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A review by autumn_alwaysreadingseason
Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now by Philip Wang, Jeff Yang, Phil Yu
informative
4.5
This book is ambitious. Yang, Yu, and Wang explore media, moments, movements, etc. in pop culture over the last three decades that were significant to Asian American visibility and opportunity.
Starting with a "before" section, the creators dive into music, movies, tv shows, events, and much more that shaped the landscape for Asian Americans before the 1990s. Racist portrayals and yellowface abound in this section. They then use a similar structure to discuss the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, tracking progression and shifting interests. There are sections on celebrity chefs, car culture, YouTube pioneers, fashion, and a bunch of other things I'm probably forgetting.
There are staples in each section. "Undercover Asians" points out celebrities that people may not know have Asian heritage. "Founding Mothers and Fathers" highlights political leaders. The "Asian American Syllabus" pulls out significant films, tv shows, books, and music from the decade (whether positive or negative). There is an opening essay to each section with a timeline running across the bottom.
I enjoyed every moment of reading this. I learned a lot and I have so many more things to watch/listen to/look up upon finishing. I will say that I kind of wish this was a series. This book does a lot of heavy lifting and has a huge scope, which I think could have benefitted from being split up.
I think that the creators do a good job of addressing the diversity of AAPI and being honest that all three of them are Korean American men who have been involved in certain projects over the years. Naturally, their interests do have more pages devoted to them, like a 14 page dedication to <i>Fresh Off the Boat</i> which Jeff Yang's son starred in. I appreciated how they brought in guests to cover topics, illustrate, and do interviews. My only other criticism is that I wish books were more involved, as they were only mentioned in the syllabus sections.
Starting with a "before" section, the creators dive into music, movies, tv shows, events, and much more that shaped the landscape for Asian Americans before the 1990s. Racist portrayals and yellowface abound in this section. They then use a similar structure to discuss the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, tracking progression and shifting interests. There are sections on celebrity chefs, car culture, YouTube pioneers, fashion, and a bunch of other things I'm probably forgetting.
There are staples in each section. "Undercover Asians" points out celebrities that people may not know have Asian heritage. "Founding Mothers and Fathers" highlights political leaders. The "Asian American Syllabus" pulls out significant films, tv shows, books, and music from the decade (whether positive or negative). There is an opening essay to each section with a timeline running across the bottom.
I enjoyed every moment of reading this. I learned a lot and I have so many more things to watch/listen to/look up upon finishing. I will say that I kind of wish this was a series. This book does a lot of heavy lifting and has a huge scope, which I think could have benefitted from being split up.
I think that the creators do a good job of addressing the diversity of AAPI and being honest that all three of them are Korean American men who have been involved in certain projects over the years. Naturally, their interests do have more pages devoted to them, like a 14 page dedication to <i>Fresh Off the Boat</i> which Jeff Yang's son starred in. I appreciated how they brought in guests to cover topics, illustrate, and do interviews. My only other criticism is that I wish books were more involved, as they were only mentioned in the syllabus sections.