American Chinatown: A People's History of Five Neighborhoods at Schema : more than ethnic

American Chinatown: A People's History of Five Neighborhoods

Angry Asian Man

Today's Chinatowns may not be the bustling hubs they used to be, but they are an undeniable part of the Canadian urban reality--whether you're Chinese or not. They're a part of Canada's urban landscape, and for most urbanites a place of personal histories and an emotional connection. For some it's where we picked up our grandparents after a day's of mahjong or the place our parents would get Asian vegetables before they were mainstream. As you may have already figured, Chinatowns around the world (particularly North America) have striking similarities and some unique differences.

Originally published at Angry Asian Man:

Got word about a new book, American Chinatown: A People's History of Five Neighborhoods by Bonnie Tsui, is a portrait history of the people and events that defined America's Chinatowns, and how Chinatown communities, in turn, has played a crucial role in shaping America.
Tsui visits the country's four most famous Chinatowns -- San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Honolulu -- with a final stop in Las Vegas, looking beyond the weekend tourist facades and delving into the everyday stories of the unique personalities that call Chinatown home.

In American Chinatown, acclaimed travel writer Bonnie Tsui takes an affectionate, attentive look at the neighborhood that has bewitched her since childhood, when she eagerly awaited her grandfather's return from the fortune cookie factory. Tsui visits the country's four most famous Chinatowns - San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Honolulu - and makes her final, fascinating stop in Las Vegas; in her explorations, she focuses on the remarkable experiences of ordinary people. Tsui beautifully captures their vivid stories, giving readers a deeper look into what "Chinatown" means to its inhabitants, what each community takes on from its American home, and what their experience means to America at large. American Chinatown is an all-access pass.

The book will be available next month from book retailers everywhere. To learn more about American Chinatown, visit the website here. You can read an excerpt from the book's introduction here. And keep the project going by submitting your own Chinatown story here.