A novel by Frank Chin
August 1, 1995 • 5 x 8 • 400 pages • 978-1-56689-037-3
Chinese mythology and Hollywood legends collide in a multicultural maelstrom.
An irreverent saga of a Chinese American family in California, this latest from the author of Donald Duk offers a satiric panorama ranging from ethnic stereotypes to Hollywood mythology.
About the Author
Frank Chin is the author of a collection of stories, The Chinaman Pacific & Frisco R.R. Co., and two novels, Donald Duk and Gunga Din Highway. The first Chinese-American to have a play produced on a New York stage, he is known for uncompromising portrayals of Chinese-Americans as well as for incorporation of Chinese mythology into his work. Frank Chin’s plays include The Chickencoop Chinaman and The Year of the Dragon, which was produced for PBS. He currently lives on I-5 between Los Angeles and all points north to Seattle.
Reviews
“Ancient and contemporary myths of China and America propel this provocative, multilayered tale . . . through the sweeping changes of four decades, from the 1950s to the present.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Deftly combines humor with deadly cynicism.” —New York Times Book Review
“Father, son, and a parade of other characters wrestle with the joys and agonies of self-invention in this funny, touching book.” —Entertainment Weekly
“Furious and delightful. . . . A story to be devoured and discussed.” —New York Newsday
“Rev(s) like a Harley through the Day-Glo ’60s. . . . A complex and compelling work that takes us deep into the multicultural fabric of America.” —Los Angeles Times
“The latest and richest work from Asian American literary gangster Frank Chin has the sneaky-surreal texture of a roman a clef. . . . There is method dancing beneath his madness.” —Village Voice Literary Supplement
“A generational struggle for self-affirmation that carries our interest to the end.” —Los Angeles Reader