A Paper Son

by Jason Buchholz

Grade school teacher and aspiring author Peregrine Long sees a Chinese family on board a ship--in his morning tea. The image inspires him to write the story of this family, but then a woman turns up at his door, claiming that he's writing her family history exactly as it happened. She doesn't like it, but she has one question: What happened to the little boy of the family, her long-lost uncle?

Throughout the course of a month-long tempest that begins to wash the peninsula out from beneath them, Peregrine searches modern-day San Francisco and its surroundings--and, through his continued writing, southern China and the Pacific immigration experience of a century ago--for the missing boy. The clues uncovered lead Peregrine to question not only the nature of his writing, but also his knowledge of his own past and his understanding of his identity.

Genres: Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Asia, Adult, Asian Literature

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Jason Buchholz is the author of A Paper Son (Tyrus Books, 2016) and The Cartographer of Sands (Green City Books, 2025). He is the co-founder of Collaborist, an editorial service that provide writing, editing, and coaching services for aspiring and established authors. His was an editor and art director of Achiote Press. He holds a BA in psychology from UC Berkeley and an MFA in creative writing from the University of San Francisco. He lives in the Bay Area with his son and daughter.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a strange, intriguing, and somehow beautiful book. Having read a number of histories and fictional accounts of Chinese Immigration, I knew what a paper son was. However, this book was not quite of that topic.

Imagine a book that has a fictional account of a Chinese-American family in which the father has determined they must all move back to his village in China. Once there, his wife discovers she is not his first wife, and that her son is considered to be the heir to the extended family. She and her daughter are ignored since they hold no power in Chinese village life in that period. (I have determined the date of the historical information to be in the time of Chiang Kai Shek and Emperor Puyi. Approximately the 1920s - 1930s.)

Intertwined with this history - and enclosing it - is a Chinese-American 3rd grade teacher, who finds a compulsion to write of this imaginary family. As he writes, different people appear in his life, each bringing him new information about this family - and eventually leading to an understanding that this family is real and that the story is coming to him in "supernatural" ways.

Throughout the book there is an ongoing torrential rain that symbolizes the entire journey of the modern day and the historical characters. Water is the overwhelming theme, and what draws them together.

I cannot explain why this book appeals to me so much since it is so ethereal.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is strange yet intriguing. At the beginning I felt the author was a bit heavy handed in his metaphors and descriptions, I'm not sure if it improved or I noticed them less as I got more into the story.
As typical for me I preferred the historical portions of the book over the present day. I liked the idea of this book but was left unsatisfied with the lack of clear resolution.

[Kkraemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perry Long, a 3rd grade teacher in San Francisco, falls into a Chinese ghost story but has no idea what has befallen him. First, there is his short story, which appeared in a small literary journal. It caused Eva to appear at his apartment demanding that he tell her how he had gotten her family's story. He had never met her or heard of her family.
In a move reminiscent of the "biggest fan" in Steven King's Misery, she won't leave until he finishes it.

He doesn't know how it will end. He hasn't written it yet

And other odd things happen: music in his shower, rain like in For Whom the Bell Tolls, enigmatic appearances and poems, stories never read, flash memories.

An utterly wonderful book ... And what a magical writer! He paints pictures is San Francisco that capture its smells, its light, its sounds.

Why has this book not been on everyone's best books lists?

My only criticism is this: no 3rd grade teacher could possibly afford that -- or almost any -- apartment in The City. Not possible.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book even though I really felt lost at times. It is the story of a teacher who feels a connection between present day San Francisco and 1920's China. It has an air of mystery and magical realism. Solid characters that kept the story alive and historical fiction that interested me. A solid 3 stars plus 1/2 star for the beautiful writing. A very imaginative debut book by an author that I plan on following.

I won this book from the Goodreads giveaway programs.

[JoAnne Pulcino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dear friend gave me this amazing book and I thank her for it. It is a marvelous read dealing with magical realism the immigration experience and the journey to finding ourself. The characters are wonderful and peak your imagination.

Don't miss this brilliant read. Bravo!

[Fran Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting plot and just enough spookiness to keep me going. Loved the San Francisco setting (it was my home for 50 years!) and the quirky characters. Very well written. I hope to read more by this author.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and imaginative; interesting plot with a touch of the mystical. I loved all the quirky characters and the Bay Area locales. Made me aware of the hardships Asian immigrants endured at Angel Island. I am hoping for a sequel - Peregrine and Annabelle are match made in heaven!

[Penney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun magical realism with great characters. The plot gets cluttered with too many magical elements near the end, but still an enjoyable, refreshing read.

[Sarah Brennan-Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

A confounding, mystical tale of lives and (seemingly) fiction intersecting. Emotive and visual and a keen sense of place with the writer setting the book in his native San Francisco.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure what I went into expecting this to be. I'm trying to read more books that fall outside of what I normally read - e.g. royal biographies and Regency-era historical fiction; I know I'm a walking trope, guys - and this seemed like a good segue into that, what with both magical realism and historical fiction.

What I am quickly discovering is that this was probably not the book for me. Don't get me wrong: Jason Buchholz is a very talented writer, and A Paper Son shows it. But the plotline of this felt...ethereal? Everything slipped through my fingers. It was all too fantastical for me, and set against too harsh a backdrop to be any kind of fantasy - I like some magical realism but this didn't seem to bring enough of one side or the other into consideration. I felt like I wasn't understanding concepts I was clearly supposed to understand. Honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about this book.

I might come back and review it in a couple months, the time having helped to better my feelings (such as my review of The Children Act), but for now: 3/10 stars. Good writing. Weird, weird, unsatisfying plot.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely read author interviews. Besides the fact that I like to make my own interpretations of books, I really hate it when authors are asked where their stories come from. It’s a dumb question that adds nothing to the discussion about a book and the answers are usually banal. If the answer to the question of where a story comes from is as interesting as the answer in Jason Bucholz’s A Paper Son, I might have to revise that policy. Peregrine Long’s inspiration came from a cup of tea. Stranger still, the story he saw in that cup of tea turns out to be real...

 

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this ebook from Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

[Bria Thatcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of A Paper Son through the Goodreads Giveaway program.

Jason Bucholz did a fantastic job writing A Paper Son. It is a story that unites two different eras, families, locations, and circumstances together through interesting events. This novel captivates the attention of its readers through interest, tragedy, and mystery from the beginning of page one through the end of the book.

This is a book that can be liked by all readers -- you will not be disappointed!

[Shawn Mooney (Shawn Breathes Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So there's this smart-alecky grade school teacher drinking a cup of tea when he sees a Chinese family on board a ship. In his teacup. After much head-shaking, he writes a short story sparked by the image. Once it's published, an Asian woman bangs on his door demanding to know what happened next to her uncle, the little boy in the image and the story. Huh, he asked. As did I. As will you. It goes wackily and wonderfully from there. A tour de force.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning picture book biography of Tyrus Wong who immigrated to America from China and whose background painting for Disney's animated movie Bambi revolutionized the look of animation. Both an immigration story and the story of Wong's unique artwork, this inspiring story of a long and creative life is beautifully illustrated by Chris Sasaki. The back matter includes photographs of Wong's life, including the kites he became fascinated with and made until the end of his life.

[Tehila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no idea how to classify this book, other than that it is a great read. I reserve the five-star rating for books I plan to reread.

Definitely looking forward to more by Mr Buchholz.

[Viktoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magical realism in this story was refreshing. Enjoyed the mystery and going back and forth to China and the US. Even though the story didn’t hold my attention, the visual language did: Buchholz wrote as if he was painting a picture.

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Buchholz made me want to continue reading his book in one sitting. I felt I was in the middle of the story at all times. I would highly recommend reading this story.
Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for a copy of A Paper Son. I look forward to more from Jason.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This starts off with Stranger Than Fiction vibes; it seems like the present day protagonist, an elementary school teacher and amateur author, is writing the life story of someone who turns out to be real. As things progress, however, reality and history and identity get all jumbled up into something mysterious and surreal. This was my first exposure to Jason Buccholz's work and I really enjoyed it.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deals with people discovering their family heritage in a world of magical realism in China and San Francisco. The title is derived from the practice of Chinese in the early 20th century, getting around the Chinese Exclusion Act by using false papers to bring in male immigrants, albeit, here it is more ironic. The story has many clever twists which caught me off guard. A major theme is the duality of cultures of immigrants or second generation Americans. The device of magical realism allows these two cultural identities, Chinese and American, to juxtapose and interact in the external world in a way that alludes to the internal experience of bicultural individuals (my presumption). The images in the story are movie-like and the metaphors are effective, memorable, and not forced. It was fun to read about locations that I have been to like the Angel Island immigration station, the mountains above La Honda. and various other places in the bay area. Water is a major motif which is both life giving and life taking, a barrier and a passageway, and a transition medium from the real world to the spiritual world. The ending has a rather tidy wrap up which I found more gratifying than a vague ending, due to the mysteries hanging throughout the majority of the book. In spite of the difficulties and stormy weather throughout the novel, I found it to have an overall optimistic tone.

[Suellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peregrine Long is an elementary school teacher. He is also an aspiring writer. Peregrine has been having some mystical experiences. He sees a story played out in the steam of his tea -- almost like he's looking through a crystal ball. He submits his story to a magazine and shortly after receives a mysterious visitor. This woman claims that has written her family story in great detail. She accuses him of plagiarism.

Every other chapter in this book is his imagined/plagiarized story being played out in China. And the other chapters are in real-time San Francisco where he teaches and is writing this story.

I've just, in the last few years, come across what is considered "magical reality" literature. And, boy, I can't get enough of it. Murakamiesque in his writing, Jason Bucholz is one author I am going to keep my eye open for.

I got this book as part of my monthly subscription to the Late Night Library Book Club. To learn more go to http://latenightlibrary.org/apaperson/.

[Bookworm · Rating 1 out of 5]

Peregrine Long, a grade school teacher, sees a Chinese family traveling aboard a boat in his cup of tea and decides to write their story. Things get weirder when a woman shows up at his doorstep, claiming he's writing the story of her family. But there's one question: what happened her long lost uncle, the little boy? From there we get a story of magical realism, some history and more.

Honestly, this was a disappointment. I found that overall I couldn't get into the story. I loved the concept: discovering a family history and exploring what happened to the characters/people. The magical realism was a bit weird but I was willing to suspend belief and go along with it. However, overall I just found it wasn't very interesting.

I'm surprised that people seemed to enjoy this a lot and that there are repeated comments that Buchholz is a talented writer. No, I really didn't get that impression at all.

It was a weird book overall. Skip.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A PAPER SON is the story of Peregrine Long—a third-grade teacher in San Francisco who spends his evenings composing stories—who, just as a massive storm falls upon San Francisco, discovers the image of a Chinese family on the surface of his tea, thereby thrusting him into the center of a century-old mystery. Peregrine becomes an unwitting guide in a search for a stranger’s uncle that dates back to 1920s China. Along the way, he is reunited with his brash and self-righteous sister and joins forces with Annabel Nightingale—an exotic polyglot who teaches kindergarten during the mornings and spends her nights beckoning to ghosts ships and cataloguing their arrivals. I loved this book but got a little bogged down toward the end keeping the characters straight. I predict a great writing future for Jason Buchholz!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange, but intriguing book. I liked it, but I think one reason it captured my interest was that the city of San Francisco is an important part of the story, and I had just returned from that city. So as the narrator, Peregrine Long travels about SF, I could picture where he was vividly. The story requires the reader to go along with the more mystical of fantastical elements. Peregrine, and others in the story, begin having strange encounters and visions, that become a book he is writing. But it's almost as though the book writes itself. It becomes even stranger when an older woman comes to Peregrine's door and demands to know how he knows all about her family. It's really very good, although all the elements can be difficult to keep track of, and I was a little disappointed by the ending.

[Janet Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

This debut novel had a very interesting premise. It bounced between a third-grade teacher/aspiring author and the story his psyche seemed to be driving him to write. It was set in modern day San Francisco and early twentieth century China. There was a definite tone of magic realism in the style and if that is done well I am willing to suspend skepticism. The reason I couldn't give this 4 stars was that it did seem to be disjointed. The detail that supposedly connected the modern day author with his 1920's protagonist was weak and too random. I enjoyed the historical story characters better than the modern day writer and his world. The writing was well done but the story arc needed some tuning up.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the rain pours through this book, the mind-wheels take off in all directions! What a flight of soaked fancy this author has for the reader!

Basically, underneath a complex pile of layers bringing total strangers together and feeding impossible-to-know information to various characters in a myriad of unconventional ways (perhaps "rivulets" would be a better word) is the factual reference to Asian immigration to the United States via Angel Island, where approximately a million people faced similar experiences as those twelve million coming through Ellis Island. Also brought to life in this book are the seasonal routines of rice farming villages in China as well as a few months of the lives of American elementary school teachers.

[Chalida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part magical realism, part Chinese history, part San Francisco with 3rd grade teacher as narrator. I was gripped by this story even though I don't love magical realism or ghost stories. Fascinating, untraditional characters and very blurry lines between what is real and what isn't. Peregrine, the teacher and writer, is trying to solve the mysterious circumstances around a story he is writing that is true according to a woman named Eva. Loved the book until the end and then was unsatisfied with the lack of conclusion. Will follow Buchholz though.

[R J Mckay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

A wonderful combination of history and mystery, this story, set in China and the US, carries the reader along on a mystic adventure.
When school teacher Peregrine Long first glimpses an image in his morning tea, he is stunned and disbelieving. Soon after Peregrine is drawn to create a story about the figures he saw. But when a woman tells him that the story is her family’s history and she wants to know what happened to the young boy, Long finds himself pulled into a mystery even he can not imagine.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Characters are flat and unconvincing. Why would Annabelle be a public kindergarten teacher when she speaks ten languages? Why the hell does Eva care about her uncle that she's never met and her mother is at peace with? What does Peregrine like about Annabelle other than that she's pretty? What does Annabelle like about Peregrine, given that he has no hobbies?

The characterization ruined the book

[Barbara Leuthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH my god what a wonderful story!If you are reading this review do not hesitate buy this book.The story within the story was so powerful you could not wait for Perry to write more.The search for Henry and how they got where they were was written so you felt you were there and just needed to know what happened to him and the whole family.I received this book free as part of goodreads giveaways.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost shelved, about 5 pages in. Just too many adjectives for me. I'm glad I kept going. By page 20, I couldn't put this down.