25 Events That Shaped Asian American History

July 1, 2019

Dong (English, Univ. of Illinois Springfield; Asian American Culture) and 27 academic contributors organize this look at Asian American history not by ethnic group. Instead, they focus on five topics, grouped chronologically from 1848 to 2018. Within each section, five extended essays, with chronologies and scholarly citations, explore pivotal events and provide contextual depth and connections to the present. Some of the events analyzed are positive, such as the creation of the first Asian studies program, the building of the first Sikh gurdwara, and Lau v. Nichols, which established students' right to language support. Many, such as the Vietnam War, Vincent Chin's murder, the 1992 L.A. riots, or post-9/11 Islamophobia, are not. Besides the more familiar events, others, including the Luce-Celler Act of 1946, deserve wider attention. The World War II death toll in the Philippines--the highest on then-U.S. soil in any war--is not mentioned, but the volume doesn't claim to be comprehensive. Each chapter offers an instructive view of Asians' experience (often of discrimination) in that period, though tracing one thread (e.g., Chinese exclusion) across time is more difficult. The index, however, is a reliable work-around. VERDICT College and advanced high school students, as well as general readers interested in Asian American history, will find these thorough writings a rich source of research ideas.--Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly of St. George's Sch., Newport, RI

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2019
Asians, defined as people whose origins are in the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, are the fastest-growing ethnic demographic in the U.S. This single-volume compendium offers in-depth understanding of key events in Asian American history as well as the influence and impact of Asian Americans on American society. Five chronologically organized sections of five essays each cover early immigration and development, citizenship and community building, conflicts and politics, activism and the post-1965 era, and heritage and legacy. The essays vary in tone from dense and slightly pedantic to readable and involving. Especially noteworthy is the attention given to the impact of legislation and court cases on the day-to-day life of Asian Americans and the pernicious impact of racism on society. Each essay begins with a chronology, and all are enhanced by the inclusion of primary-source materials, black-and-white photographs, and lists for further reading. The volume concludes with an extended bibliography, information on contributors, and an accurate index. Recommended especially for larger community-college collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)