Paper Son: One Man's Story (Asian American History & Cultu)
Paper Songives us a rare, first-hand account of living as a Chinese American under false pretenses during the exclusion era, roughly 1882-1943. Tung Pok Chin bought documents that falsely identified him as the son of a Chinese American, allowing him to live and work in the U.S. or Gold Mountain. Most Chinese Americans worked as hand-launderers and in restaurants, and the conditions that Chin details are similar to those in other immigrant stories: long work days, unsafe and even fatal working conditions, cramped and squalid living quarters. But Chin's memoir also relays the tension and fear the Chinese American community felt during the McCarthy era, as many were questioned unlawfully by the FBI. Harassment and illegal searches were commonplace. But Chin weathered the hardships, arriving in 1934 at the age of 19 and staying until his death in 1988. He mastered English, became a sermon interpreter at the True Light Lutheran Church in New York, published poetry and essays in Chinese newspapers, and raised a family. A moving story of one person's desire for knowledge, peace, and security.Michelle KaskeCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.