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eve_prime's review against another edition
It felt like it was dragging on and on, and although it was interesting to read about her ancestors, I was a bit surprised and dismayed to find that I was only 28% of the way through. I expect that the depth of detail was there because she'd found that much information and wanted to honor those in her family who had helped her and who cared about what she had learned. Maybe I'll resume someday...
book_concierge's review
4.0
Subtitle: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of a Chinese-American Family.
This is See’s “biography” of her family, starting with her great-great-grandfather, Fong Dun Shung, who immigrated to America (“The Gold Mountain”) in 1861 as an herbalist / healer working for the railroad. He brought with him two of his four sons, who both worked as laborers helping to build the transcontinental railroad. His fourth son, Fong See, arrived in 1871 at age fourteen, and soon became an entrepreneur shopkeeper, with wives on two continents. See-bok, as he became known, was illiterate, but a shrewd businessman, and he founded a family dynasty. The story of this family is a history of the immigrants from China (and other Asian nations).
See used extensive research that began with the oral history passed down in her family. She looked at national archives, immigration records, property records and news articles. Her narrative explores not just her family’s history, but shows the history of America’s policies on immigration, specifically those coming from Asia.
It’s a fascinating story and exceedingly well told. I was very glad that the book included maps and a family tree, because I frequently made use of both.
The last forty pages or so of the book are Lisa See’s own story, including her trip to China to get more information from the family members still there. This really brought her family’s story full circle for me.
I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages, but it was the prompt to read a memoir that had me finally picking up. Additionally, I have recently learned that an opera has been written based on this family story and that also piqued my interest. I’m so glad I finally read it.
This is See’s “biography” of her family, starting with her great-great-grandfather, Fong Dun Shung, who immigrated to America (“The Gold Mountain”) in 1861 as an herbalist / healer working for the railroad. He brought with him two of his four sons, who both worked as laborers helping to build the transcontinental railroad. His fourth son, Fong See, arrived in 1871 at age fourteen, and soon became an entrepreneur shopkeeper, with wives on two continents. See-bok, as he became known, was illiterate, but a shrewd businessman, and he founded a family dynasty. The story of this family is a history of the immigrants from China (and other Asian nations).
See used extensive research that began with the oral history passed down in her family. She looked at national archives, immigration records, property records and news articles. Her narrative explores not just her family’s history, but shows the history of America’s policies on immigration, specifically those coming from Asia.
It’s a fascinating story and exceedingly well told. I was very glad that the book included maps and a family tree, because I frequently made use of both.
The last forty pages or so of the book are Lisa See’s own story, including her trip to China to get more information from the family members still there. This really brought her family’s story full circle for me.
I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages, but it was the prompt to read a memoir that had me finally picking up. Additionally, I have recently learned that an opera has been written based on this family story and that also piqued my interest. I’m so glad I finally read it.
bibliodefiled's review against another edition
4.0
I may be a little biased in giving this a high rating because I am a member of the Fong family but I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about Chinese-Americans in the United States in the beginning of the 20th century to the present.
michelleloretta's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book. See’s memoir about her Chinese-American family dating back to when they first immigrated in the 1850s was fascinating... from a difficult livelihood laying train tracks, marrying a Caucasian woman (illegal until 1967), passing thru immigration (several times back and forth from China), and establishing and growing two of five oldest family-run businesses in Los Angeles. I love how clearly she describes LA (and old Chinatown, China city, and New Chinatown)... it was interesting to imagine 100-150 years ago of the city I know so well. The cross-cultural experiences of her family (Chinese and Caucasian) can only be described as “typically California” - and it made me smile with understanding.
lprnana6572's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED this book. I was very unaware of how the Chinese in California were treated and this was also a good history of a family and California.
mg_in_md_'s review
4.0
This was such an interesting read! I've had this on my TBR list forever, but never seemed to get around to it even though Lisa See is one of my favorite authors (and I absolutely loved her mother, Carolyn's, book reviews when she worked for The Washington Post). I bought a copy at a used bookstore, thinking it help move this up my reading rotation. Then, I decided to suggest it to one of my book clubs and we ended up selecting it as our April read. We all really enjoyed this narrative non-fiction account of Lisa See's family roots and how her great-great-grandfather immigrated from China to Gold Mountain (the U.S.) and established a new life for himself in California. She traces her family roots back to the late 1880s and brings the family story up to the present (the mid-1990s at the time the book was first published). Fans of See's work will see how her own family tree and the research she did to learn more about the family, the times, and China might have sparked ideas for her works of fiction.
Everyone in the book club felt that there were spots that dragged a little due to the level of detail and trying to keep track of all of the family members. The family tree included in the edition of the book that I read was very helpful in that regard and I found myself referencing it frequently, especially in the earlier chapters. The edition of the book that I read also included several maps, which I also referenced a bit while I was reading, and had several insets of family photos. They both helped me keep names, places, etc. straight and brought See's family story to life even more. If you're a fan of Lisa See and haven't read this yet, or simply like learning about history from a personal perspective, you won't be disappointed with this fascinating family history.
I selected this as my pick for the 2023 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt "a book about a family."
Everyone in the book club felt that there were spots that dragged a little due to the level of detail and trying to keep track of all of the family members. The family tree included in the edition of the book that I read was very helpful in that regard and I found myself referencing it frequently, especially in the earlier chapters. The edition of the book that I read also included several maps, which I also referenced a bit while I was reading, and had several insets of family photos. They both helped me keep names, places, etc. straight and brought See's family story to life even more. If you're a fan of Lisa See and haven't read this yet, or simply like learning about history from a personal perspective, you won't be disappointed with this fascinating family history.
I selected this as my pick for the 2023 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt "a book about a family."
ashleysilver7's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very eye-opening to me. It is a non-fiction account of the See family (Lisa See is the author) and their struggles and triumphs in America. The "original" See actually came before any of them thought, and worked as an herbalist (Chinese "doctor") for the Chinese working on the railroad. However, he went back to China eventually, though his fourth son, Fong See (I think "Fong" means fourth) came to America as an adolescent, and made America his home, and for his future generations. Fong See married Ticie Pruett, a white woman, and thus their story continues.
The Chinese faced a lot of racism, and in light of this pandemic (I'm writing this review during the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020), it seems as though Chinese people living in America (and throughout the world) are still subject to racism. However, this family was "lucky" and ultimately persevered, and it was very interesting reading about their trials and tribulations.
The Chinese faced a lot of racism, and in light of this pandemic (I'm writing this review during the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020), it seems as though Chinese people living in America (and throughout the world) are still subject to racism. However, this family was "lucky" and ultimately persevered, and it was very interesting reading about their trials and tribulations.