Reminiscences of Audrey Topping, 1981.

Biographical Note

Photojournalist; interviewee married Seymour Topping

Scope and Contents

Experiences of paternal grandparents as missionaries in China (1892-1900); descriptions of China of that time; grandfather's settling in China; experiences of parents as teachers in China (1922-28); childhood and family life in Canada; residence in China during father's service as Canadian ambassador (1946-49); return to Canada; marriage to Seymour Topping; experiences during his Associated Press assignments to Saigon (1950-53), London (1953-56), Berlin (1956-60), Times assignment to Moscow (1960-63): including births and raising of daughters, local events, contacts with local people, writing of photojournalistic accounts, artwork; return trips to China with father and including visit to his birthplace, meetings with Chou En-lai and other officials; speculations on changes wrought in China by revolution, physical improvements over time; documentaries there in 1973, 1975, latter including visit to Xian tombs; trips to Tibet and silk route, 1979; Soviet Union and Mongolia, 1981; reflections on personal philosophy; discussions of written and photographic work, international relations including Vietnam, U.S.-China relations

Subjects

• Canada--Description and travel.
• Canada--Foreign relations.
• China--Description and travel.
• China--History--1949-
• China--Politics and government--20th century.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Photographers--Interviews.
• Photojournalism.
• Tanner, Estelle, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• Topping, Audrey--Interviews.
• Women photographers--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1987