Asian American Novels & Writers | Asian American Poll

ASIAN AMERICAN NOVELS
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:11:23 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Which of the following is the best Asian American novel?
China Men by Maxine Hong Kingston | 7%
No-No Boy by John Okada | 1%
The Foreign Student by Susan Choi | 8%
China Boy by Gus Lee | 4% American Knees by Shawn Wong | 3%
Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston | 7%
Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan | 8%
Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee | 15%
Other | 47%

Who's your favorite Asian American writer?
Gus Lee | 13%
Amy Tan | 8%
Susan Choi | 8%
Maxine Hong Kingston | 11%
Chang-Rae Lee | 14%
Other | 46%

What best explains the remarkable disparity between the numbers of published AA female and male authors?
More AA females write than do AA males | 17%
American publishers have a fetish for Asian female authors | 32%
American publishers have an aversion toward strong AA male voices | 14%
Americans have a fetish for Asian female-white male themed books | 37%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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for people tired of the amy tan thing, read don lee's "Yellow" which address the Yellow fever thing, the Asian American male hang-up theme, and other issues, written with great style and intelligence. i know some as am males have a lot of anger toward amy tan, but books like "yellow" (2001) or leonard chang's "Over the Shoulder" (2001) show strong Asian male characters in a positive light. Maybe now we can move BEYOND the depictions and stereotypes of the past and be depicted with realism and honesty...and also prove that Asian American fiction and writing is much better now, too!
SEC Tuesday, April 23, 2002 at 09:35:26 (PDT)

Just curious

i doubt it. there were no official public criticism that i heard of. the book was critically acclaimed and media action network for asian-americans approved it indirectly by giving it a thumbs up to the film.
AM taking no sides Monday, April 22, 2002 at 17:04:08 (PDT)

tulux999:

The movie gets criticized because it specifically bashes on AMs. I don't have anything against a female-oriented story equally putting all males as secondary characters, but the bias against AMs in favor of WMs is so obvious.

Sure, some WM husbands there have faults, but in the end they make up, and live happily ever after. The only AM husband in America is seen as a cheap-ass loser. Oh sure, the wife of him ends up with another AM, but the movie only shows a brief 3-second footage of him, and we know absolutely nothing about the new AM husband. That sure doesn't say alot.

yes Monday, April 22, 2002 at 16:46:15 (PDT)

I agree with tulux, hey, it's feminist portrayed literature, but I didn't think the book or the movie was all that great. Actually, the mother's side wasn't bad. I think the daughter's side needed to be more realistic instead of this overwhelming consumption of materialism and American acceptance. I did not think the book exemplified the daughter's side well at all. It was very distant, impersonal.That's what really made me sick. The mother's inability to understand her daughter was a little awkwardly written too.
likeyoucare Monday, April 22, 2002 at 13:36:28 (PDT)

Having seen the Joy Luck Club with AF and FOB females. All I have to say is that those educated in Asia thought the movie was too dramtic. Only the AF who grew up in white neighborhoods really related to those characters.

Most asian growing up in an Asian community thinks that movie is just full of it.

However, the point is that the movie and novel does cater to a population of asian females that grow up in white america. Whether we like it or not they exist and think like that and those are their percieved issues.

If you ban that book, you are in effect shutting down a voice to a segement of the asian american population.
AC Dropout Monday, April 22, 2002 at 12:56:33 (PDT)

If a person liked the book Waiting to Exhale, that doesn't mean she dislikes black men. Literary appreciation is not equivalent to personal beliefs. Anne Rice fans do not necessarily believe in witches.
gimme a break Monday, April 22, 2002 at 12:09:59 (PDT)

Has Amy Tan ever responded in writing, or publicly in an interview or on TV to all these criticisms?
Just Curious Monday, April 22, 2002 at 06:35:41 (PDT)

Well, brushing aside the Asian male bashing that goes on in the Joy Luck Club for a minute, I'll tell you another reason why that film sucks. The dialogue is too contrived. I can't tell you how many times I rolled my eyes, thinking, "who in the hell talks like this in their daily lives?" The whole script seemed so phoney to me. The Joy Luck Club is cinematic crap; I never understood how so many people liked to jump on that bandwagon of such a poorly written film.

I can name two films off the top of my head that more accurately portray the Asian-American experience. One is a documentary actually. The other an indie-film. Go see "My America or Honk if You Love Buddha" and "Yellow." These two films may be offbeat, but at least there's realism and substance to them. Not this pile of horse manure passed off as art that is the Joy Luck Club. Amy Tan's Asian-American experience is certainly unlike mine or any other Asian-American person I know. I don't know any Suzy Wong's or Madame Butterfly's.
Valley Chinese Dude Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 23:54:44 (PDT)

BookTaster,

"All I know is, it doesn't know that elevating AF at the expense of AM is no kind of progress."

Many times women (any race) are, as you put it, elevated at the expense of men in books and movies.

Girlfight - Michelle Rodriquez wins boxing match against Latino. Also, abusive Latino father in movie.

Waiting to Exhale - Angela Bassett. 4 Bfs lament difficulty in finding good Bm. Bms portrayed as sexually inept, cheating, jerk, etc.

Joy Luck is a female-oriented book and movie where males were relegated to secondary characters. Males in general enjoy advantages in male-dominated societies. I think for this reason, females tend to like female books and movies. In China, one of the husbands was an abusive playboy. Another rapist. These types can be found in all races. If women were victimized in China, it was usually at the hands of men, victim of cheating, rape, whatever. Same for other countries. Fast forward to contemporary times. Asian husband portrayed as cheap. WM husband not in tune with Asian culture. Cheap vs. clueless. Qualities that can be seen in any race. The wife of the cheap Asian husband ended up with another Asian male. That says a lot.
tulux999 Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 21:32:17 (PDT)

I watched the Joy Luck club, needed a lot of caffeine to stay awake, but I couldn't help but notice an anti-Asian Male feel to the movie, actually it was quite in your face take it or f*** off hate towards them.

I also think that Rush Hour 2 had a lot of stereotypical views of Asians from the bigot of the film Chris F***er, i mean Tucker. :-)

I don't see why these movies didn't get boycotted like those A&F shirts.

Just my opinion though.

22.wHiTe GuY Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 12:04:26 (PDT)

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