 "Renee" | 2009-08-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A29MEZLCJ4ZXKL |
| Great Book!! Learned more about Chinese history in the US than in a history book. Passed it on twice already, friends all say how much they enjoyed it. |
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| "Intriguing and enlightening" | 2009-08-23 |
| - Reviewed By myrradine |
I am a long-time fan of Ms See's novels, but never got around to reading "On Gold Mountain", which is a work of non-fiction. Well, after reading it, I have to say that I found Ms See's account of her family's history interweaved with California's history in the late 19th and 20th centuries to be fascinating, and Ms See's meticulous research shows through her work.
Lisa See is only one-eight Chinese, but has always been exposed to the elements of traditional Chinese culture, having spent a great deal of her formative years in L.A.'s Chinatown, surrounded by her Chinese family members. Thus, her account of her family [on the Chinese side] is both credible and compelling. Besides, Ms See also draws her material from numerous interviews with her Chinese family members, as well as journeying to the family village in China, amongst others. See's great-great-grandfather, Fong Dun Shung migrated from China to the US aka Gold Mountain with his two sons in 1867. Later, See's great-grandfather, Fong See [Dun Shung's fourth son] arrives in the US and works his way to becoming a prominent member of society & founding father of L.A.'s Chinatown. He also does something that is unexpected, scandalizing his family in the process - marrying a Caucasian. The saga continues with See's interweaving family history with accounts of California's history in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Another aspect of the book which fascinated me was of the early account of inter-racial marriage and its consequences, and of course, of the East-West connection.
Ms See is a gifted writer, as evidenced by her mastery of writing both fiction and non-fiction, as well as being able to illuminate her stories through deep exploration of the main characters and settings. "On Gold Mountain" is a fascinating read indeed. |
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| "very interesting reading" | 2009-07-14 |
| - Reviewed By User: A172X0SKG5DAUN |
Most informative & interesting reading !!!!
Good Chinese story of family culture |
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| ""On Gold Mountain"" | 2009-03-07 |
| - Reviewed By User: A5P9MZD5XPC7O |
On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family
For readers of Lisa See's work, "On Gold Mountain" is not only important for its own sake but also for its connection to the three murder mysteries that follow it ("Flower Net", "The Interior", and "Dragon Bones") and for the context it provides for See's newest novel, "Shanghai Girls". In "On Gold Mountain" the reader discovers a fascinating narrative that helps explain the successes and failures of the Chinese men and women who worked so hard to make real their dreams about Gold Mountain. In the Red Princess mysteries, the perspective is reversed. Here the reader is immersed in China, its history and culture, aided by the opportunity of frequently seeing the enigma of China from the American perspective -- especially through the eyes of David Stark, the leading male character.
The relationship between "On Gold Mountain" and "Shanghai Girls" is somewhat different. In "Shanghai Girls" the time span is from 1937-57, depicting the difficult and painful experience of sisters Pearl and May as they leave war torn Shanghai to become brides in arranged marriages and immigrants in a strange and often hostile America. This period and setting are also treated in On Gold Mountain, but this time from the perspective of See's own family history.
In "On Gold Mountain" See relates her long and complicated family history to the changing nature of both China and the US for 100 years. She blends her family's story with the larger picture of how badly Chinese immigrants were treated and of the many ways they used in trying to deal with a frequently hostile environment. The memoir is enhanced by its family tree and photographs, which help ground the reader in the world See is describing.
One of the fascinating things about "On Gold Mountain" is how See remains objective in telling her family story. Even in describing in some detail the horrible experience many Chinese men went through in working on the railroad, her narrative voice remains calm - which in one sense makes the details she discusses even more disturbing. She is equally objective in her treatment of your mother and herself as she grew to maturity.
The women of "On Gold Mountain" are impressive -- especially Ticie, See's great grandmother, and her mother Carolyn. Ticie and See's mother stand out because of their strength, creativity and different ways of dealing with traditional Chinese views concerning the role of women. Actress Anna May Wong is also important in this regard.
Although Fong See, See's great grandfather, dominates the memoir, he is largely depicted from the outside - hard working, strong in mind and body, creative, determined, and to some extent trapped in a narrow view of the world, seeing it largely in terms of money and traditional views of the relationships between men and women. Only as an old man does he seriously reflect on the meaning of his live and the values he has held.
After reading "On Gold Mountain", the reader may recall something See said in a broader context: "History is not just about wars and dates; it's something that happens to real people. Do they rise to the occasion and challenges or do they fail?"
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 "On Gold Mountain" | 2009-03-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A38LJ1QSQW4YYN |
| Sometimes life stories can ramble on or have parts that are so slow it is a struggle to read on.LIfe can be like that. Not so with "Gold Mountain". What a facinating story, well researched and beautifully written. I couldn't put it down and have now purchased all of Lisa See's books. |
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| "Slow start, but ultimately a good read" | 2008-12-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2W5VK3X6ITUL5 |
| This was a required read for a college sociology course, but unfortunately I just skimmed it and never fully appreciated the work. I picked it up again several years later and was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It did take some perseverance to get through, it was not the most fast paced book I have read, but it was an interesting story. |
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