Jung Chang on London, Exile, and the Mother Behind Wild Swans

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-03

Jung Chang has lived a life that spans continents and centuries. Her new book, *Fly, Wild Swans*, picks up where her iconic memoir left off. But this time, she zooms in on the people and places that shaped her voice. London, she says, gave her the freedom to write. Exile gave her the distance to see clearly. And her mother? She gave her the story that changed everything. ### London as a Sanctuary for Writers For Chang, London wasn't just a city. It was a lifeline. When she arrived in the 1970s, she found a place where she could speak without fear. The city's libraries, bookshops, and quiet cafes became her writing room. She could sit for hours, piecing together memories that were too dangerous to write down back home. London offered something priceless: the space to tell the truth. - **Freedom of expression:** No censorship, no fear of reprisal. - **Access to archives:** British libraries held documents she couldn't find anywhere else. - **A community of writers:** Other exiles who understood her journey. ### The Weight of Exile Exile is a strange gift. It gives you perspective, but it also takes away your roots. Chang talks about the loneliness of being away from her homeland. She misses the sounds, the smells, the everyday rhythms of China. But exile also sharpened her focus. She could write about her family's past without the fog of daily life getting in the way. The distance made the memories clearer, like looking at a painting from across a room. ### The Mother Who Made It Possible Chang's mother is the quiet hero of *Wild Swans*. She was a revolutionary, a survivor, and a storyteller. Without her, the book wouldn't exist. Chang remembers her mother sitting at the kitchen table, recounting tales of war and loss. Those stories became the backbone of the memoir. Her mother didn't just live through history. She preserved it, one conversation at a time. Chang says she owes her everything. ### Preserving Historical Truth In an age of misinformation, Chang's work feels more urgent than ever. She doesn't just tell stories. She documents them. Every detail in her books is verified through interviews, letters, and official records. She believes that history belongs to everyone, not just the powerful. That's why she writes with such care. Each sentence is a small act of resistance against forgetting. ### Why Fly, Wild Swans Matters Now The new book isn't just a sequel. It's a deeper dive into the themes that made *Wild Swans* a classic. Chang explores what it means to be a woman, a writer, and an exile in the modern world. She also reflects on how London has changed over the decades. The city that once welcomed her is now more expensive and more crowded. But it still holds a special place in her heart. > "London gave me the chance to become who I am. I will always be grateful for that." ### Final Thoughts Jung Chang's story is a reminder that the best writing comes from a place of truth. Whether she's talking about exile, family, or the city that became her home, she never loses sight of what matters: the human experience. *Fly, Wild Swans* is more than a memoir. It's a testament to the power of memory and the courage it takes to share it.