Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans [Mass Market Paperback]

Ronald Takaki (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1994

In an extraordinary blend of eloquent narrative history, vivid personal recollection, and oral testimony, Ronald Takaki relates the diverse 150-year history of Asian Americans. Through richly detailed vignettes--by turns bitter, funny, and inspiring--he offers a stunning panorama of a neglected part of Americanhistory. 16 pages of photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Takaki has written a vibrant, rich history that gives back a voice to countless 'invisible Americans.' His broad, multi-ethnic survey is peopled with real individuals, allowing us to experience their loneliness, separation from families, struggles for survival," praised PW . Photos. Author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This popular history of Asian Americans--Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Filipinos, and Indians--based frequently on primary sources, shows how they have made their presence felt in America from the early 1800s. Their immigration has been marked by the cruelty of forced labor, poverty, and intense prejudice. Many had come searching for a better life after hearing tales of gold nuggets on city streets, money on trees, and the famed "gold mountain." Instead, they found the endless chopping of sugar cane, the sweat of laundries, the backache of building railroads. Later generations discovered the lack of opportunity despite prestigious university degrees. This is fascinating reading, highly recommended.
- Kitty Chen Dean, Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 584 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (December 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140138854
• ISBN-13: 978-0140138856
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My grandfather emigrated from Japan to work on the cane fields of Hawaii in 1886, and my mother was born on the Hawi Plantation. As a teenager growing up on Oahu, I was not academically inclined but was actually a surfer. During my senior year, I took a religion course taught by Dr. Shunji Nishi, a Japanese American with a Ph.D. I remember going home and asking my mother, who only had an eighth-grade education: "Mom, what's a Ph.D.?" She answered: "I don't know but he must be very smart." Dr. Nishi became a role model for me, and he arranged for me to attend the College of Wooster. There my fellow white students asked me questions like: "How long have you been in this county? Where did you learn to speak English?" They did not see me as a fellow American. I did not look white or European in ancestry. As a scholar, I have been seeking to write a more inclusive and hence more accurate history of Americans, Chicanos, Native Americans as well as certain European immigrant groups like the Irish and Jews. My scholarship seeks not to separate our diverse groups but to show how our experiences were different but they were not disparate. Multicultural history, as I write and present it, leads not to what Schlesinger calls the "disuniting of America" but rather to the re-uniting of America.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written book on the History of Asian Americans, September 16, 2001

By 

Janice (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans, Updated and Revised Edition (Paperback)

Ronald Takaki did an excellent job in writing the Asian Americans experience from the first generation of immigrants to current issues that are affecting Asian Americans today. One of Takaki's aims in this book is to tell his readers the role of Asian-Americans in shaping the history of America. Many, he believes, held the view that being an American means being "white" which is far from the truth.

Takaki uses a variety of sources such as personal recollection, oral testimonies, newspapers, court cases, personal observations, among others. This makes his writings very credible indeed.

One of Takaki's aim is to bring a deeper understanding of Asian-Americans to his readers. Reading his book enables you to understand the Asian culture, their beliefs, ideas and why they become who they are today. Besides that, Takaki does not focus on only one ethnic group but several others that make up the so called "Asian American" minority group.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Asian Americans and the roles they played in shaping America today. It is important to learn about different ethnic group as the history of America is essentially a history of immigrants and it is important for us not to neglect this minority group which has made tremendous contributions to the nation and its society.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "What's the Difference?", May 19, 2000

By 

it burns - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans, Updated and Revised Edition (Paperback)

A common struggle exists for citizens of America, specifically Asian-Americans; the question ironically is: are we Americans at all? Hawaii, where Asians are the majority, sets the background for immigration in the early 1900's. Ronald Takaki does an excellent job of giving accurate details of the start of early 1st generation Asians.

Surprisingly unprejudiced, Takaki uses superb quotes to give opinions and feeling of the Asian-Americans. Along with emotional impact, _Strangers From a Different Shore_ contains many stories, statistics, and laws providing the sense of what rights and true freedom Asian-Americans really had in the land of equals.

A well researched book, with almost every paragraph containing reference to many other articles and books, Takaki provides specific sections for major Asian ethnicities, and general details for the many other countries out there. With details of competition of Asian races among each other, leaving nothing out. Takaki does not side to Japanese as the most neglected or accepted, and gives information of the faults of Japanese among the ethnicities as well.

_Strangers From a Different Shore_ also gives the dramatic accounts of WWII, a strong turning point from the involvement of Japan and its victims. Retelling the involvement of many Asians serving America's army, it also includes the story of the 442/100 and the internment/relocation (not concentration) of the Japanese

Jumping to current day society, Asians are still struggling to become part of America. Asians currently battling many stereotypes still, which are viewed as factual information, brings Takaki to dissect some of the newer passive racial markings.

I find this book dead accurate, and backed up very well (just look at the bibliography). I have found _Strangers From a Different Shore_ a great read and recommend this book to everyone. It might not provide the same experience as an Asian-American would have, but hopefully all can relate to it no matter what race.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, October 22, 2005

By 

Leonidas Chan (San Francisco, Ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans, Updated and Revised Edition (Paperback)

This book, Strangers From a Different Shore by Ronald Takaki, is a great book to read. Ron Takaki tells stories about how Asian Americans travel to America, to find a better job. They leave behind their families not knowing if they are going to come back. This book covers many Asian races like the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, Indians, Vietnamese and other Asian races that journeyed to America in search of prosperity. As an Asian American myself, this book has taught me more about my ancestors than our history books. If you are interested in Asian Americans, I suggest reading this book because it will make things more clear about Asian American history as well as their hardships of landing into a unknown world where Caucasians are jealous, angry and ready to kill because of so many people taking their jobs. Ronald Takaki describes in detail how Asian Americans had to overcome all their hardships. Like getting false papers, traveling by boat to America, imprisonment on Angel Island, how they searched for gold, etc. Ronald Takaki writes an ideal "textbook" about Asian Americans, but this "textbook" does not seem to feel like one. It is fun to read, enjoyable, and informative. This is one of the best books that I have read in a long time.