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Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court
Won Silver Award for Best Autobiography/Memoir from the Independent Publisher Book Awards and n amed One of the Best Books on the Constitution of All Time by Book Authority.
"His compelling memoir is about keeping true to his punk-rock heart and making history." - The Washington Post When Simon Tam started an Asian American dance rock band called The Slants, he didn't realize that he was starting an entire movement around freedom of expression and discussions on identity. The band flipped stereotypes with their bombastic live shows and community activism. But when Simon applied to register a trademark on the band's name, the government dragged him all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Slanted is the story of an indomitable spirit who so believes in the idea of justice that he's willing to risk everything along the way for the dignity of self-identity. Simon shares a deeply personal account that will take you from anime conventions to the Supreme Court, all in the name of justice. The story provides a raw look at our legal system with unflinching honesty and offers timely insights on freedom of speech, how to connect with others we disagree with, and the power of music.
Gripping, funny, enlightening, and ultimately uplifting, Slanted proves that no obstacle is too difficult to conquer --as long as you have a little heart and a lot of rock n' roll. It's an irrepressible story that is fresh, alive, and defines what it means to be American.
Things people have
"Dance rock band front man Simon Tam sought to trademark The Slants. His aim was to reappropriate a term long used to disparage a minority group and to render the term a badge of pride. All of us agreed." -- Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
"Words -- even a single word -- can be powerful. Mr. Simon Tam named his band The Slants to make a statement about racial and cultural issues in this country. With his band name, Mr. Tam conveys more about our society than many volumes of undisputedly protected speech."-- Kimberly Moore, Circuit Judge for the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
"No constitution, no bill of rights alone can guarantee human freedom. Only the people themselves can do that. People like Simon Tam...people who are willing to risk their security - and sometimes their lives - to make the Bill of Rights not just empty promises on paper, but a living reality." -- Linda Monk, The Bill of A User's Guide
"You might be asking, who cares what a band can or can't call themselves. But that's the beauty of when you allow some passionate Asian American artists to express themselves authentically, you never know what or who they may inspire." -- Ronny Chieng, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
"His compelling memoir is about keeping true to his punk-rock heart and making history." - The Washington Post When Simon Tam started an Asian American dance rock band called The Slants, he didn't realize that he was starting an entire movement around freedom of expression and discussions on identity. The band flipped stereotypes with their bombastic live shows and community activism. But when Simon applied to register a trademark on the band's name, the government dragged him all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Slanted is the story of an indomitable spirit who so believes in the idea of justice that he's willing to risk everything along the way for the dignity of self-identity. Simon shares a deeply personal account that will take you from anime conventions to the Supreme Court, all in the name of justice. The story provides a raw look at our legal system with unflinching honesty and offers timely insights on freedom of speech, how to connect with others we disagree with, and the power of music.
Gripping, funny, enlightening, and ultimately uplifting, Slanted proves that no obstacle is too difficult to conquer --as long as you have a little heart and a lot of rock n' roll. It's an irrepressible story that is fresh, alive, and defines what it means to be American.
Things people have
"Dance rock band front man Simon Tam sought to trademark The Slants. His aim was to reappropriate a term long used to disparage a minority group and to render the term a badge of pride. All of us agreed." -- Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
"Words -- even a single word -- can be powerful. Mr. Simon Tam named his band The Slants to make a statement about racial and cultural issues in this country. With his band name, Mr. Tam conveys more about our society than many volumes of undisputedly protected speech."-- Kimberly Moore, Circuit Judge for the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
"No constitution, no bill of rights alone can guarantee human freedom. Only the people themselves can do that. People like Simon Tam...people who are willing to risk their security - and sometimes their lives - to make the Bill of Rights not just empty promises on paper, but a living reality." -- Linda Monk, The Bill of A User's Guide
"You might be asking, who cares what a band can or can't call themselves. But that's the beauty of when you allow some passionate Asian American artists to express themselves authentically, you never know what or who they may inspire." -- Ronny Chieng, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2019
7 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 10, 2020
Someone give this man an editor.
Or ten.
Please.
It is not just basic edits, though those were bad enough. Paragraphs are repeated and quotation marks either in the wrong place or nonexistent. But the content itself needs focusing.
Staring at the cover now I realize it says "A memoir." And I really wish I'd noticed that when I began. Because I went in expecting more about the law. Not some random rockstar's love life.
Don't go in expecting a legal analysis or any real mention of the First Amendment. Don't go in expecting to learn much about trademark law. And most of all, don't go in expecting nuance.
This is Simon Tam trying to get his say. It is everything he wanted to tell the Supreme Court and couldn't because it mostly isn't relevant to the law. But try telling him that.
Rockstars are known for their egotism. And lawyers possibly even more so. But when you have a rockstar who thinks he knows more than a lawyer, well, it is quite a combo. And not in a good way.
I got quite irritated with his bombastic tone and blatant political statements. He experienced and saw quite a bit of micro-aggression--I don't want to slight his experience. But he repeats the same stories and increases his own moral indignation with each telling.
And I often found...I just didn't care.
The fault perhaps lies with me. I really didn't approach this as a memoir. I was excited to hear his story and wanted analysis about free speech and the problem of government oversight. Instead I read about the dreams of a rockstar where his dead girlfriend inspired his music. Half the time I kept thinking 'does he want a movie? Is that what this is all about? Does he thinks this adds to the drama?'
But by the end I believed his sincerity. And I didn't think much higher of him for it.
It is not professional to call the lawyer on the opposing side a turnip!
Or ten.
Please.
It is not just basic edits, though those were bad enough. Paragraphs are repeated and quotation marks either in the wrong place or nonexistent. But the content itself needs focusing.
Staring at the cover now I realize it says "A memoir." And I really wish I'd noticed that when I began. Because I went in expecting more about the law. Not some random rockstar's love life.
Don't go in expecting a legal analysis or any real mention of the First Amendment. Don't go in expecting to learn much about trademark law. And most of all, don't go in expecting nuance.
This is Simon Tam trying to get his say. It is everything he wanted to tell the Supreme Court and couldn't because it mostly isn't relevant to the law. But try telling him that.
Rockstars are known for their egotism. And lawyers possibly even more so. But when you have a rockstar who thinks he knows more than a lawyer, well, it is quite a combo. And not in a good way.
I got quite irritated with his bombastic tone and blatant political statements. He experienced and saw quite a bit of micro-aggression--I don't want to slight his experience. But he repeats the same stories and increases his own moral indignation with each telling.
And I often found...I just didn't care.
The fault perhaps lies with me. I really didn't approach this as a memoir. I was excited to hear his story and wanted analysis about free speech and the problem of government oversight. Instead I read about the dreams of a rockstar where his dead girlfriend inspired his music. Half the time I kept thinking 'does he want a movie? Is that what this is all about? Does he thinks this adds to the drama?'
But by the end I believed his sincerity. And I didn't think much higher of him for it.
It is not professional to call the lawyer on the opposing side a turnip!
June 5, 2021
Really good, with a lot of brains and heart.
I can't help but wonder if the instransigence on the part of the trademark office was really simply not knowing, but the system leans toward racism. The book acknowledges the necessity of fighting that and also the personal cost.
Knowing some of the things the band went through makes the inclusion of so many former band members at the last show (not covered in the book, but I was there) even more meaningful.
I can't help but wonder if the instransigence on the part of the trademark office was really simply not knowing, but the system leans toward racism. The book acknowledges the necessity of fighting that and also the personal cost.
Knowing some of the things the band went through makes the inclusion of so many former band members at the last show (not covered in the book, but I was there) even more meaningful.
October 29, 2019
The book provides a story of the Supreme Court fight for trademarking The Slants. You may have heard about the case in the press. But the author talks about aspects of the case that often did not make it into the news. For example, how a law to prohibit disparaging marks was used against minorities more than against others. The book does a good job describing racism, privilege, and the Asian American experience.
There are a number of pop culture references, which I liked but others may not. There are also a few typographical errors in the book, which makes me wish they hired a better copy editor.
There are a number of pop culture references, which I liked but others may not. There are also a few typographical errors in the book, which makes me wish they hired a better copy editor.
August 5, 2023
Simon lives for punk music and it was his dream come true to tour the United States with an Asian American band. Together, they play live shows and also talk to the community about race. Simon is a strong spirit and like me, he is Asian, multi racial, from Portland and loves Punk Rock. Simon takes on an 8 year fight with he Supreme Court for the Trademark of the name The Slants and this book is his story about that battle. I hope that he has a wonderful life in his new town and am grateful for all the work he has done to make this world a better place. He is inspiring.
My message to all the activists out there: You can be content and an activist at the same time. Don’t let the negativity of this world make you a negative person or they win.
From his book: “…instead of educating students on these egregious events so we don’t repeat them, we simply pretend that none of this happens and that the United States is the shining beacon of freedom in the world.”
“Thank you so much. It’s an honor to be here,” I said. “Also, you shouldn’t use the word oriental, because it makes you sound like a racist.”
“Well…I’m just going to level with you and be honest here because I don’t know who else will tell it to you straight. You need to replace your lead singer with someone who is white…I’m trying to do you a favor here. Asian doesn’t sell.”
This reminds me of why the DuVernay test was created. We are tired of seeing the main character as white and the sidekick as other. It's starting to get boring and also just continues the stereotype we are all struggling to get rid of. By calling out these moments of racism, ageism (read This Chair Rocks), ableism (read Sitting Pretty) I have faith that doing the hard things can only bring good things. I hope the the future generations can enjoy being accepted and appreciated just as they are.
My message to all the activists out there: You can be content and an activist at the same time. Don’t let the negativity of this world make you a negative person or they win.
From his book: “…instead of educating students on these egregious events so we don’t repeat them, we simply pretend that none of this happens and that the United States is the shining beacon of freedom in the world.”
“Thank you so much. It’s an honor to be here,” I said. “Also, you shouldn’t use the word oriental, because it makes you sound like a racist.”
“Well…I’m just going to level with you and be honest here because I don’t know who else will tell it to you straight. You need to replace your lead singer with someone who is white…I’m trying to do you a favor here. Asian doesn’t sell.”
This reminds me of why the DuVernay test was created. We are tired of seeing the main character as white and the sidekick as other. It's starting to get boring and also just continues the stereotype we are all struggling to get rid of. By calling out these moments of racism, ageism (read This Chair Rocks), ableism (read Sitting Pretty) I have faith that doing the hard things can only bring good things. I hope the the future generations can enjoy being accepted and appreciated just as they are.
Read
February 13, 2025The writing is raw and at times unfiltered. The interpretations of actions and behavior are quick and sometimes off base. The most perplexing issue I had was the very thing he abhors, discrimination and disparaging of minorities, he does to the majority, here all whites.
Many times he is rightfully critical about America's general attitude towards Asians. How Asians have been marginalized and kept out of the mainstream. His attempt to re-own and re-imagine his heritage is heart felt and heroic. While he paints America with broad brushes of discontent and scorn, it would of been fair if he had also mentioned like behavior in Asian countries for all outsiders. Having traveled abroad myself and being called devil foreign dog numerous times, it isn't just an American problem but a global one.
What Simon Tam worked for was equality for all. I endorse his works and encourage him and others to persist. I'm glad I read the book as it provided insights into numerous unknowns that I hadn't known existed.
Many times he is rightfully critical about America's general attitude towards Asians. How Asians have been marginalized and kept out of the mainstream. His attempt to re-own and re-imagine his heritage is heart felt and heroic. While he paints America with broad brushes of discontent and scorn, it would of been fair if he had also mentioned like behavior in Asian countries for all outsiders. Having traveled abroad myself and being called devil foreign dog numerous times, it isn't just an American problem but a global one.
What Simon Tam worked for was equality for all. I endorse his works and encourage him and others to persist. I'm glad I read the book as it provided insights into numerous unknowns that I hadn't known existed.
March 13, 2020
The story of Simon Tam's journey through the American legal system is a compelling account of the challenges faced by marginalized communities. Tam focuses on both the process of registering his Asian-American band name "The Slants" with the U.S. Trademark Office, then fighting his case through subsequent levels of legal jurisdiction.
I found his social justice and purpose inspiring, but struggled with the voice and tone used throughout the book. It was as if the manuscript needed a final revision session with an editor to address grammar and formatting errors. While these were distracting, the content of the story was still insightful. It is worth it for anyone interested in the legal process for trademark registration, copyright laws, First Amendment issues, and reappropriation arguments.
I found his social justice and purpose inspiring, but struggled with the voice and tone used throughout the book. It was as if the manuscript needed a final revision session with an editor to address grammar and formatting errors. While these were distracting, the content of the story was still insightful. It is worth it for anyone interested in the legal process for trademark registration, copyright laws, First Amendment issues, and reappropriation arguments.
December 8, 2020
A jaw dropping read that I simply couldn’t set down. It expanded my views on what privilege is and made me laugh, cry, smile.
Brilliant writing and a genuine take on the often backwards (but sometimes surprisingly incredible) legal system in our country.
Brilliant writing and a genuine take on the often backwards (but sometimes surprisingly incredible) legal system in our country.
July 17, 2025
Fabulous book. Do not worry about the silly reviews on bad editing or typos. I loved the structure of the book and Simon's writing.
March 22, 2022
Brilliant content, even if the writing gets a littler meandering at times (i definitely felt like the book could’ve used another pass with a copy editor) .BUT I appreciated the balance of personal memoir and public policy/law review. I have a hard time following books that get too deep into law particulars but found that Tam was able to explain and defend his points clearly without getting bogged down. And it helps that the book is also part memoir. Overall, I was entertained and educated.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews