Scan barcode
helliepad's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
I was recommended this book after I read the article he wrote about his family's slave. I wanted to read this book because unlike most writing done by the group that Twitter has christened as "the cut fruit diaspora", it was respectful. Both of the subject of the essay, the history that came along with it, as well as to his own background. He did not center himself, nor his Asian-Americanness in that essay, so I wanted to know if he'd still be a good writer if that particular aspect of his was spotlighted.
The book was good. I would say it talked about men too much but it is literally in the title, and being an Asian man raised in America is the entire premise so I can't complain.
There's always this veil of criticism when it comes from people of your own race. Whenever archipelagic Filipinos would criticize continental Filipinos for being a mockery of what the collectively-agreed upon national identity is, there's always talk of "oh crab mentality, you don't want others who look like you to succeed", which is simply not true. We just don't want you to be embarassing. Being BIPOC, you walk into a room and you bring your entire country with you by sheer visibility. You don't have to be a role model for kids, but you have to watch how you move not just for yourself but for your ghosts, your world, your history.
All this to say, I was surprised that Tizon was not the swagapino stereotype I've seen in media and grown tired of for years. Most Fil-Ams I know and watch always steal culture from other identities, African Americans mostly. Vanessa Hudgens is a white girl with a filter dark enough for her to be named ambassador for a country she never aimed to represent in the first place. Bretman Rock uses AAVE so liberally you'd think he was born around it, despite nothing in his background indicating such, as he was raised in the Philippines and immigrated to Hawaii.
But here Tizon is aware of the edges of his racialized identity. He knew he was an Asian, he acknowledged that he felt American, and he also knew he would never fit in America with his face, nor the Philippines with his voice.
Do you know how hard it is to find a Fil-Am who has all three? I have seen and read so many Fil-Am writers try and fail to slot themselves in either puzzle of national identity. But here he acknowledged the presence of both in him.
He was not holding on to the few internationally recognized emblems of Filipino culture like a tattered flag, like Jo Koy does with Pacquiao and his weirdly accented "I kook da rice" jokes. He just is some guy. Hell, even the mention of Pacquiao was fleeting- enough to recognize his impact, but doesn't delve that deeply into it. As a Filipino who grew up seeing the change between Manny whose fights become a national holiday of peace, to the transphobic, bible-thumping Senator Pacman whose biggest contribution to Filipino modern culture was as a Happy New Year meme, it made the book so much more readable for me.
(Tizon immigrated to the US in the 60s... Fil-Ams born before Michael Jackson left the Jackson 5 are a different breed entirely.)
(Also. Just as a personal sidenote. I liked his fucking sentences on his journalism job. Made me feel seen in mine.)
The book was good. I would say it talked about men too much but it is literally in the title, and being an Asian man raised in America is the entire premise so I can't complain.
There's always this veil of criticism when it comes from people of your own race. Whenever archipelagic Filipinos would criticize continental Filipinos for being a mockery of what the collectively-agreed upon national identity is, there's always talk of "oh crab mentality, you don't want others who look like you to succeed", which is simply not true. We just don't want you to be embarassing. Being BIPOC, you walk into a room and you bring your entire country with you by sheer visibility. You don't have to be a role model for kids, but you have to watch how you move not just for yourself but for your ghosts, your world, your history.
All this to say, I was surprised that Tizon was not the swagapino stereotype I've seen in media and grown tired of for years. Most Fil-Ams I know and watch always steal culture from other identities, African Americans mostly. Vanessa Hudgens is a white girl with a filter dark enough for her to be named ambassador for a country she never aimed to represent in the first place. Bretman Rock uses AAVE so liberally you'd think he was born around it, despite nothing in his background indicating such, as he was raised in the Philippines and immigrated to Hawaii.
But here Tizon is aware of the edges of his racialized identity. He knew he was an Asian, he acknowledged that he felt American, and he also knew he would never fit in America with his face, nor the Philippines with his voice.
Do you know how hard it is to find a Fil-Am who has all three? I have seen and read so many Fil-Am writers try and fail to slot themselves in either puzzle of national identity. But here he acknowledged the presence of both in him.
He was not holding on to the few internationally recognized emblems of Filipino culture like a tattered flag, like Jo Koy does with Pacquiao and his weirdly accented "I kook da rice" jokes. He just is some guy. Hell, even the mention of Pacquiao was fleeting- enough to recognize his impact, but doesn't delve that deeply into it. As a Filipino who grew up seeing the change between Manny whose fights become a national holiday of peace, to the transphobic, bible-thumping Senator Pacman whose biggest contribution to Filipino modern culture was as a Happy New Year meme, it made the book so much more readable for me.
(Tizon immigrated to the US in the 60s... Fil-Ams born before Michael Jackson left the Jackson 5 are a different breed entirely.)
(Also. Just as a personal sidenote. I liked his fucking sentences on his journalism job. Made me feel seen in mine.)
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
miachalupa's review
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
More...