wartime Macao
Book 22 of 25 · published 2021
The Last Emperor of China: Twilight of the Forbidden City
Latest in the series · book 25 of 25 · published 2026
Ballot Box China
Series opener · book 1 of 13 · published 2011 Anthology · Kerry Brown
Thailand's Hidden Workforce
Book 2 of 13 · published 2012 Anthology · Ruth Pearson
Who's Afraid of China?
Book 3 of 13 · published 2012 Anthology · Doctor Michael Barr
A Kingdom in Crisis
Book 8 of 13 · published 2015 Anthology · Andrew MacGregor Marshall
Last Days of the Mighty Mekong
Book 10 of 13 · published 2019 Anthology · Brian Eyler
Return of the Junta
Latest in the series · book 13 of 13 · published 2023 Multi-author collection
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Paul French?
About Paul French Paul French is a British writer known for his books and articles on various topics. He has focused much of his work on China, exploring its history and culture through gripping stories. His writing stands out because he turns real events into engaging narratives that hold readers' attention.
Which Paul French series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Asian Arguments series, the earliest of Paul French's multi-book series: it opens with Ballot Box China (2011) and runs to 13 books across 2011–2023, ending with Return of the Junta (2023).
How many books has Paul French written?
Paul French has 39 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1998 and 2026. 13 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the Asian Arguments series with 13 books — and 26 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Paul French's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Paul French's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Asian Arguments (2011–2023, 13 books).
How are Paul French's books organised into series?
This guide splits Paul French's 39 books into 1 named series and 26 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Asian Arguments (13 books, 2011–2023).