American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese is a story that has three different parts/characters/stories within itself, and the cool part about this story is that eventually they all intersect into one (in the end). Everything makes perfect since at the very end of the compelling tale, with such a twist, that you will never guess the ending. (Do not turn to the back and read that first! Read it in order like you are supposed to, because the experience is totally worth the wait.) There are three (main) characters in the story: Jin Wang, Danny, and the Monkey King. Danny is a popular kid in school that seems to have a lot going for him...until his cousin Chin-Kee shows up. His cousin visits once a year, only to Danny's embarrassment, to ruin everything for Danny. Chin-Kee is a hilarious character that falls into the category of any and every stereotype that some can possibly think of. I would go crazy eventually if I had a cousin like that. Then there is Jin Wang, who just wants to fit in with the class. Some of his classmates are not exactly open to the idea. He eventually makes some "friends" but it is not what you'd think. Another transfer student shows up from Taiwan, and for a while that was his only friend. But he's "in love" with this girl Amelia. The story gets complicated very fast. Finally, there is the Monkey King. He just wants to be a god. Is that so much to ask? Actually, yes, yes it is. So he embarks on a quest to master every form of Kun Fu out there (after an incident at a dinner party in heaven). Obstacle after obstacle got in his way only to be brutally put down. Then he runs into his creator, and is subsequently put in his place. Later on the story overlaps as I said earlier. The drama and sarcasm throughout the story shows the humanity and inhumanity in many people. Stereotyping is mocked, popularity is fickle, and the various characters' struggles seem to all be on the same thing "to fit in and be noticed". It is a heartfelt and touching journey that lets the character discover themselves, their place, and their purpose. There are many in this life that is on this journey to find them. This book can point the way, and is a must read.

I purchased as this was a mandatory reading for my high school freshman's English class. Pros: Engaging Storytelling: "American Born Chinese" weaves together three distinct narratives in a creative and engaging manner. The stories are thoughtfully interconnected, making it a compelling read. Diverse Representation: The book addresses important themes of identity, culture, and belonging from the perspectives of Chinese-Americans. It provides a much-needed representation of the Asian-American experience, which is often underrepresented in literature. Relatable Characters: The characters are relatable and well-developed. Readers can empathize with their struggles, making it easier to connect with the story on a personal level. Artistic Illustrations: The artwork is beautifully done and complements the storytelling perfectly. It adds depth and emotion to the narrative, enhancing the overall reading experience. Cons: Complex Themes: While the book's exploration of identity is valuable, some younger readers might find certain themes and content a bit complex or challenging to grasp fully. Potentially Overwhelming: Some may find it hard to keep track of the different storylines. Ending Resolution: Without giving away spoilers, some might prefer a more conclusive ending. "American Born Chinese" is a thought-provoking book that explores important themes and provides much-needed representation. Overall, it's a worthwhile read for those interested in diverse perspectives and identity exploration in literature.

In many ways, this is a beautiful work. Gene Luen Yang expertly weaves a personal story, a classic tale, and a satirical farce into one moving narrative. On a whole, I do recommend the book. I would say that there is one note that did not sit well with me. I'm not comparing the experiences of Asian immigrants to European immigrant groups that gained sociological whiteness and were, therefore, able to assimilate more readily into American culture. I'm well aware of the relative power dynamics and that our definition of racism includes systemic power, but I will say that we too often use the differences in harm caused by this uneven power dynamic to completely dismiss criticism of discrimination that falls short of racism. The author's decision to depict a rather nasty character (in this case, a dumb, booger-eating, antisemitic brute) as Polish plays into the negative stereotypes of Polish immigrants and Polish Americans and hits a sour note. It may not rise to the level of racism, but it is trading in negative stereotypes. Yang writes with so much intention, it's tough to believe that it's an over-site, and yet it doesn't appear that it's a meta commentary on discrimination, like with his sitcom-esque character from the laugh tracked "Everyone Ruvs Chin-Kee" segments. It reminds me of a passage in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs when she meets an Irish person. It's been a few decades since I last read it, but I recall the narrator feeling that discrimination towards the Irish was justified. In both case, it reads as if the author is asking, "why do we face discrimination, when these people over here are terrible and the ones who should be discriminated against?" I'll say that making the character Polish feels all the stranger when you read the afterward Gene Luen Yang wrote in 2020 about the universal experience of feeling like the outsider. I never felt like an outsider in America for being Polish (dozens of other reasons, but not that), I heard the jokes but took them largely as empty structures in the same vein as Blonde jokes or yo' mama jokes. My parents generation and my grandparents generation had a much different experience. My mom speaks often about how eager she was to change her Polish last name, my father used to hide his mother's ethnicity from his friends, and my uncle used to lie about where our family emigrated from, and both sides of my family refused to cook Polish food, aside from the occasional kielbasa, leaving us with no connection to our own traditions. But, while I felt the need to comment on this, the character is very minor, he only exists for 8 or 9 panels over two pages and, as off putting as I clearly found it, I don't personally feel that the work as a whole suffers from this one misstep. Most people will slide over the section and, at most, take away that outsiders will settle for poor treatment from rotten friends over isolation, even if it nags at me personally. The work, on a whole, is excellent and I intend to read more of Yang.

I remember fondly the last Chinese American colleague of my military career. She was my supervisor: a very kind, patient, conscientious, hardworking, and highly competent person. It was she who explained to me the difference between American Born Chinese (ABC), and Chinese who had just immigrated and were, therefore, Fresh Off the Boat (FOB). The memory of my first Chinese American colleague is less pleasant. Not that it was his fault; the blame was entirely mine. He, too, was conscientious, hardworking, and highly competent. Perhaps because we were officers of the same rank, I did not consider him as Chinese, but as a fellow soldier. That, of course, is how the Army expected us to think of one another. However, our shared identity caused me to forget the identity he had carried since before his birth. Then one day I told a tasteless joke which had as its object a Chinese stereotype, and my colleague heard it. He was angry, I was embarrassed, and our relationship was never the same. That was one of a lengthy series of lessons that taught me not only to guard my tongue, but to adjust the heart attitudes that shape what comes from my tongue. Gene Luen Yang has carried that life lesson even further with his graphic novel, American Born Chinese, a masterful insider view of what it means to be part of an ancient culture transplanted to an alien setting. To be honest, I am not in the habit of reading graphic novels, and would not have read this one had there been no compelling incentive. Yet it just so happens that one of my daughters has a special man in her life who is American Born Chinese. Since he is important to her, he is important to me. He is a fan of Yang, and especially of this novel, which resonates with his own life story. So, wanting to know this person who had captured my daughter’s interest, I embarked on a quest to learn something about him through one of his favorite artists. It was an entirely rewarding experience. Yang is a masterful comic artist and storyteller, able to use his artwork to get points across more effectively than with the written word alone. That is the power of graphic novels. Who wouldn’t prefer to look at a page of colorful pictures rather than a page full of text? Truly a picture is worth a thousand words, and Yang knows how to maximize the effectiveness of his pictures. His art includes traditional Chinese elements, which he fuses nicely with contemporary cartoon styles from both the West and the East. The overall effect is a seamless fusion of images that carry the novel forward at just the right pace. Yang’s story, or stories, convey the same effect: weaving elements from the East and West into something resembling a textual fugue. American Born Chinese is actually a compilation of three distinct stories, each developing the same theme. Yang draws his first story line from the old Chinese tale of the Monkey King. Although Buddhist in origin, Yang adjusts the story to reflect his own Christian worldview. The adjustments work very nicely. Those familiar with the Bible will recognize the Christian elements, or at least some of them; there are subtle references which only the serious biblical scholar will catch. In this creative license, Yang not only reminds us that Christianity is just as much part of the overall Chinese story as Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam, but also something that C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien knew very well: myth is a filter of reality. In this case, if, as the Bible states, there is revelation of the Creator in every culture, then Yang has provided an ancient Chinese example of that phenomenon. This example of mythic reality introduces us to the central theme of Yang’s story: being true to one’s identity. The other two story lines carry that theme forward with increasing amplification. The second story concerns Jin, a Chinese American teen trying to cope with the reality of being one of only three Asians in his school. Where the story of the Monkey King is mythically delightful, Jin’s story is awkward and comical, just like the typical story of any young American teen. Up to a point, that is: the point where Jin decides his Chinese heritage is a liability. That’s when the story bends away from the comical and toward the tragic. The third story line is hardly tragic, but the most difficult of the three to receive. For all their quirks, we like the Monkey King and Jin, but we have a hard time finding anything to like about Chin-kee, the obnoxious Chinese cousin of Danny, an American high school student. Yang’s presentation of Chin-kee may be somewhat cathartic in that this character embodies all the negative stereotypes with which Americans have painted Chinese. It is painful to endure. Chinese and other Asian readers no doubt recall incidents in which such stereotypes colored their lives; non-Asians reading with a sensitive eye may recall times (as I did) when their insensitivity and ignorance caused offense. Yet even here, being true to one’s identity is the core of the story. One might ask, what do negative racial and cultural stereotypes have to do with true identity? The answer comes in the captivating way the author resolves the crises in each of his story lines. Not only does he guide his characters through their individual identity crises, he makes provision for multi-generational solutions that point all of his characters toward a future and a hope. With a sudden twist or two, the three stories become one story, and we close the book having learned something far more profound than we believed possible in a graphic novel: we learn what it means to be human. That, ultimately, is the foundation of Gene Luen Yang’s creation. The struggles of being American Born Chinese are the vehicle for this life lesson applicable to us all. Eventually, we must learn to be true to ourselves, but what exactly are we? That question should provoke us into a search for our true identity that will lead us back to the One who made us. Some may question what constitutes a valid identity, but that is a question I am not qualified to answer. Ultimately, only the Creator can answer it. What I do know – and what American Born Chinese has helped me remember – is that we share this identity called human. If we can all meet there as our starting point, then maybe we can find a way to cooperate in figuring out the rest of life’s mysteries. American Born Chinese

I love this graphic novel! And as some other reviewers have noted, it goes a long way in disproving the notion that comics and graphics novels "don't count" as real literature. Gene Luen Yang, deftly tackles issues of racism, cultural and national identity, identity crisis and belonging, friendship, coming of age, as well as spirituality in this work and none of it comes of as a sermon or a bludgeon to the head. The entire piece is so relatable and so very relevant for all of us today. I will also say that there have been critical reception to some of the characters in the graphic novel, most notably Chin-Kee. Yes, that name is an obviously play on the slur "chinky" and yes, the character is the epitome of Chinese-ethnic stereotypes - but the character is used here to acknowledge and challenge the ways in which we racialist and dehumanize "others", and Chin-Kee exists further to symbolize the fear of difference Danny carries within himself, the fear of being recognized as the different one, and of the self-hatred Jin has for himself. I'd also point out that this is a graphic novel written and illustrated by an American Born Chinese-ethnic, who's parents were immigrants from Taiwan. However, Yang is clear to point out in interviews that while he had some similar experiences growing up - this is NOT his story. It is not an autobiography or auto-fiction. I think that's important for readers to understand as well. Also being written by a person of color, the narrative moves along and our protagonists are able to reach the conclusion of their journeys without the help of the "White savior" trope - something a lot of other narratives with PoC lead feature to many's disappointment. This is a poignant story that needs to be read and shared, and is so genuine. I absolutely recommend it, and I think it can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including younger kids.

For me, growing up in an Indiana high school was an exercise in nerdy awkwardness that I thought I was the only one in the world to experience. I never dreamed that I had a Chinese brother who was experiencing the same adolescent insecurity and loneliness until I read Gene Luen Yang's "American Born Chinese". It's like we were separated at birth and are just now discovering each other. That's the power of this apparently simple, clever little illustrated tale: you find a young person not too different from yourself. He's just as anxious as you were in eighth grade, trying to make friends, trying to be popular, tripping over his own feet while falling in love for the first time. He's the brother you wish you could've hung out with, the buddy you would've commiserated with when you felt you'd made a fool of yourself in front of the whole class. Point is you meet him in the pages of this book, accompanied by the Monkey King. He's from a culture utterly different from your upbringing, speaks a language you can't begin to understand, yet you connect with him right away because you and he are dancing in the same frying pan called "high school". And that's why you need to read this book. It's about the incredible amount of things we all share with each other even though we come from different worlds. It's a primer about getting along with each other in a world that keeps pulling us apart into warring tribes. This wonderful story reminds us that, if we look past our superficial differences, there are lots of folks in the world ready to be our friends.

I think that this was a good book and it was funny but in some parts I think we're racist to Asian people even though I'm not one but it was still funny but the only story that did not interest me was the monkey king story I couldn't follow it well but I like the last two stories they were good and other than that it was a good book

It’s very good book and delivered on time.

Loved this! The art was wonderful, the dialogue expertly placed, and the way the three stories wove together in the end was surprising and fitting. I'm coming at this from the perspective of being white, but the toxic behaviour of the white kids in the comic was unfortunately very true to life (I've seen it done by my classmates, and heard the stories from my friends, and god knows I've said stupid things myself), and Gene Yang nailed it right on the head with some well placed words, sometimes no more than a single panel. Also? Anything involving the Monkey King in this story was a pleasure.

Divertido y fácil de leer

Très bon livre, que je croyais avoir commandé en français et qui m'est arrivé en anglais. C'est sans doute de ma faute, je n'ai pas dû faire assez attention au descriptif.

A fun way to a integrate Chinese stories and legends to the second / third generation chinese diaspora. It makes them very accessible and applicable to their lives. I'd love to see more of these type of books for kids. Its so important for them to be able to identify with characters in media, whether books, television or film etc.

Articolo nel pieno delle aspettative. Veloce e preciso.