Read about Asian-Pacific Americans, find some new literature written by one, immerse yourself!
eBooks
Asian American Culture: from Anime to Tiger Moms [2 Volumes] by
An invaluable reference for school and public libraries as well as academic libraries at colleges and universities, this two-volume encyclopedia provides comprehensive coverage of a variety of Asian American cultural forms that enables readers to understand the history, complexity, and contemporary practices in Asian American culture. The contributed entries address the diversity of a group comprising people with geographically discrete origins in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, identifying the rich variations across the category of Asian American culture that are key to understanding specific cultural expressions while also pointing out some commonalities. Entries are organized alphabetically and cover topics in the arts; education and politics; family and community; gender and sexuality; history and immigration; holidays, festivals, and folk tradition; literature and culture; media, sports, and popular culture; and religion, belief, and spirituality. Entries also broadly cover Asian American origins and history, regional practices and traditions, contemporary culture, and art and other forms of shared expression. Accompanying sidebars throughout serve to highlight key individuals, major events, and significant artifacts and allow readers to better appreciate the Asian American experience.
ISBN: 9781440829215Publication Date: 2016-03-14
Historical Dictionary of Asian American Literature and Theater by
Asian American literature is one of the most recent forms of ethnic literature and is already becoming one of the most prominent, given the large number of writers, the growing ethnic population from the region, the general receptivity of this body of work, and the quality of the authors. In recent decades, there has been an exponential growth in their output and much Asian American literature has now achieved new levels of popular success and critical acclaim. Nurtured by rich and long literary traditions from the vast continent of Asia, this literature is poised between the ancient and the modern, between the East and West, and between the oral and the written. The Historical Dictionary of Asian American Literature and Theater covers the activities in this burgeoning field. First, its history is traced year by year from 1887 to the present, in a chronology, and the introduction provides a good overview. The most important section is the dictionary, with over 600 substantial and cross-referenced entries on authors, books, and genres as well as more general ones describing the historical background, cultural features, techniques and major theatres and clubs. More reading can be found through an extensive bibliography with general works and those on specific authors. The book is thus a good place to get started, or to expanded one's horizons, about a branch of American literature that can only grow in importance.
ISBN: 9780810855779Publication Date: 2012-04-12
Asian American Literature by
This critical study of Asian American literature discusses work by internationally successful writers such as Maxine Hong Kingston, Chang-rae Lee, Bharati Mukherjee, Amy Tan and others in their historical, cultural and critical contexts. The focus of this book is on contemporary writing, from the 1970s onwards, although it also traces over a hundred years of Asian American literary production in prose, poetry, drama and criticism. The main body of the book comprises five periodized chapters that highlight important events in a nation-state that has historically rendered Asian Americans invisible. Of particular importance to the writers selected for case studies are questions of racial identity, cultural history and literary value with respect to dominant American ideologies.Key features* The first readily available introductory guide to Asian American literature* Discusses a representative range of Asian American literature, providing asense of the diversity of the field and of its key themes and modes of writing* Provides close readings of key texts in the form of case studies in their cultural, historical and critical contexts* Encourages reflection on questions of literary value, canonicity and the scopeand purpose of literary studies
ISBN: 9780748629831Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Asian-American Writers by
- A complex critical portrait of one of the most influential writers in the world - Bibliographic information that directs readers to additional resources for further study - A useful chronology of the writer's life - An introductory essay by Harold Bloom.
ISBN: 9781438119342Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Global Asian American Popular Cultures by
over -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- PART I. STARS AND CELEBRITIES -- 1. Trans-Pacific Flows: Globalization and Hybridity in Bruce Lee's Hong Kong Films -- 2. "I'm Thankful for Manny": Manny Pacquiao, Pugilistic Nationalism, and the Filipina/o Body -- 3. A History of Race and He(te)rosexuality in the Movies: James Shigeta's Asian American Male Stardom -- 4. Model Maternity: Amy Chua and Asian American Motherhood -- 5. YouTube Made the TV Star: KevJumba's Star Appearance on The Amazing Race...
Call Number: E184.A75.G55 2016ISBN: 9781479803712Publication Date: 2016
Print Books
The Hakka Cookbook by
Veteran food writer Linda Lau Anusasananan opens the world of Hakka cooking to Western audiences in this fascinating chronicle that traces the rustic cuisine to its roots in a history of multiple migrations. Beginning in her grandmother's kitchen in California, Anusasananan travels to her family's home in China, and from there fans out to embrace Hakka cooking across the globe--including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, Peru, and beyond. More than thirty home cooks and chefs share their experiences of the Hakka diaspora as they contribute over 140 recipes for everyday Chinese comfort food as well as more elaborate festive specialties. This book likens Hakka cooking to a nomadic type of "soul food," or a hearty cooking tradition that responds to a shared history of hardship and oppression. Earthy, honest, and robust, it reflects the diversity of the estimated 75 million Hakka living in China and greater Asia, and in scattered communities around the world--yet still retains a core flavor and technique. Anusasananan's deep personal connection to the tradition, together with her extensive experience testing and developing recipes, make this book both an intimate journey of discovery and an exciting introduction to a vibrant cuisine.
Call Number: TX724.5.C5 A64 2012ISBN: 9780520273283Publication Date: 2012-10-08
A Common Table by
Cynthia Chen McTernan, blogger behind Two Red Bowls, shares 80 Asian-inspired, modern recipes that marry her southern upbringing, her Chinese roots, and her Korean mother-in-law's table. These days, there's such a commonality in our food- what we make is rarely the product of one culture, and recipes that may seem culturally dissimilar are actually richly woven together. That's the concept behind A Common Table, written by the hugely popular TwoRedBowls.com creator, photographer, and food stylist Cynthia Chen McTernan. Her recipes are made for the home cook who wants to incorporate those flavors without following long, daunting directions. Her style is a mishmash fusion that marries traditions from the South, China, and Korea to create dishes that are inspired and unique. This book also chronicles the story of Cynthia's family-from when she met her husband to when she moved from New York to Los Angeles to start a family. As her life has changed, her cooking style has become more and more diverse. Cynthia's kitchen has many influences and will inspire readers to step out of their culinary comfort zones.
Call Number: TX724.5.A1 M38 2018ISBN: 9781635650020Publication Date: 2018-10-23
Where the Past Begins by
FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR AMY TAN, A MEMOIR ON HER LIFE AS A WRITER, HER CHILDHOOD, AND THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FICTION AND EMOTIONAL MEMORY In Where the Past Begins, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club and The Valley of Amazement Amy Tan is at her most intimate in revealing the truths and inspirations that underlie her extraordinary fiction. By delving into vivid memories of her traumatic childhood, confessions of self-doubt in her journals, and heartbreaking letters to and from her mother, she gives evidence to all that made it both unlikely and inevitable that she would become a writer. Through spontaneous storytelling, she shows how a fluid fictional state of mind unleashed near-forgotten memories that became the emotional nucleus of her novels. Tan explores shocking truths uncovered by family memorabilia--the real reason behind an IQ test she took at age six, why her parents lied about their education, mysteries surrounding her maternal grandmother--and, for the first time publicly, writes about her complex relationship with her father, who died when she was fifteen. Supplied with candor and characteristic humor, Where the Past Begins takes readers into the idiosyncratic workings of her writer's mind, a journey that explores memory, imagination, and truth, with fiction serving as both her divining rod and link to meaning.
Call Number: PS3570.A48 Z46 2017ISBN: 9780062319296Publication Date: 2017-10-17
Asian American Literature by
Asian American Literature: An Encyclopedia for Students is an invaluable resource for students curious to know more about Asian North American writers, texts, and the issues and drives that motivate their writing. This volume collects, in one place, a breadth of information about Asian American literary and cultural history as well as the authors and texts that best define it. A dozen contextual essays introduce fundamental elements or subcategories of Asian American literature, expanding on social and literary concerns or tensions that are familiar and relevant. Essays include the origins and development of the term "Asian American"; overviews of Asian American and Asian Canadian social and literary histories; essays on Asian American identity, gender issues, and sexuality; and discussions of Asian American rhetoric and children's literature. More than 120 alphabetical entries round out the volume and cover important Asian North American authors. Historical information is presented in clear and engaging ways, and author entries emphasize biographical or textual details that are significant to contemporary young adults. Special attention has been given to pioneering authors from the late 19th century through the early 1970s and to influential or well-known contemporary authors, especially those likely to be studied in high school or university classrooms. Provides easily accessible information on more than 120 important Asian American and Asian Canadian writers Summarizes major texts by each author and suggests where readers may find additional information about favorite writers or texts Provides background essays on foundational elements of Asian American and Asian Canadian history, literature, and identity
ISBN: 9781440872884Publication Date: 2021-08-25
Graphic Memoirs
They Called Us Enemy (Graphic Novel) by
New York Times Bestseller! A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei's childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon -- and America itself -- in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love. George Takei has captured hearts and minds worldwide with his captivating stage presence and outspoken commitment to equal rights. But long before he braved new frontiers in Star Trek, he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father's -- and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future. In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten "relocation centers," hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard. They Called Us Enemy is Takei's firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother's hard choices, his father's faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future. What does it mean to be American? Who gets to decide? When the world is against you, what can one person do? To answer these questions, George Takei joins co-writers Justin Eisinger & Steven Scott and artist Harmony Becker for the journey of a lifetime.
ISBN: 9781603094504Publication Date: 2019-07-16
The Best We Could Do (Graphic Memoir) by
National bestseller 2017 National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Finalist ABA Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2017 Selection Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Spring 2017 Selection ALA 2018 Notable Books Selection An intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one family's journey from war-torn Vietnam, from debut author Thi Bui. This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family's daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves. At the heart of Bui's story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent--the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home. In what Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen calls "a book to break your heart and heal it," The Best We Could Do brings to life Thi Bui's journey of understanding, and provides inspiration to all of those who search for a better future while longing for a simpler past.
ISBN: 9781419718786Publication Date: 2018-04-17
The American Dream? (Graphic Memoir) by
As a child growing up in Malaysia, Shing Yin Khor had two very different ideas of what "America" meant. The first looked a lot like Hollywood, full of beautiful people and sunlight and freeways. The second looked more like The Grapes of Wrath - a nightmare landscape filled with impoverished people, broken-down cars, barren landscapes, and broken dreams. Those contrasting ideas have stuck with Shing ever since, even now that she lives and works in LA. The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 is Shing's attempt to find what she can of both of these Americas on a solo journey (small adventure-dog included) across the entire expanse of that iconic road, beginning in Santa Monica and ending up Chicago. And what begins as a road trip ends up as something more like a pilgrimage in search of an American landscape that seems forever shifting, forever out of place.
ISBN: 9781942186373Publication Date: 2019-08-06
Dragon Hoops (Graphic Novel) by
In his latest graphic novel, Gene Luen Yang turns the spotlight on his life, his family, and the high school where he teaches.Gene doesn't get sports. But at Bishop O'Dowd High School, it's all anyone can talk about. The men's varsity basketball team, the Dragons, is having a phenomenal season that's been decades in the making. Each victory brings them closer to their ultimate goal: the California State Championships.Once Gene gets to know these young all-stars, he realizes that their story is just as thrilling as anything he's seen on a comic book page. What he doesn't know yet is that this season is not only going to change the Dragons' lives, but his own life as well.
ISBN: 9781626720794Publication Date: 2020-03-17
Almost American Girl (Illustrated Memoir) by
Harvey Award Nominee & Best Children or Young Adult Book. A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life--perfect for fans of American Born Chinese and Hey, Kiddo. For as long as she can remember, it's been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasn't always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together. So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation--following her mother's announcement that she's getting married--Robin is devastated. Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesn't understand the language and struggles to keep up. She is completely cut off from her friends in Seoul and has no access to her beloved comics. At home, she doesn't fit in with her new stepfamily, and worst of all, she is furious with the one person she is closest to--her mother. Then one day Robin's mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, which opens the window to a future Robin could never have imagined. This nonfiction graphic novel with four starred reviews is an excellent choice for teens and also accelerated tween readers, both for independent reading and units on immigration, memoirs, and the search for identity.
ISBN: 9780062685100Publication Date: 2020-01-28
I Was Their American Dream (Graphic Novel) by
"A portrait of growing up in America, and a portrait of family, that pulls off the feat of being both intimately specific and deeply universal at the same time. I adored this book."--Jonny Sun "[A] high-spirited graphical memoir . . . Gharib's wisdom about the power and limits of racial identity is evident in the way she draws."--NPR WINNER OF THE ARAB AMERICAN BOOK AWARD * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR * The New York Public Library * Kirkus Reviews I Was Their American Dream is at once a coming-of-age story and a reminder of the thousands of immigrants who come to America in search for a better life for themselves and their children. The daughter of parents with unfulfilled dreams themselves, Malaka navigated her childhood chasing her parents' ideals, learning to code-switch between her family's Filipino and Egyptian customs, adapting to white culture to fit in, crushing on skater boys, and trying to understand the tension between holding onto cultural values and trying to be an all-American kid. Malaka Gharib's triumphant graphic memoir brings to life her teenage antics and illuminates earnest questions about identity and culture, while providing thoughtful insight into the lives of modern immigrants and the generation of millennial children they raised. Malaka's story is a heartfelt tribute to the American immigrants who have invested their future in the promise of the American dream. Praise for I Was Their American Dream "In this time when immigration is such a hot topic, Malaka Gharib puts an engaging human face on the issue. . . . The push and pull first-generation kids feel is portrayed with humor and love, especially humor. . . . Gharib pokes fun at all of the cultures she lives in, able to see each of them with an outsider's wry eye, while appreciating them with an insider's close experience. . . . The question of 'What are you?' has never been answered with so much charm."--Marissa Moss, New York Journal of Books "Forthright and funny, Gharib fiercely claims her own American dream."--Booklist "Thoughtful and relatable, this touching account should be shared across generations."- Library Journal "This charming graphic memoir riffs on the joys and challenges of developing a unique ethnic identity."- Publishers Weekly
ISBN: 9780525575115Publication Date: 2019-04-30
