Dragonwings by Laurence Yep

Accompanying the review of the Newberry Medal-winning book, we would also review a book that graced with the Newberry Honor in 1976, Dragonwings by Laurence Yep. It’s a story of a boy named Moon Shadow who, at eight years old, sailed from the Middle Kingdom (China) to the Land of Golden Mountain (United States) to meet the father he'd never seen but heard about from his mother. Settled in San Fransisco, Moon Shadow befriended with fellow Tang people (Chinese men) called The Company whom his father worked for, and got to know there were friendly Chinamen as well as wicked Chinamen among them. Later he and his father moved out of Chinatown, and lived with very nice demonesses (white people), Miss Whitlaw and her niece Robin, who welcomed them to their town. His father, Windrider, was very interested in flying after reading an article about the famous Wright brothers to the extent he built small-scale glider models. Though airplane was a modern invention, part of his motivation was the traditional belief in his own previous dragon existence. This belief of dragon reincarnation in his former life had greatly influenced Moon Shadow ever since he told him. As the time went by, Robin and Moon Shadow became companions, and Miss Whitlaw learned the truth about dragons that she believed to be terrible before while teaching Moon Shadow how to read and write. With the help of his new acquaintances friends, Moon Shadow learned that despite the stereotype and prejudice he believed towards the demons (the Americans), most were actually friendly and not willing to beat him up every chance they got. In the end, a seemingly impossible dream was accomplished, and feuding friends overcame their differences for the chance to see "Dragonwings" flied. Overall, this is a fine and touching historical fantasy fiction. The author was objective in plotting the story and setting the conflicts among the characters. Even though the Chinese were constantly set upon by the white majority, yet there were good Chinese and bad Chinese just as there were good Whites and bad Whites. And although the novel was originally published in 1975, the existing problems of racial prejudice, hate, drug abuse, violence, self-worth, trust, and friendship that are vital to students growing up everywhere today, were all addressed very well in this book. Just to note, despite of the fact that this book has won one of the most prestigious awards in children's literature, some might think there is too much profanity in this book for children, such as the mention of prostitution, opium addiction, murder, physical abuse, or maybe Nick Carter detective novels.

reviewed by Begy

Typical American by Gish Jen

Typical American follows the lives of three Chinese immigrants in New York: Ralph Chang, his sister Theresa, and Theresa's roommate Helen, who becomes Ralph's wife. Theresa becomes a doctor, Ralph earns a Ph. D. in mechanical engineering and gets a job teaching at a local college, and Ralph and Helen have two daughters.As they each become caught up in achieving the American dream, they must make difficult choices about the importance of success, family loyalty, and the people they hope to become.

Jen Gish breaks from the paradigmatic use of Chinatown that has been a staple of Chinese immigrant narratives. This also removes the Changs from the clutches of parental demands or strict Chinatown societal codes. Rather than settling in an established Chinese community for moral and financial support Ralph, Helen and Theresa remain very isolated in their new life in America. This isolation from the "parental' or "traditional" elements of Chinese culture enables Jen to illustrate the conflicts inherent to cultural assimilation within the context of the individual rather than a group. And, so, while the characters strive mightily to achieve "typical American" status-the full middle class lifestyle with all the accouterments and benefits that implies-they nevertheless still see many of the traits and behaviors attendant to that lifestyle through Chinese eyes and refer to these behavioral traits in Anglos pejoratively as "typical American" Behavior. Thus they are in the position of decrying what they actively seek to attain, thus brilliantly illustrating the often-schizoid process of assimilation.

This is a wry, ironic, emotionally complex novel that is well worth reading.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri [SOLD]

The Namesake is the story of Gogol Ganguli a child of Bengali immigrants to America who hates his first name and doesn’t know what it means. Neither does anyone else. It is later explained that his father named him after a nineteenth century Russian poet. The entire book is based on Gogol’s various failed attempts to change his name.
Like her character Gogol, Jhumpa herself is a child of Indian immigrants to America. She was born to Bengali parents in London from where her parents went to Rhode Island even before she was old enough to sit up.
Her characters are semi-real, based on people she knew and the people she met while visiting India but the situations are invented giving her stories a universal appeal.
The Interpretor of Maladies was based on her own experiences. Being an immigrant herself, she realised the importance of family bonds which tied people to their homelands. Even her new book The Namesake is somewhat based on her own experiences. In a world where she looked different and was labeled an outsider, Lahiri felt as if she did not belong. India with its vibrant colours and versatility gave life to her starving existence and as a child, she loved visiting the country that stimulated her very being.
The last holds true for her latest novel because each situation is elaborated cogently with rhythmic sentences, drugging the readers with a style that makes them eager for more. The story lulls readers with its smoothness, and the Western audience is taken in by the Indian setting.
Lahiri chronicles her characters' lives with both objectivity and compassion, being a writer of uncommon elegance and poise. Her new book though thin in appearance hides a highly polished package.
A dazzling storyteller, Lahiri has an eye for a nuance and an ear for irony. Which explains the ease with which she has taken her seat among the best story writers of the world.

Reviewed by Riswan Lintang-RL