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The Asian Mystique: Dragon Ladies, Geisha Girls, & Our Fantasies Of The Exotic Orient
The West's croticized illusions of Asia--many propagated by Hollywood--color our social, cultural, business, personal, and political interactions, and affect East-West relations as well as issues of race and sex. Now a prize-winning journalist and Asia expert goes on a reality tour of Asia's sex trade, campuses, business districts, and corridors of power to issue a profoun...more
Hardcover, 437 pages
Published
April 1st 2005
by PublicAffairs
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Generally well researched but entirely lacking in intelligent analysis, a flaw that occasionally results in offensive assumptions and risible incoherencies. Only the first two chapters address Western-constructed Asian exoticism, though this is ostensibly the topic of the book. These chapters are well researched and interesting, and offer a decent--though often overreaching--account of how Asian stereotypes evolved from colonial-era racism and pornography. But from there, the book devolves into...more
Sheridan Prasso had visited our campus a few years ago, bearing her international stories and observations regarding Asia -- and notably, Asian women. While the book itself offers substantial commentary on social attitudes and roles of this demographic, it was far more refreshing to listen to Prasso directly. Her personal interviews with women made this easier to apply...despite my tendency to doubt the authority of those who may not immediately identify with an issue, I respected Prasso's persp...more
I was really excited to finally read this book. Asians and Asian-Americans had a big influence over my life, after all, and I wanted to get to the bottom of the whole Asian girl - White guy thing (since I'm a Caucasian girl who digs Asian guys - never happens in the movies). The book is incredibly well researched, written from a sort of first person when she's describing the amazing women she met all over Asian. The stories are kind of grouped by stereotype (not by country or chronologically) an...more
Some reviewer here or on Amazon.com said this book reads more like a college textbook or required reading for a college course, and I agree. Parts of this book were fascinating--the historical developments, how imperialism and colonialism play an influence, anecdotal stories of women at the very bottom of the ladder to the top political positions.
Yet there isn't much analysis and the book is often choppy. Some of the stories were incredibly fascinating and heartbreaking to read. Others were int...more
Yet there isn't much analysis and the book is often choppy. Some of the stories were incredibly fascinating and heartbreaking to read. Others were int...more
Jan 03, 2009
Connie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
2009-reads
"You’ll never plumb the Oriental mind, and if you did, it isn’t worth the toil” were the words of Rudyard Kipling. The idea of the exotic, dangerous and seductive are still how the West sees the East. These misconceptions paint a picture of Asia and Asian people that is far from the truth - labeling women as submissive China doll/geisha girl types or domineering Dragon Lady/Martial Arts Mistress types and men as emasculated, feminine, and weak. Prasso gives an history of how might these stereoty...more
The Asian Mystique: Dragon Ladies, Geisha Girls, and Our Fantasies of the Exotic Orient is a nuanced but somewhat jumbled work examining how Westerners view Asia. Sheridan Prasso, a journalist once based in Asia, contends that the West, through a distorted lens, sees the Orient as a weaker but exotic, sensual and decadent place. The first part of the book is a heavily researched investigation into how that lens was constructed. She documents the first East-West interactions and how they became t...more
Dec 21, 2007
Eileen Sam
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
White males with asian fever
As a first generation Chinese raised in Hawai`i, I undoubtly find this book to be a solid establishment of recognizing the endless stereotypes of Asian women in and out of America. I do agree with most people that the second half was better than the long-winded first, considering that it almost seemed like a history book rather than a critical analysis. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her different "case studies".
However, the problem is this book is only best-suited for those that aren't concious...more
However, the problem is this book is only best-suited for those that aren't concious...more
Very interesting if not somewhat insulting at times.
Also a great book to find out the numeruos sex-capades of the world and also to find the prostitutes of the world.
But pretty insulting to asians and the rest of the world.
What especially got me was the "fleshy face" and "stout body" of Thao...yeaaaaa only to an idiot
Also a great book to find out the numeruos sex-capades of the world and also to find the prostitutes of the world.
But pretty insulting to asians and the rest of the world.
What especially got me was the "fleshy face" and "stout body" of Thao...yeaaaaa only to an idiot
I found this book to be an interesting extension of Said's "Orientalism" with a definite feminist focus. A good book if you are into this kind of thing and it brings up some good questions. My biggest gripe is that it feels very superficial and once it gets deep move on to the next chapter.
This is a bit of a cheat, but I'm going to link to a really thorough review by an Amazon user who hit almost all my criticisms and praises of the book, here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RSGFMY8Z...
she touches on a lot of good topics, but a lot extraneous stuff too and some paragraphs that make you go hmm? why did she write that. it's also weird that an outsider is writing about the asian mystique; it was hard to feel like she understood what was going on in several parts.
Parts of it - great.
Parts of it - eh......
Read this a couple years ago before I moved to China.
Parts of it - eh......
Read this a couple years ago before I moved to China.
Very detailed and well-written. It's basically about East-West cultural differences and sometimes there's TMI. All in all it's a Goodread.
Well I haven't quite finished my review or even started this but can someone suggest to me an equivalent but in more regards to the asian male? She only dedicated one chapter the subject and I understand that, that may not have been more main intent with the book but I'm just simply wondering is there such an equivalent. By the way I did really enjoy the book
A discussion of the image of Asian women in the West. Prasso covers a wide variety of topics and areas, and has some interesting insights. However, by a sheer fluke, I happened to have just watched a movie she mentioned in passing as an example ("You Only Live Twice") and her description of the plot was so incorrect it was startling. After that, no matter what she reported on, I couldn't help but wonder how accurate it was. It's a complex subject, and Prasso tackles it with determination, but I...more
Very interesting! Why are Asian girls cute? You can find out here ...
The Asian Mystique provides an overview about perceptions of Asia, especially Asian women. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything new here. If you want an accessible, general study and/or approaching the book with limited knowledge on the subject, then this is a good place to start. However, if you're looking for in-depth, scholarly material, look elsewhere.
Started out so strong that I felt like I was back in grad-level Asian-American studies or reading engaging course packet material from said classes. However, the book quickly lost its focus after the film section and turned into a diary of impressions about being in Asian bars and observing the unfolding repetitions.
Apr 25, 2007
stephanie
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
not too many people
Shelves:
ugh
overly sexual, Prasso's facts are not completely true - the book's alright if you don't mind vulgarity, but she tries too hard to prove her points... you will learn a few things though - some of which may be true.
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this book sucks...but if you're interested in asian or asian american studies i would compare this book to what you actually know or to other books.
Interesting social review on why Caucasian men like Asian woman, but written in a professional way. Good theories and research done by the author.
definitely explores all angles of the asian stereotype including sex topics. so don't read if those topics make you uncomfortable
...must finish before Aug 24:-)
East Asian Societies EASC 150g Fall 2005
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