Daughter of Joy: A Novel of Gold Rush California (Women of the West) [Hardcover]

JoAnn Levy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1998 | Series: Women of the West

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold in California, this novel in Forge's "Women of the West" series is based on the life of Ah Toy, the Chinese slave who became a wealthy and powerful political force in Gold Rush San Francisco. "A gritty, fast-moving, well-documented novel".--David Lavender, author of "California: Land of New Beginnings" Author publicity.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

With her large, unbound feet, Ah Toy travels to California during the booming Gold Rush days of the late 1840s with her master, who intends to sell her when they land; however, he dies on board ship, leaving the young Chinese woman at a loss. "Who will tell me what to do?" she wonders. When Norman As-Sing, the self-titled head of San Francisco's Chinese community, assumes ownership, she balks at his lowly merchant status, a cake seller who warrants no claim to her. With few choices of support, she becomes a prostitute, or a "daughter of joy." Due to her profession and As-Sing's continual interference, Ah Toy learns firsthand about the U.S. judicial system. She believes firmly that justice prevails and tries to convince other daughters of joy that courts here are different from those in China. Levy based this fictional tale on historical characters, particularly Ah Toy, the first Asian woman to stand up for her rights in a U.S. court. Jennifer Henderson

Review

"Levy has managed to put herself in the shoes of Ah Toy and express first her confusion, then her joy at her newfound freedom. Through Ah Toy she leads the reader through the noisy, dirty opium dens of San Francisco, to the luxurious 2,000-seat Jenny Lind Theater, to the gold fields of Weaverville. Levy has the unique ability to keep the reader completely entranced as she takes them on a colorful and entertaining journey through history." -- Placerville Mountain Democrat, Jan. 1, 1998

"Levy is a recognized expert on the history of women in California, especially this time period. Her first book was "They Saw the Elephant: Women in the California Gold Rush." But in this second book, she lends a richness to what could be fairly dry history by embellishing it with carefully researched period detail....a compelling read." -- Colorado Springs Gazette, Jan. 18, 1998

"San Francisco's astonishing history, its growing Chinese population, and the struggle of women to survive and achieve independence...come to life in this fast-paced novel...Meticulous research based on eye-witness accounts." -- Gary Kurutz, Principal Librarian, California State Library --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 318 pages
• Publisher: Forge; 1st edition (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312865023
• ISBN-13: 978-0312865023
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,868,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daughter of Joy--Joann Levy, October 26, 2001

By 

Alys - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daughter of Joy: A Novel of Gold Rush California (A women of the West novel) (Paperback)

Daughter of Joy is the excellently written story of Ah Toy, a young Chinese woman traveling to San Francisco when she finds herself alone and has to learn to be independent. I was interested right away in Ah Toy's quest to reach her "destiny" and everything that happens along the way. Not only is it a wonderful story, but a great source of historically correct information about living in San Francisco during the gold rush.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing story with a uniquely strong heroine, December 29, 1998

By 

Stephanie Cowell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daughter of Joy: A Novel of Gold Rush California (Women of the West) (Hardcover)

JoAnn Levy colorfully evokes the 19th century California gold rush through the eyes of a few Chinese immigrants, principally Ah Toy, a resourceful if often bewildered and sometimes terrified young Chinese woman in mourning for her big, unbound feet, with an idealistic love for a Chinese scholar and a cultural supposition that any man of importance can do as he wishes with her. Her prostitution is simply a practical job for her (she is puzzled by the western moral ethic); the real story is how she finds her own considerable strengths, becomes a guide and support to many others,and in the end turns out to be the heroine of her own life. You really cheer for her. Excellent color of the city which seems to burn down and be rebuilt every few months.

3.0 out of 5 stars Strong Wills, August 31, 2009

By 

Ruth Thompson "Weaver of Tales" (Venice, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daughter of Joy: A Novel of Gold Rush California (A women of the West novel) (Paperback)

Abby moves and takes a job after she looses her son. She is housekeeper and a teacher for a difficult rancher, Conor, MacKay and his daughter, Beth. These three characters and their strong wills make an interesting story. It is a good plot however the latter part of the books moves a little slow. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River"