My Life: Growing Up Asian in America

by CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) (Editor), SuChin Pak (Introduction)

A collection of thirty heartfelt, witty, and hopeful thought pieces on the experience of growing up Asian American, for fans of Minor Feelings .

There are 23 million people, representing more than 20 countries, each with unique languages, histories, and cultures, clumped under "Asian American." Though their experiences are individual, certain commonalities appear.

-The pressure to perform and the weight of the model minority myth.
-The proximity to whiteness (for many) and the resulting privileges.
-The desexualizing, exoticizing, and fetishizing of their bodies.
-The microaggressions.
-The erasure and overt racism.

Through a series of essays, poems, and comics, 30 creators give voice to moments that defined them and shed light on the immense diversity and complexity of the Asian American identity. Edited by CAPE and with an introduction by renowned journalist SuChin Pak, My Life: Growing Up Asian in America is a celebration of community, a call to action, and a road map for a brighter future.

Featuring contributions from bestselling authors Melissa de la Cruz, Marie Lu, and Tanaïs; journalists Amna Nawaz, Edmund Lee, and Aisha Sultan; TV and film writers Teresa Hsiao, Heather Jeng Bladt, and Nathan Ramos-Park; and industry leaders Ellen K. Pao and Aneesh Raman, among many more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Memoir, Audiobook, Aapi, Asian Literature, Race

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 17, 2022

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think many of the reviews posted about this collection of essays are proof that this collection of essays and others are needed in America. I see commments like: " I like Chinese food & Chinese art" or "I wanted to know more about the culture" or "This book is so depressing". If you think some parts are "depressing", imagine what it's like to live it everyday. Asian culture is diverse and these essays represent realistic voices with realistic experiences. I don't see the narratives as "depressing". I see people who share a sense of empowerment in reflecting on their experiences. The readers who want "nice stories" are those who demonstrate what SuChin Pak says in the intro about people wanting to see the "happy minority ". If we truly want to understand other cultures, we need to accept and dig into all parts of cultures not just the parts we enjoy. As stated in the Afterword:" For anyone who has felt othered, misunderstood,  or insignificant,  this book is for you." 😊

[Kate Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC copy of this book~ I thoroughly enjoyed it! It only took me a few days to read it but like all books I've enjoyed, I didn't want it to end! Heh. I'm what some people call a mutt. I'm English, welsh, Irish on both sides, Dutch (possibly), Cherokee Indian, etc. I felt included for once. I felt validated and loved~ I thank the creator of this book~ it wasn't usually my genre but I've been slowly branching out and trying to read more than just my favorites~ so, I hope everyone has a chance to read this book when it comes out!

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't want to write work that is a must-read in May. I don't want to write work that is a must-read when an auntie is beaten. I don't want to write work that is a must-read when an auntie is dead.
from "I Don't Want to Write Today" by Shing Yin Khor

Context is everything for this book. These essays were written and collected in 2021 in the wake of the Atlanta mass shooting. After a year of enduring rising hate and xenophobia, I think a lot of the Asian community in the United States reached a breaking point after Atlanta, and CAPE decided to move forward with that and gather together a more diverse group of Asian entertainers and writers to shed some light on what it actually means to be an Asian in America. Rhetoric around how (and sometimes, if) Asians experience racism and discrimination in America is clouded by beliefs that Asian people are white-adjacent, high wage earners, and the model minority, but Asian and Pacific Islanders have the biggest disparity in things like income and levels of education among all the groups that fall under the AAPI umbrella. Even a book with thirty essays still struggles to fully represent all Asian groups, though I do think it tries very valiantly to do so, especially in letting writers grapple with inter-community issues like homophobia and anti-blackness.

The timing of this book is also why there are not essays extolling the pleasures of growing up Asian in America. Of course there are good things about that, but this isn't the book for those essays. This book is about consciousness raising for both Asians and non-Asians about realities of discrimination, anger, and pain in our communities. To say that every community also has these negative experiences again fully ignores the context of this book. Hate crimes against Asians are not new in this country but many Americans thought they were, so this book tries to humanize the issue with personal stories from people who experienced them. This is especially important because the culture now tells people that they need to "educate themselves" and a lot of people go running to books. What will a book about the beauty of growing up Asian American teach ignorant people about discrimination in an age where it feels like our community is constantly under attack? It might make readers uncomfortable but those readers need to be brave and be willing to listen and learn about how this hate directed towards us is in many ways nothing new.

Like any collection, not every essay is equally strong, but this is a book that is most useful as a first read before moving on to other resources.

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life: Growing Up Asian in America is an anthology collection comprised of 30 Asian authors/artists. As an Asian American person, it felt both validating to hear about other writers and their similar experiences, and enlightening to hear new perspectives. I also appreciated the diversity among Asian America that was represented in this collection. In the wake of the 2021 Atlanta shootings and the rise of hate crimes against Asians since the start of the pandemic, the pieces in this anthology examine the Asian American identity and how Asian Americans navigate society's expectations of them. Some of my favorites were "Working While Asian", "Facing Myself", and "The Next Draft".

[Lynda Coker · Rating 3 out of 5]

#goodreadsgiveaway

This book is well written, edited, and arranged. The many different stories from multiple authors kept the reading fresh and the changing perspectives offered a deeper view of the book's overall theme.

Let me say one thing that bears saying from my standpoint. Prejudice and mistreatment happens to most people everywhere any time that they are the (different) person in a crowd or situation. It's a simple fact that humans can't seem to deal maturely and kindly with things that are different. At other times, they respond to people who are different in a less than gracious manner because they're intrigued and curious about them.

My Life: Growing Up Asian in America has a lot to say about being different in nationality and the negative, rude, and prejudicial treatment that caused. it's insightful and informative and will give it's readers a lot of food for thought.

However, when finishing the book, I came away feeling completely depressed and with a negative mindset. I wanted to sympathize but couldn't get over the feeling that only half the story had been told. Where were the positives and the benefits of growing up Asian in America? There had to be some. I'm from the southern USA and I love Asian food, art, music, and dramas. I love learning new Chinese words from the waitress at my local Chinese food restaurant. I was ready to embrace even more of this wonderfully unique culture, but the book didn't offer that side of the story.

For this reason, I only gave the book three stars.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. As it is with most anthologies, some entries in this book were great while some were not so great. I will say that I think the good ones do outnumber the rest, so I definitely would lean on the side of recommending this one. I loved the contributions by journalists, especially the one from Aneesh Raman and the introduction from SuChin Pak. Both are excellent writers. I also tended to enjoy the contributions from comedians; they offered some unique perspectives that I think could really resonate with audiences who might otherwise find it challenging to empathize with expository writing. I also really liked the one from David Kwong, who's apparently a well-known magician. In all, there was some great pieces in this book from some really cool people that I think are worth the read.

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mix of autobiographical writers including journalists, executives and a magician. Themes covered will be common to any Asian-American reader, from fitting in, discrimination, stereotypes, fetishism, and being othered. A lot of intriguing issues are raised here but not detailed, leading me to some fruitful research (Spike Lee and Yuri Kochiyama, 2008 films Doubt and Waltz with Bashir, all the victims of Atlanta’s 2021 shooting, and 75-yr old Xiao Zhen Xie in SF who beat her 39-yr old white male attacker into submission with a piece of wood); and leaving me also with some unanswered questions: did racism have something to do with the fall of Linsanity? What was the Villa in Manila?

[alisha]

idk y i read this

[Chris Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not make yourself
just to appease others
when you can fill up the sky.

What does it mean to be Asian — or American — or Asian in America? CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) asked a wide spread of Asian Americans to contribute to this anthology of essays, reflections, poetry, and more, resulting in perspectives from Muslim, Filipino, nonbinary, Vietnamese, and interracial voices, in addition to people of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese descent.

I've never met nor heard from another Asian American whose family background and experiences quite match mine, but this anthology is the closest I've seen myself in a book, which is very much "a snapshot in time" (per the afterword). Also per the afterword, I hope that this does indeed become "a benchmark against which future generations can measure our collective progress" — I'd love to see follow-up anthologies that feature more voices from the American South and Midwest.

[Amethyst · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Show your unmasked face, and the uniqueness of who you are will be all the magic you need."

This is a book that challenges the harmful “model minority” stereotype, or the belief that success among Asian Americans is universal. The stereotype dangerously exacerbates interracial tension and does not acknowledge the socioeconomic disparities among the diverse range of Asian-American subgroups. It also perpetuates a myth that Asian Americans are not afflicted by racism and disregards a longstanding history of racially-motivated aggression and discrimination in policy against Asian Americans (e.g., L.A.’s 1871 Chinese Massacre, the Page Act of 1875, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, Japanese Internment Camps).

Like any other group of people, there is no singular Asian American experience. While there are perhaps shared themes, especially when encountering racism or ignorance for example, the way we process or respond to those situations varies, as does the way we view and identify ourselves. This book highlights our shared humanity and the universal experience of wanting to belong and feel accepted while including 30 contributors who are at the intersection of multiple identities. This compilation includes diverse voices from different ethnicities, backgrounds, and even writing style; yet it still feels cohesive. There are poems, essays, comics, and even quotes from prominent Asian Americans.

As a Black and Filipino-American woman who grew up never feeling Filipino or Black enough, I especially connected with Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence's piece about her experience of also being Black and Asian and interracial tension. Especially with an introduction written by MTV's SuChin Pak (who was a fixture on my television), this book feels like it was written directly to my teenage self, to help me know I wasn't alone and to help me embrace and define myself for myself.

Many thanks to the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), MTV Books, and NetGalley for an opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book which was published earlier this month.

[Frederick W Benner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A most enjoyable, hard to read, upsetting book to read. A poignant view of discrimination from the Asian perspective, I learned alot from reading this book. We as humans (Americans) need to be much more accepting of people that are different , if you are not of Native American descent then you are an immigrant and are part of the melting pot that shapes our country

[Tanyajk · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Do not make yourself small just to appease others when you can fill up the sky.” -Museum In Her Head

A collection of essays that a young Tanya could have really used growing up. I could not identify with all since the term Asian American is clearly vast, but the ones that hit, hit the gut. The existence of literature like this (since growing up all I had was the Joy Luck Club and the omission of my existence in school curriculums), gives me hope for future AAPI generations. Representation matters, period.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can relate to almost everything. With a year of Anti-Asians and the rise of hate and xenophobia, we as an Asian community need to be heard and seen.

There is systemic racism and then there's plain hatred. Even from within. This book illuminates so many necessary issues and the uncomfortable collection of chapters written by different authors gives us ALL a voice.

Know I Acknowledge You, See You, Love You, Accept You, Hear You, Celebrate You, and Embrace You. Be Proud.

You Are Not Alone. We Belong. We Are Americans.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I cried at least 4 separate times

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like much-needed therapy for a community where therapy is still often stigmatized.

[Ziv · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good and really did try to include all different people from all different Asian American backgrounds weather they were mixed, immigrated themselves or with their family, or are 3rd or 4th generation immigrant to the United States. This really brought a different perspective on an Asian American experience in the United States and It let me see into the lives of what it is like for these different people and different nationalities growing up Asian American. I would highly recommend this book to anyone because it just really expanded my view of different people who are Asian American and their experiences.

[Peter A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not make yourself small
just to appease others
when you can fill up the sky.

From “Museum in Her Head,” by Marie Lu

This collection of 30 contributions—short stories, poems, graphic art, one-act play—compiled and edited by the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), captures the experience of Asians or Asian-Americans in America. Each contribution reflects a unique lived experience. Each is thoughtful, touching one’s soul. Together, this collection is powerful, in showing the experience of Asians in America; sharing their “otherness,” i.e., the feeling of not really belonging; confronting the challenges of being the “model minority” when the Asian collection is so diverse; attempting to assimilate, not to draw attention to themselves (see quote above), to be white, only to realize it does not apply to them; and succeeding when they accepted who they were and demanded their rights.

The book was birthed in the Trump era, that promoted anti-Asian sentiment and resulting in increased attacks on Asians in America. Yet, the stories reflect pre-Trump days and illustrate the systemic challenges faced by Asian immigrants and their children.

One beneficiary group of this book is Asian Americans who may have experienced similar situations. The stories can let them know they are not alone, and perhaps encourage them to take action to demand their rights, to be themselves and not what others want to them.

But the larger, white population will benefit from this book. Seeing the world through a distinct set of eyes can hurt, but it can help us grow beyond our lived experiences.

These stories also convey a wide range of emotions: hurt at being called out for looking different (“Where are you from? No, really, where are you from?”); remorse for how they regretted earlier behavior; confusion, then anger at playing the American dream only to reach the “you’re not white” reality; and pride when they took control of their own feelings and heritage.

All the stories offered personal insights. “Working While Asian,” by Ellen K Pao, describes her success in becoming the CEO of Reddit, instituting changes, and then being pushed out. She talks about how “the tech industry is built on barriers to progress for Asians—along with Black people, Latinx people, Indigenous people, women, nonbinary people, transgender people, disabled people, and so many others….” (p181). She persevered and founded a nonprofit Project Include “to give tech leaders an understanding of the structures and biases that block marginalized communities and to provide actionable and meaningful solutions… to give everyone in tech a fair chance to succeed.”

“Next Draft” by Aneesh Raman, describes in three drafts his transition in thinking from being Indian, born in the US of Indian parents, to a hyphenated American, where he wanted to country to be home to his children, inspired because “those generations of my family could help shape this countries future.” (p 208). But then, after being successful on CNN, he gave it up to help with the Obama campaign, hoping a non-white could be president. He became a speech write for the President. He then felt he had become an American. White America had accepted him. In the third draft of life, he became nonwhite, a nonwhite American. This resulted from Trump and the string of events that were never denounced: Charlottesville, Muslim ban, Breonna Taylor…. He gave up trying to model himself on white America. “As a community, we undeniably face anti-Asian racism. If we choose to see it, we also face the harsh reality that we are often complicit in systemic racism, especially in anti-Black systemic racism. As we lean into our proximity to whiteness, we only support the idea that at the base of being America is being white….” (p 216).

Yoonj Kim wrote in “My First Rodeo” of her desire to learn to ride horses. However, her teacher was not accepting of her, and at a rodeo that the teacher had half-heartedly invited her to (Kim was still a child then), Kim was ignored and felt unwelcomed. Her lesson: “Nationalists love to tell immigrants to assimilate, that if we act more ‘like them,’ we’d be accepted. But it’s like one of those half-hearted invitations where they don’t expect you to show up—like at a horse show—and if you do, you’re not exactly arriving to open arms and champagne.” (p 203) When growing up, she had not appreciated her parents, immigrants from Korea, always talking about Korea, and tried like other children to fit in to white America and run away from the world of her parents. “It was only once I tumbled back in that I began to understand its empowering authenticity, shielding me from disappearing into a harsh, fickle landscape uninterested in celebrating me as an individual. Thank you Umma and Appa, for making sure I never forgot who I was, even when I wanted to.” (p 204).

In David Kwong’s “Facing Myself” we read of a child who followed his dream, against his Chinese father and Jewish mother, to be a magician. He tried to reconcile who he was. Finally, he got the advice, “‘David, just be you and your identity will shine through. That’s the best thing that you can do to represent us.’ That is my advice, as well. Show your unmasked face, and the uniqueness of who you are will be all the magic you need.” (p 188)

FB. A moving collection of lived experiences by Asians in America, sharing challenges and triumphs, exposing myths and false behaviors, and touching the heart and soul of the individual. A valuable read for Asians and non-Asians in America. “Do not make yourself small… just to appease others… when you can fill up the sky.” from “Museum in Her Head” by Marie Lu in this collection.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

with issues ranging from meritocracy in the asian community to internalized racism stemming from childhood environment, this book truly embodies what it's like to be asian american. each section is written by a different author, so there are varying stories and perspectives from asians with different backgrounds. this made it easier to draw direct connections with some, as well as open my eyes to brand new perspectives of the asian american experience. the only reason im giving it 4 stars is because i think they should have included an author who was adopted ;)

[Stephanie Pyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Asian American I found the stories interesting, but in a forgettable sort of way. The best part of the book is how it unifies the many different types of Asian-American under one universal banner and seeing how different Asians are more like me than I think. However, it is the same inclusive quality that made many of the stories feel generic.

[Maleigha Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5.0

I quite literally love this book with my entire being. If someone were to ask me "What does being Asian-American mean to you?", I would simply hand them this book and tell them to read and then come back to me. I loved this book in simple terms. I felt understood and accepted and loved by each and every one of these writers. Please read this book, that's it, that's the review.

[Liana M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My dad’s from that generation like a lot of immigrants where he feels like if you come to this country, you pay this thing like the American dream tax, right? Like, you’re going to endure some racism. And if it doesn’t cost you yours life, well, hey, you lucked out... But for me, like a lot of us, I was born here. So I actually had the audacity of equality”

- Hasan Minhaj

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: My Life: Growing up Asian in America
Author: Melissa de la Cruz, Marie Lu, Aisha Sultan, Nathan Ramos-Park, etc.
Narrated by: Jennifer Aquino, Ramón de Ocampo, Deepti Gupta, Kamran R. Khan, Marie Lu, etc.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: Approximately 5 hours and 47 minutes
Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster. Thank-you!

May was Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I thought it was a great month to listen to My Life: Growing Up Asian in America. This audiobook was 30 essays from varying perspectives about growing up Asian in America. “There are 23 million people, representing more than twenty countries, each with unique languages, histories, and cultures, clumped under one banner: Asian American.” Listening to these essays made me realize just how many different experiences there are as an “Asian American.”

The essays were heartfelt and interesting. They were put together after the shootings in Atlanta and rise of anti-Asian crimes during the COVID epidemic. They focused on microaggressions and racism that occurred to the authors while growing up. They were told in different styles and with different narrators in the audiobook for each essay. It made it a very interesting listening experience. This was published by the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and MTV books. I thought that it was very thought-provoking. I would be interested in listening to more audiobooks like this about different experiences growing up in America.

Overall, My Life: Growing up Asian in America is an important book to help understand different perspectives in America.

This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2022...

[Elaine Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing Up Asian in America is a must read. There is a mixture of male and female writers, more female writers than male, and at least one writer who identifies as LBGQT+. Some of the essays are poems and some are narrative comics. I loved both styles but G Yamazawa’s list poem is my favorite!

Quite a number of reviewers complained about the lack of information in this book: There wasn’t enough exploration of Asian culture. (They shared what they wanted to share about their culture.) Why didn’t the writers talk about the perks of being an American? (They did. Frequently.) Did it have to be so depressing? (Really!?)

This book explores many topics, including white people finding Asian culture exotic and interesting and fetishizing Asian people and their culture. It explores how some Asian Americans (non American Asians too) are considered “honorary whites” and what privilege that affords them but at what price. It explores the common theme of Asian Americans, children and adults alike, who dealt (or deal with) depression and anxiety as they try to “blend in so as not to elicit negative attention”. The erasure of their Asian self so they could be more white and not “Other”.

If your looking to learn about Kung Fu, Chinese food, or back walking, then you’re going to be disappointed. However, I highly suggest you read this book because it sounds like you need to.

[Kimball · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars. Almost 2.

I hate, hate, hate, hate how much some Asians try to change themselves to be more white.

I also hate how much Asians get mad when we ask "where are you from, where are you really from?" I think most people are genuine and just want to know what country your ancestry is, dang it. If I was in Europe I'd be asking every white person, where are you from, no, where are you really from?

I'd like to hear positive experiences these people have had about America because I guarantee you that they have been a lot more than these negative few that they're sharing and if they lived in the country were they were really from they would be 10 times worse off.

Before these Asian Americans lash out at white people and the rude things they do they need to be more united themselves cuz they're contradictory and create a lot of the problems that they're complaining about.

I found this book because it was written by the author of the Legend series and now that I think about it she didn't do a very good job of portraying Asian Americans in her book The main character was very very subtle Asian, wasn't even a strong Asian. She didn't even get an Asian to narrate it.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Filipina-American, who left the Philippines as a baby. After my father retired from his US Navy career, my family went back to the Philippines in 1974 when Ferdinand Marcos was the dictator. Needless to day, after two years my family realized we couldn't live there and returned to the US. (We were all US citizens anyway.) So the stories in this book from the Filipinos are very familiar to me. I definitely felt a kinship with those authors (and who knows, we may even be related from way back in the islands). What was eye-opening to me were the stories by the other Asian-Americans, such as the Indian-Americans, Amna Nawaz (whom I admire), and the Japanese/Chinese/Korean and other Southeast Asian writers. It was interesting to read their experiences growing up in the US from their perspectives. Sometimes they are similar to my own experiences, sometimes they are vastly different.
I hope CAPE will find some other Asian-Americans and write another book about them. (Hint: I can definitely pass on some names.)

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racism knows no color boundaries. The collected essays in My Life: Growing Up Asian in America revealed a segment of our country that I confess ignorance in their alienation. On many levels am I "politically incorrect." For example, a standard question many of us volunteers at a state museum ask is "Where is your home?" No more will I be asking that question. I'll stick with the first question which is "Is this your first visit to our museum?" Yikes. How many people have I made uncomfortable? A lot, even if their English is flawless. When a family member who is Asian, born in Toronto, Canada, was recently "let go" at his job, I suspected performance was not an issue. Fortunately, the library featured this book on its latest acquisitions table, and I took it home and read about half of the personal essays in one sitting. I aim to share with the director of volunteers my revelation on greeting visitors at the museum. This is a something that should be addressed in our volunteer training. I now know better how to welcome our museum guests.

[Danielle T · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthology of essays by creatives across the Asian American diaspora, especially after the increase in visible attacks over the last several years where we feel compelled to bring our frustration, our rage, our collective trauma to paper.

I especially appreciated the wide range of viewpoints- not just CJK-Americans, but Montagnard and Khmer voices too, as well as various mixed Asians reflecting on how they are perceived by various communities. Mark Kramer's "The Question" was probably my favorite, and I also really liked Shing Yin Khor's "I Don't Want to Write Today". Both speak to wanting to simply exist, but whenever anyone perceives us they instantly bin us into some kind of category, more often than not Other.

Also, as these are all writers in some medium or another, a great way to find your next reads/watches/etc.!

[007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one day, over the course of three hours. This is book was excellent. It put my own thoughts into words, in ways that I wouldn't be able to do so easily. As an Asian American, I can relate to many of these stories and it feels good, being validated in this manner. I learned a lot at the same time about how being Asian and another race affect people as well, especially reading the essay about the author who is both Asian and Black in America. Looking at the intersections between gender, race, and sexuality was another point of interest, and I am glad that I took the time to read this book. I recommend this book to anyone struggling to understand what it means to be an Asian in America, especially when it seems like they are constantly being treated as second class. While it does not provide answers, it lets one reflect upon their own self and experiences and how they have been shoving themself into a box to fit white society. Good luck.

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***

As one (well, one being an Asian growing up in the US) might expect, there is a lot to relate to in the experiences described in this book. Despite being all different varieties of Asian, a common thread is that of being othered. We are othered in different ways and in varied degrees, but othered nonetheless. We also come to this realization in a variety of ways. There is a repetitiveness to these stories that felt tedious at times, yet I recognize that this could also be the result of the exhaustion I feel in relating to them. I can only read this as an Asian reader and there is simultaneously a feeling of community in reading these accounts alongside the horror that so many of us are having these revelations in isolation.

[Nanako Water · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book full of funny, heart-breaking, and sometimes angry stories by Asian Americans of different creative backgrounds. Some are children of immigrants but others have been in the US for many generations. Some are from privileged families while others less so. Some are straight. Some gay. Some are of mixed racial backgrounds. A must read for any one who wonders about their own identity or the identity of others. Unlike Latin Americans or European Americans, Asian Americans have no common language or culture. Unlike African Americans, Asian Americans have no common racial experience. But there is a common theme threading through all of these stories. The struggle to fit in, the revelation of not fitting in, and the joy of discovering one's unique contribution to this multi-ethnic nation.