Filipino American Lives

by Yen Le Espiritu

Filipino Americans are now the second largest group of Asian Americans as well as the second largest immigrant group in the United States. As reflected in this collection, their lives represent the diversity of the immigrant experience and their narratives are a way to understand ethnic identity and Filipino American history. Men and women, old and young, middle and working class, first and second generation, all openly discuss their changing sense of identity, the effects of generational and cultural differences on their families, and the role of community involvement in their lives. Pre- and post-1965 immigrants share their experiences, from the working students who came before WWII, to the manongs in the field, to the stewards and officers in the U.S. Navy, to the "brain drain" professionals, to the Filipinos born and raised in the United States. As Yen Le Espiritu writes in the Introduction, "each of the narratives reveals ways in which Filipino American identity has been and continues to be shaped by a colonial history and a white-dominated culture. It is through recognizing how profoundly race has affected their lives that Filipino Americans forge their ethnic identities―identities that challenge stereotypes and undermine practices of cultural domination."

In the series Asian American History and Culture , edited by Sucheng Chan, David Palumbo-Liu, Michael Omi, K. Scott Wong, and Linda Trinh Võ.

Genres: History, Asian American, Nonfiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 1995

Reviews

[sdw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a series of life-stories from Filipinos living in San Diego. The stories exemplify the trends discussed in the 30 page introduction/overview of Filipino American Lives. I think this book is great for thinking about oral history, and the life stories are pretty diverse with folks with some pretty interesting stories to tell. The 30 page introduction really covers a lot of key themes in the historiography.

[Emiliano Orencia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a decent read but gives only a partial look at Filipino life since we are so diverse in perspectives. She definitely got a good sample from the San Diego area and she allowed their words, even when distasteful or off-putting, to write the book.