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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Paper Son gives us a rare, first-hand account of living as a Chinese American under false pretenses during the exclusion era, roughly 1882-1943. Tung Pok Chin bought documents that falsely identified him as the son of a Chinese American, allowing him to live and work in the U.S. or Gold Mountain. Most Chinese Americans worked as hand-launderers and in restaurants, and the conditions that Chin details are similar to those in other immigrant stories: long work days, unsafe and even fatal working conditions, cramped and squalid living quarters. But Chin's memoir also relays the tension and fear the Chinese American community felt during the McCarthy era, as many were questioned unlawfully by the FBI. Harassment and illegal searches were commonplace. But Chin weathered the hardships, arriving in 1934 at the age of 19 and staying until his death in 1988. He mastered English, became a sermon interpreter at the True Light Lutheran Church in New York, published poetry and essays in Chinese newspapers, and raised a family. A moving story of one person's desire for knowledge, peace, and security. Michelle Kaske
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
In this remarkable memoir, Tung Pok Chin casts light on the largely hidden experience of those Chinese who immigrated to this country with false documents during the Exclusion era. Although scholars have pieced together their history, first-person accounts are rare and fragmented; many of the so-called "Paper Sons" lived out their lives in silent fear of discovery. Chin's story speaks for the many Chinese who worked in urban laundries and restaurants, but it also introduces an unusually articulate man's perspective on becoming a Chinese American.
Paper Son gives us a rare, first-hand account of living as a Chinese American under false pretenses during the exclusion era, roughly 1882-1943. Tung Pok Chin bought documents that falsely identified him as the son of a Chinese American, allowing him to live and work in the U.S. or Gold Mountain. Most Chinese Americans worked as hand-launderers and in restaurants, and the conditions that Chin details are similar to those in other immigrant stories: long work days, unsafe and even fatal working conditions, cramped and squalid living quarters. But Chin's memoir also relays the tension and fear the Chinese American community felt during the McCarthy era, as many were questioned unlawfully by the FBI. Harassment and illegal searches were commonplace. But Chin weathered the hardships, arriving in 1934 at the age of 19 and staying until his death in 1988. He mastered English, became a sermon interpreter at the True Light Lutheran Church in New York, published poetry and essays in Chinese newspapers, and raised a family. A moving story of one person's desire for knowledge, peace, and security. Michelle Kaske
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
In this remarkable memoir, Tung Pok Chin casts light on the largely hidden experience of those Chinese who immigrated to this country with false documents during the Exclusion era. Although scholars have pieced together their history, first-person accounts are rare and fragmented; many of the so-called "Paper Sons" lived out their lives in silent fear of discovery. Chin's story speaks for the many Chinese who worked in urban laundries and restaurants, but it also introduces an unusually articulate man's perspective on becoming a Chinese American.
Chin's story begins in the early 1930s, when he followed the example of his father and countless other Chinese who bought documents that falsely identified them as children of Chinese Americans. Arriving in Boston and later moving to New York City, he worked and lived in laundries. Chin was determined to fit into American life and dedicated himself to learning English. But he also became an active member of key organizations—a church, the Chinese Hand Laundrymen's Alliance, and Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association—that anchored him in the community. A self-reflective and expressive man, Chin wrote poetry commenting on life in China and the hardships of being an immigrant in the United States. His work was regularly published in the China Daily News and brought him to the attention of the FBI, then intent on ferreting out communists and illegal immigrants. His vigorous narrative speaks to the day-to-day anxieties of living as a Paper Son as well as the more universal immigrant experiences of raising a family in modest circumstances and bridging cultures.
Historian K. Scott Wong introduces Chin's memoir, discussing the limitations on immigration from China and what is known about Exclusion-era Chinese American communities. Set in historical context, Tung Pok Chin's unique story offers an engaging account of a twentieth-century Paper Son.
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7
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- Remaking Chinese America: Immigration, Family, and Community, 1940--1965 by Xiaojian Zhao in Back Matter
- At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943 by Erika Lee in Back Matter
- American Religions and the Family: How Faith Traditions Cope with Modernization and Democracy by Don S. Browning on page 179
- The Politics of Asian Americans: Diversity and Community by Pei-te Lien in Back Matter
- Taiwanese American Transnational Famalies: Women and Kin Work (Asian Americans: Reconceptualizing Culture, History, Politics) by Maria W.L. Chee in Back Matter
See all 7 books citing this book