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chiyeungreads's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A little dry at times but deeply informative.
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.5
Audio related review: I love Cindy Kay’s Voice a lot. I cannot judge her Chinese as I only speak English and mediocre Spanish. I would not recommend the audio if you do not speak Chinese simply bc I think reading the names would help you follow better especially bc early on the book mentions the Wing annexing Tibet and I believe Xinjiang but I may have misheard the second one. Also there are a lot of diagrams :) but my library only had the audio book and I do like it, I Just can’t sound out peoples names on how to spell as a non Chinese speaker 😭
Overall review: this was a wonderful book to read after Dunbar-Ortiz’s Not a Nation if Immigrant as the theory/concept of settler colonialism self Indigenizing is relevant and mentioned here in concept by white and Asian settlers. Which also speaks to a huge strength of this book, sometimes nonblack historians or historical fiction will shy away from the reality* antiblackness and anti indigenous racism from non indigenous or non black (or both especially in the case of South Africa or Australia where racism against the Blak/aboriginal are closely tied—Ngai mentions a group of white settlers doing black face when attacking Chinese immigrants and their houses once and it reminded of how white settlers in the US doing red face before crimes or blaming mythical black people also something that happens in South Africa, though that is not the focus of the book). Chinese immigrants and migrant workers relations with those groups is never the focus but I found it very intelligent and refreshing Ngai did not shy away from the good or bad elements around it like the case of Chinese worker Norman questioning and rejecting where Chinese were placed in the racial hierarchy of the United States but not the hierarchy itself saying they had no allegiance to “negroes or the red man”. Or how Chinese workers in South Africa wrote back to Qing China how the country was a living hell where both Chinese and Africans were treated worse then farm animals but in the same letter talking about “the poor negro” didn’t necessarily think Africans were their equal and offended to be paid less then them sometimes for racist reasons then simply rejecting the premise of what’s being based on race or nationality. Though she also talked about how there’s not a lot of documentation of African and Chinese beyond white South Africans being concerned chinese would influence Africans to be more disobedient (esp as Ngai notes Africans deserted the mines at higher rates having somewhere to desert to while bearing misgivings privately while Chinese works spoke and performed strikes at higher rates at this time).
The book was motivated by a student of hers repeating unintentionally a harmful myth that all Chinese labor was coolie labor and slavery vs the reality that basically none of the labor force in the US or Australia was (though there was rampant racially motivated work abuse). And the book shows how multiple countries pretended and perpetuated such myths and myths of Chinese being trafficked and money being sent home “actually” stolen by abusive Chinese bosses to frame racist deportations and exclusion acts as trying to prevent the spread on slavery into their countries out of “concern”. As well as the hyper sexualizing of Asian women (interrogated as assumed sex workers where they were assumed guilty until proven innocent, and obviously such sexual harassment discouraged immigration) as well as ideas of keeping men invested in their home towns and family ideals of the time and how this affected Chinese men’s social dynamics aboard or mental health Especially in South Africa where mail was unreliable.
One issue I did have was the sue of European or Euro American and white interchangeably with a preference for European ___, I thought accidentally assumed Europeans were white when Europe has been a diverse continent for centuries by the point of 19th Century to 20th Century this book covers and I think accidentally validated white myths of a white Europe with that usages outside either quotes or specifically speaking of white European immigrants. I understand if maybe the point was to erase the white settler amnesia that they are not indigenous to the land but instead it contributed the above and also made it confusing if the book was talking about competing white immigrant groups who did attack Chinese immigrants or how in South Africa there was also tension between white Dutch descendants (afrikaaners) and English white settlers? Also because the focus is white supremacy and racist immigration and work policy vs Chinese relationship with indigenous or Africans it made the epilogue about modern Chinese mining in African continent that was in Ghana largely feel very rushed and shoehorned in and felt like that vs how Chinese were discussed even in the wake of corona virus pandemic and by both US parties (how American debt to China is demonized and treated as a danger when US actually has always owed Japan more money for example) feel sub par and something that would have been better as an accompanying article or short paper better written since Ghana is a largely black, African nation with black politicians making various deals with China vs white controlled South Africa. Also in the beginning there’s a blanket statement that US is the only place that’s explicitly stated exclusion of Chinese people in law and I am confused if that is true or meant to only be in English bc Mexico has had several presidents mass deport Chinese people and state parties named anti chino and so on? But I have not read those bills so perphaps they’re technically worded differently.
Back to positive: I loooved how the author included how Chinese immigrants wrote back home and how local papers followed these laws and how that did or didn’t affect the Qing dynasty’s popularity back home especially since that was and has been a huge part of shaping the national identity of China having one of the world biggest diaspora being so mistreated globally and wondering what’s the point of an Emperor if your power doesn’t mean anything (which is also very Roman in some ways or how Americans don’t realize even if other countries frankly are racist the American passport and citizenship is a shield aboard, like how Mexico treats black Americans to Africans and Haitians is very different degrees of racism even if all are antiblack) . Also Especially how even if other countries didn’t respect Chinese they especially Great Britain wanted to be allowed to engage in trade with Qing China. And the reparations for the rock spring massacre reminded me of how the Qing Empire only got a promise of reparation for the 300 Chinese (and six Japanese) Mexicans murdered in the Torreón Massacre bc they promised to send a war ship otherwise that never went anywhere bc the Mexican President who agreed to that was assassinated and the qing Empire collapsed! But also how one Russian who worked on behalf of the Chinese had good reviews by consulates for the Wing for good reason even if as historian Ngai has access to his personal documents that show a much more patronizing view he held even if he quit his job bc of his despair at the violent racism to Chinese workers.
Long but good book, I really enjoyed it and recommend it, especially in regards to immigration and rhetoric surrounding China and Chinese workers that some how used faux sympathy to justify subhuman treatment and exclusion.
*historical fiction I am thinking was How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang which I just think odd about black and native Americans when they came up and to me seemed to white wash and erase how Both poor whites and Chinese settlers had not great to hostile relationships with. And also Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu that I think is a modern American Classic but also Deeply does believe in the American Project and COMPLETELY omits and erases (also not a mention of the indigenous population on Taiwan when Taiwan comes up which seems…consistent issue with the author) and does not mention native Americans at ALL that both Dunbar-Ortiz chapters on how settlers of color contribute to settler colonialism to assimilate to the American project and self Indigenize and Ngai discussion of settler deliberate amnesia and obtuseness even if largely in context to how white settlers talk to immigrants/migrants of color and again made her talking about how in some cases in the Us aND Africa and Australia Chinese workers were the ones contacting and developing colonialism of the land unfortunately deeply refreshing frankness plenty of oppress people also contribute to systems that oppress others to even only an imagined benefit at times (and again not the focus of the book).
Overall review: this was a wonderful book to read after Dunbar-Ortiz’s Not a Nation if Immigrant as the theory/concept of settler colonialism self Indigenizing is relevant and mentioned here in concept by white and Asian settlers. Which also speaks to a huge strength of this book, sometimes nonblack historians or historical fiction will shy away from the reality* antiblackness and anti indigenous racism from non indigenous or non black (or both especially in the case of South Africa or Australia where racism against the Blak/aboriginal are closely tied—Ngai mentions a group of white settlers doing black face when attacking Chinese immigrants and their houses once and it reminded of how white settlers in the US doing red face before crimes or blaming mythical black people also something that happens in South Africa, though that is not the focus of the book). Chinese immigrants and migrant workers relations with those groups is never the focus but I found it very intelligent and refreshing Ngai did not shy away from the good or bad elements around it like the case of Chinese worker Norman questioning and rejecting where Chinese were placed in the racial hierarchy of the United States but not the hierarchy itself saying they had no allegiance to “negroes or the red man”. Or how Chinese workers in South Africa wrote back to Qing China how the country was a living hell where both Chinese and Africans were treated worse then farm animals but in the same letter talking about “the poor negro” didn’t necessarily think Africans were their equal and offended to be paid less then them sometimes for racist reasons then simply rejecting the premise of what’s being based on race or nationality. Though she also talked about how there’s not a lot of documentation of African and Chinese beyond white South Africans being concerned chinese would influence Africans to be more disobedient (esp as Ngai notes Africans deserted the mines at higher rates having somewhere to desert to while bearing misgivings privately while Chinese works spoke and performed strikes at higher rates at this time).
The book was motivated by a student of hers repeating unintentionally a harmful myth that all Chinese labor was coolie labor and slavery vs the reality that basically none of the labor force in the US or Australia was (though there was rampant racially motivated work abuse). And the book shows how multiple countries pretended and perpetuated such myths and myths of Chinese being trafficked and money being sent home “actually” stolen by abusive Chinese bosses to frame racist deportations and exclusion acts as trying to prevent the spread on slavery into their countries out of “concern”. As well as the hyper sexualizing of Asian women (interrogated as assumed sex workers where they were assumed guilty until proven innocent, and obviously such sexual harassment discouraged immigration) as well as ideas of keeping men invested in their home towns and family ideals of the time and how this affected Chinese men’s social dynamics aboard or mental health Especially in South Africa where mail was unreliable.
One issue I did have was the sue of European or Euro American and white interchangeably with a preference for European ___, I thought accidentally assumed Europeans were white when Europe has been a diverse continent for centuries by the point of 19th Century to 20th Century this book covers and I think accidentally validated white myths of a white Europe with that usages outside either quotes or specifically speaking of white European immigrants. I understand if maybe the point was to erase the white settler amnesia that they are not indigenous to the land but instead it contributed the above and also made it confusing if the book was talking about competing white immigrant groups who did attack Chinese immigrants or how in South Africa there was also tension between white Dutch descendants (afrikaaners) and English white settlers? Also because the focus is white supremacy and racist immigration and work policy vs Chinese relationship with indigenous or Africans it made the epilogue about modern Chinese mining in African continent that was in Ghana largely feel very rushed and shoehorned in and felt like that vs how Chinese were discussed even in the wake of corona virus pandemic and by both US parties (how American debt to China is demonized and treated as a danger when US actually has always owed Japan more money for example) feel sub par and something that would have been better as an accompanying article or short paper better written since Ghana is a largely black, African nation with black politicians making various deals with China vs white controlled South Africa. Also in the beginning there’s a blanket statement that US is the only place that’s explicitly stated exclusion of Chinese people in law and I am confused if that is true or meant to only be in English bc Mexico has had several presidents mass deport Chinese people and state parties named anti chino and so on? But I have not read those bills so perphaps they’re technically worded differently.
Back to positive: I loooved how the author included how Chinese immigrants wrote back home and how local papers followed these laws and how that did or didn’t affect the Qing dynasty’s popularity back home especially since that was and has been a huge part of shaping the national identity of China having one of the world biggest diaspora being so mistreated globally and wondering what’s the point of an Emperor if your power doesn’t mean anything (which is also very Roman in some ways or how Americans don’t realize even if other countries frankly are racist the American passport and citizenship is a shield aboard, like how Mexico treats black Americans to Africans and Haitians is very different degrees of racism even if all are antiblack) . Also Especially how even if other countries didn’t respect Chinese they especially Great Britain wanted to be allowed to engage in trade with Qing China. And the reparations for the rock spring massacre reminded me of how the Qing Empire only got a promise of reparation for the 300 Chinese (and six Japanese) Mexicans murdered in the Torreón Massacre bc they promised to send a war ship otherwise that never went anywhere bc the Mexican President who agreed to that was assassinated and the qing Empire collapsed! But also how one Russian who worked on behalf of the Chinese had good reviews by consulates for the Wing for good reason even if as historian Ngai has access to his personal documents that show a much more patronizing view he held even if he quit his job bc of his despair at the violent racism to Chinese workers.
Long but good book, I really enjoyed it and recommend it, especially in regards to immigration and rhetoric surrounding China and Chinese workers that some how used faux sympathy to justify subhuman treatment and exclusion.
*historical fiction I am thinking was How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang which I just think odd about black and native Americans when they came up and to me seemed to white wash and erase how Both poor whites and Chinese settlers had not great to hostile relationships with. And also Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu that I think is a modern American Classic but also Deeply does believe in the American Project and COMPLETELY omits and erases (also not a mention of the indigenous population on Taiwan when Taiwan comes up which seems…consistent issue with the author) and does not mention native Americans at ALL that both Dunbar-Ortiz chapters on how settlers of color contribute to settler colonialism to assimilate to the American project and self Indigenize and Ngai discussion of settler deliberate amnesia and obtuseness even if largely in context to how white settlers talk to immigrants/migrants of color and again made her talking about how in some cases in the Us aND Africa and Australia Chinese workers were the ones contacting and developing colonialism of the land unfortunately deeply refreshing frankness plenty of oppress people also contribute to systems that oppress others to even only an imagined benefit at times (and again not the focus of the book).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Hate crime, Colonisation, Racism, and Violence
smzhou's review
3.0
The topic and content of this book was really interesting to me, because although I have heard of the Gold Rush and the Chinese Exclusion Act, I actually never really knew that the two were tied together, or that there were Chinese working during the Gold Rush. From this book, I also learned that there were gold rushes taking place is Australia and South Africa as well, and also the term "coolie"; it's clear that this was a really informative book I learned a lot from which is always what I'm looking for when I read a nonfiction book.
However, I can't give this book any more than 3 stars because I felt there was a lack of structure regarding what topics were addressed, making it feel disorganized and hard to keep up with. Ngai would switch between talking about the gold rushes in America, Australia and South Africa frequently, and the chapter divisions seemed very arbitrary.
However, I can't give this book any more than 3 stars because I felt there was a lack of structure regarding what topics were addressed, making it feel disorganized and hard to keep up with. Ngai would switch between talking about the gold rushes in America, Australia and South Africa frequently, and the chapter divisions seemed very arbitrary.
mattrohn's review
informative
medium-paced
5.0
This is a phenomenal book for historians and pretty good one for general interest readers (although the intro and conclusion are both great for a lay audience). This book is history of diaspora, labor, and the developing racial ideologies of nineteenth century settler colonialism surrounding Chinese migration to the US\Canada\Australia\South Africa during the gold rushes of this era. It steps between these themes well and manages to cover a surprising geographic and chronological range without ever feeling like it's spreading too thin. I expect that the core audience for this book won't be particularly interested in the monetarist economic history of the importance of the gold supply shock for gold and silver backed currency regimes throughout the world in this era, but it's good work and important to the
For people who are interested in this book would recommend pairing it with Drawing the Global Colour Line by Marilyn Lake and Henry Reynolds, and The Chinese Must Go by Beth Lew-Williams
For people who are interested in this book would recommend pairing it with Drawing the Global Colour Line by Marilyn Lake and Henry Reynolds, and The Chinese Must Go by Beth Lew-Williams
books4chess's review
5.0
"Race relations were not always conflictual, but the perception of competition gave rise to a racial politics expressed as the 'Chinese Question'. In the nineteenth century, Americans and Europeans frequently describe a thorny social problem as a 'Question''".
Mae delivered an incredibly well researched history of the Chinese experience in the gold rush. That it took only 10 years to collect, analyse and write such an informative history is a testament to her research skills. She offers insights into a specific period in time, but additionally contributes to discussions relevant today, including whether Chinese people can ever truly 'belong' in the West - a sentiment exacerbated by current affairs and debated for longer than many of us realise.
The book is worth every page and I strongly encourage persistence and reflection on the ideas.
Thank you NetGalley for the Arc in return for an honest review.
Mae delivered an incredibly well researched history of the Chinese experience in the gold rush. That it took only 10 years to collect, analyse and write such an informative history is a testament to her research skills. She offers insights into a specific period in time, but additionally contributes to discussions relevant today, including whether Chinese people can ever truly 'belong' in the West - a sentiment exacerbated by current affairs and debated for longer than many of us realise.
The book is worth every page and I strongly encourage persistence and reflection on the ideas.
Thank you NetGalley for the Arc in return for an honest review.
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