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The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother
William Poy Lee received his bachelor's of architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Juris Doctor from Hastings College of Law, University of California, San Francisco. A lawyer since 1979, he lives in Berkeley, where he writes full-time. In "The Eighth Promise," author William Poy Lee gives us a memoir of a relationship between a mother and son--an...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
November 27th 2007
by Rodale Books
(first published 2007)
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My family also moved into the North Ping Yuen projects when they were brand new and moved out in 1969 to live the American dream of home ownership. I also attended Nam Kue Chinese school but years later. It excited me to read these similarities growing up in Chinatown. My parents were from villages in nearby counties to Toisan.
Being younger than Lee and female, I think I led a very sheltered life and didn't pay too much attention to the violent Chinese gang crimes in Chinatown. I was aware of t...more
Being younger than Lee and female, I think I led a very sheltered life and didn't pay too much attention to the violent Chinese gang crimes in Chinatown. I was aware of t...more
Oct 04, 2007
Flora
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Optimists; People interested in the American experience
Shelves:
nonfiction
I was skeptical when I first met William Poy Lee and heard him speak about his book. In fact, I wasn't even willing to put money on it; I went the library route. Another Chinese-American memoir? And with a title like that? But Mr. Lee writes cleanly and simply about two extraordinary lives -- his and his mother's -- skipping the mystical hoo-hah and emphasizing the American experience. His optimisim truly shines through and is truly refreshing, especially when so many other Chinese-American auth...more
Nov 04, 2008
Carol
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biography,
asian-american
An Asian American odyssey with an edge, this tale is told in the alternating voices of a Chinese American son and his mother from Toisan County, Guangzhou, southern China. The Bay Area family embraces the toughness of their new life in America with a certain innocence and brash naiveté, until reality hits in an explosion of violence and systemic betrayal. William, his mother and his brother fight for their family's moral survival in the face of overwhelming odds, overcome their obstacles, and st...more
Jul 26, 2008
Marie Hew
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone, Toisanese Americans, 1960s & 1970s history enthusiasts
If you come from a Toisanese family, the themes of compassion and kindness are undenialably familiar. This is the first book I have EVER read by any Chinese American author that has been able to capture the essence of Toisanese culture, language, values and our way of being. I don't know why it took so long for a book like this to be published considering a huge percentage of Chinese in San Francisco are Toisanese or descendants of immigrants from Toisan.
Lee beautifully weaves together the story...more
Lee beautifully weaves together the story...more
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This was a fascinating book. The author's style is not very polished, and I would have liked to have heard more about his young adult life which is given little attention compared to his childhood. But somehow all of this just makes the story of life with his mother more poignant. Another book club suggestion which I never would have picked up on my own.
To another person with family roots in Toisan, this was a moving book, offering insights on the immigrant experience, the assimilation process for Chinese in America, on Chinese parenting. It's a good reminder on how unjust White America once was not that long ago and a fascinating look at San Francisco Chinatown from the inside.
The first 100 pages were hot and cold. However, the second half makes up for it. I was also drawn to this book because of its focus on SF Chinatown. After recently reading Rice Room, this brought another interesting perspective to the Barry Fong Torres murder.
A great story about one man and his mother - Chinese-Americans who fought to keep their culture and themselves in San Francisco after WWII. The story tells the triumphs and troubles of each generation, with heavy emphasis on the civil rights movement for Chinese-Americans that few probably know. A great story of family strength that exudes the unique culture so many new Americans have to share with their new home country.
I just finished this book and it was one of the best I've read in years. Very moving, thought provoking and extremely well written.
The author links his mother's youth in an ancient Chinese fishing villiage, to his own youth in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Good story, good history of a time/place many of us have no understandig of. Actually would give a 3 1/2 star rating.
A masterful work, a memoir rich in detail about culture, social context, and family ties.
wow i loved this story. what a crazy journey.
AARP mag
I found this book so fascinating! I loved the Chinese history (I studied Chinese in college so it had extra meaning to me). I also loved the San Francisco history which many times the Chinese are left out of. My favorite sections were when his mother and the other village women were being discussed. Those women had it figured out, and it left me longing for a return to the old village ways where every woman was considered a sister who was of high importance.
Ann Arbor Reads selection for 2008, a facinating view of Chinese-American life in San Francisco, a mixing of cultures, and a very different way of looking at the world. The author spoke about his book and his philosophy here in Ann Arbor, introduced his elderly mother to the audience, and filled us in with details about the Lee family since the end of the book. An excellent writer and speaker, I have high expectations for his next book (already in progress).
I was interested in the book because my boyfriend's mom is from Toisan and I thought this would be a great way to learn more about her and where she came from. The book is a quick read and it is interesting to learn about all the experiences of the author, his mom, and the whole family. I did feel that certain points in the book were repeated too much but it has the makings of a good read.
it's about a toisan family, the parents from southern china and the kids grow up in the 60s-70s in SF chinatown. The older son wrote the book and he interviewed his mother, so every other chapter is in her voice. Pretty great to hear both and recognize some of the ways the mother coped with life in America over the years and passed traditions on to her sons. still reading it...
I agree with Marie. What a great book about a Toisanese family. I love the interweaving of the mother's recipes for soups with growing up in the tumultuous 60's. Since my mom's family has been in California since the 1890's, it was great reading what I felt was a bit of her and her siblings' and cousins' history coming of age in SF.
In keeping with "The Namesake" this non-ficiton book explores the challenges faced by first generation immigrants. Keeping and respecting the old traditions, while immersing yourself in a new culture is quite a challenge.
This book is the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads selection for this year and will be discussed in groups next year.
This book is the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads selection for this year and will be discussed in groups next year.
I actually never finished this book, it was so dull that I couldn't get into it and decided to cut my losses and return it to the library. The characters are not all that likable and nothing really happens, I would not reccomend this one.
This was this year's Ann Arbor/Ypsi Reads title. It took me about 150 pages to really get into it, so I had mixed feelings. When we discussed it in book group, though, it was such a good discussion-provoking book. It really won me over.
I found out about this book at the Asian Heritage Festival. Looks interesting. The review on the ad mentions that fans of Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston would like this book, and I do, so it's on my "to read" list.
Quiet read. Was compelling and interesting. Kind of got thrown for a loop at the end when one major point seemed to be resolved without a mention how.
Would recommend for sure.
Would recommend for sure.
I expected the book to be filled with references to Toisanese wisdom and customs. What I didn't expect was the stories of San Francisco's Chinatown in the 60's and 70's and the turmoil there.
This was an interesting book that opened my eyes to the fact that not just African Americans suffer(ed) from discrimination. It gave me an insight to Chinese Americans' experiences too.
this book was chosen as the latest ann arbor/ypsi reads book. i, unfortunately, gave up after about 4 chapters.
if you have better luck with this book, let me know.
if you have better luck with this book, let me know.
Captures a culture not many of us know exists. Well done, too.
I am going to finish this book shortly.
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