Rating: 
Summary: A good read - not just for chinese
Review: A compelling read and good oral history of Chinese in America -- from the perspective of a first generation Chinese, there is a lot that even I didn't know about the history of Chinese Americans and racism - even as recent as a few years ago. Black, White, Mexican -- any race can benefit from this...
Rating: 
Summary: Nice work
Review: An informative piece about an important and growing minority in America whose accomplishments and trials has not received proportional share of coverage in the educational and mainstream media, as many would argue. I found the prose easy to read, and realized that it filled in many gaps in my understanding about the history of my own culture. The author seems to have done a thorough job in research for this book (I was quite surprised to find one of my relatives interviewed), and while some inaccuracies may exist, overall I feel it lends fair coverage to the various facets of life in America experienced by different members of this population. One of my few criticisms is the author's tendency to switch back and forth from an objective third-person point of view (e.g. "they experienced....")to a more biased first-person perspective (e.g. "We should...), particularly in the last few chapters, which read somewhat like an imperative call-to-arms for the Chinese community to take action against the continued injustices commited against them by US society. But overall, a great read, and much more interesting than sludging through a stale history textbook.
Rating:
Summary: Well written; occasionally biased.
Review: Before I start commenting on this book, let me mention my own background: I came to America from Hong Kong when I was 18, and only recently became a naturalized American citizen. I have lived in America for 15 years. I came across The Chinese In America first because a white friend who adopted a Chinese girl recommended the book to me. Since I have little interest in history, I was reluctant to read it at first; but a few pages later I was engrossed by the book. In history classes in college I learned a little bit about the Chinese building rail roads and the Exclusion Act, but not much more. This book gave much more detail and is so well written that I had no trouble reading it to the end. I am sure my being Chinese helped spark the interest in a subject I normally don't care about. When I was done, I was so impressed with the book that I ordered a copy from amazon.com so that my kids can read it when they grow up. I think most of the book is accurate, but there are some errors. For example, the book mentioned the Imperial Examination in China as being initiated by the Ching (Manchurian) emperors. I am quite certain that's not true. That Exam's been around for thousands of years, as a lot of ancient literature mention it, such as the famed Journey to the West, whose background was set back in the Tang Dynasty. Ms. Chang's point was that the Manchurians used the Imperial Exams to control the Chinese people, and her attitude towards them is clearly hostile. But the Manchurians are also considered Chinese these days, so it seems ludicrous that a historian should be incensed about a 400 year old injury. Throughout the book, Ms. Chang's sense of hostility towards the non-Chinese Americans (meaning white) is quite apparent, and her emphasis is always on the prejudice and suppression of the Chinese American. Her sense of resentment becomes blatant as her time frame draws to the modern day for which I also have personal experience. The prejudicial practices she describes are at best frivolous and ambiguous, and when you really think about it, you realize they are merely daily difficulties that every race faces in this country, or any other country. In my personal experience, during the last 15 years in America, I cannot think of a single incidence I experienced that can be classified as "prejudice." I have met jerks in this country, no doubt; but they were jerks just because that's who they are, not because of me. I have never had any conclusive evidence demonstrating that someone mistreated me just because of my skin color. I think if anything, the Americans think overly highly of the Chinese. I have heard so many times the statement "Chinese people are so smart," a statement I know to be not always true. There are plenty of idiots in China too, just like any other country. Despite all the faults, this book is fast paced, fact-filled and engrossing, unlike the dreary history books I ploughed through in school. I want my kids to know the history of the Chinese Americans, and also to learn how not to have a victim mentality that this book demonstrates. I think every Chinese American should read it to learn about what happened to the Chinese people who came here before them. A good, interesting history book is hard to find, and Ms Chang is very definitely gifted in writing.
Rating:
Summary: This book is worth reading
Review: Chang did a great job on this book. The ignorance and injustice to Chinese and other minority is appalling. She brings to light of the enduring history of the Chinese in America. One reader in the review shares that Chang is making the 'white' people the bad people, truth be told...white people are probably the most ignorant majority here in America. There are always good and bad groups of every ethnicity. Chang did not write this narrative history with intentions of blaming anyone, it's just facts that happen in history that we all benefit from learning. Could we not make the world a better place by embracing our differences?
Rating: 
Summary: Complete but unengaging
Review: For completion alone, I would give this book five stars. As a total package, however, I'm not impressed. The title states that the book is "a narrative history," which suggests a memoir style. However, the book reads almost as dry as a history text. One major strength is the seamless interposition of Chinese history in China over Chinese American history in America, and the logical connections between historical events in the motherland and immigration patterns to the U.S. This may be a good introduction to Chinese American history for those unfamiliar with the topic (like my "jook sing" husband), but for those well versed in Asian-American issues this book adds nothing to the other literature.
Rating:
Summary: thank you chang
Review: i am an editor from beijing,who can tell me iris chang's email.
i want to introduce her books to china.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you Iris Chang
Review: I am an editor from wiselink press in beijing.
I like her books.
who knows her e-mail,i want to introduce her book to china.
Rating:
Summary: A message of condolence
Review: I came across 'The Rape of Nanking' in my libray the other day, and it is curiosity that prompted me to have a look at the book. Though I only skimmed it, I was terrified by some of the passages depicting the atrocities the Japanese army did to the Chinese civilians. It even surprized me more to know that the author of the book, Iris Chang,is a woman - I, a man, cannot think of myself going through such frightening documents and writing a book about what I find. Thus, I feel deep respect and admiration towards her and almost came to a shock with her death. She was a model advocate for justice, and I belive that her works will be a reminder for us all of the struggle that we have to fight for justice and equality.
May her rest in peace
Viet
Rating:
Summary: Our hearts go out to her family
Review: I knew Iris, we had dinner at a vegan restaurant in the valley once, and corresponded, talked on the phone, a few years back over some political work I was doing. She was smart and beautiful; she had two good books done and was working on this, her third; she loved her husband and was thinking about children.
I was so sorry to hear: our hearts go out to her friends and family.
Rating:
Summary: Cant put it down
Review: Iris Chang certainly did her research as evidenced by her profuse footnotes and references. Not only is her book well researched, it is well written. Chang, coming from a journalist background, really knows how to make it concise while at the same time giving it lots of emotion. The book begins around the railroad era and ends with the Wen Ho Lee scandal. She ends with a very pertinent one: the history will never be complete. Just by reading this nonfiction book, I think it gives a better representation of what it means to grow up in America as a Chinese as opposed to Amy Tan's writing. She emphasizes that Asians ARE discriminated against, contrary to popular opinion. Amy Tan's writing is more a story of assimiliation of two cultures: American and Chinese.
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