Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans, Updated and Revised Edition
by Ronald Takaki
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In an extraordinary blend of narrative history, personal recollection, & oral testimony, the author presents a sweeping history of Asian Americans. He writes of the Chinese who laid tracks for the transcontinental railroad, of plantation laborers in the cane fields of Hawaii, of "picture brides" marrying strangers in the hope of becoming part of the American dream. He tells stories of Japanese Americans behind the barbed wire of U.S. internment camps during World War II, Hmong refugees show more tragically unable to adjust to Wisconsin's alien climate & culture, & Asian American students stigmatized by the stereotype of the "model minority." This is a powerful & moving work that will resonate for all Americans, who together make up a nation of immigrants from other shores. show lessTags
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A good history book on Asians in America (including Hawaii). Lots of information and an easy read. Its not a pretty story - I didnt realize we actually tried to keep non-whites from being citizens right from the beginning and only wanted a white country. Hard stuff.
If you like reading personal accounts of Asian immigrant experiences this book is for you. I found it to be too much fluff making it longer than necessary and more tedious to read. However, it was also quite eye-opening.
Takaki weaves the stories of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotian Americans into a single tale of discovery, endurance, and courage.
Department of History, University of Hong Kong
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28+ Works 3,365 Members
Ronald Takaki is a Fellow of the Society of American Historians & a professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. His books include "Strangers from a Different Shore" & "A Different Mirror" &, most recently, "A Larger Memory". (Bowker Author Biography)
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Common Knowledge
- Important places
- USA
- Important events
- Chinese Exclusion (1882 -1942)
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- Reviews
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- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 8
