Good Fortune: My Journey to Gold Mountain

by Li Keng Wong

In this dramatic memoir of early-twentieth century immigration, author Li Keng Wong shares her family’s journey from rural China to a new life in California.
In 1933, seven-year-old Li Keng’s life changed forever. Her father decided to bring his family from a small village in southern China to California. Getting to America was not easy. Getting past America’s strict anti-Chinese immigration laws was even more difficult. Any misstep could mean deportation and disgrace for their family.
Life in America during the Great Depression brought many exciting surprises as well as a few disappointments. Hunger, poverty, police raids, frequent moves, and the occasional sting of racism were a part of everyday life, but slowly Li Keng and her family found stability and a true home in “Gold Mountain.”

Genres: China, Memoir, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2006

About the author

LI KENG WONG was an elementary school teacher in the San Francisco Bay area for more than thirty-five years. She was featured in the Disney documentary "American Tapestry." She lives in California.

Reviews

[Chalida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rory and I read this together and Li Keng was on the SS Hoover just like my great grandmother was when she came from Southern China through Angel Island to get to the SF Bay Area. This is an excellent firsthand account of an early Chinese immigration story. Rory and I got sucked into the struggles Li Keng and her family face as they decide to build a life for themselves in Oakland. Very readable. Perfect for elementary and middle school students. Rory said she didn't want the book to end and wanted to continue hearing the story of the many girls and their lives. Now Liam is reading it on his own and he was the one who made the connection between Li Keng and his great great grandmother who arrived about a decade earlier.

[Sofiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book served as a core memory of my childhood for a very long time. As a reading requirement in the third grade, we read this book during class and discussed the book with everyone. For the longest time, I tried to remember the book, but couldn’t. Thanks to my sister, who heard the book mentioned in a show, I got my hands back on this book.

Good Fortune summarizes the journey Li Keng Wong embarks on with her family to travel to the United States during the Great Depression. The book gives insight on her journey and how her family adapted to society in Chinatown. Li Keng relies heavily on summarizes, which lead to some minor plot gaps. However, her story serves as an insightful and educational narrative of the prejudice of Chinese Immigrants during the 1930’s.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An immigrant experience during the depression years.

Li Keng Wong was only 7 yrs old when her family left China to join their father in California. It was hard to part with her grandmother, but she rarely mentioned anything about her old home -- surely there would have been something she missed! The two main hardships: living on a shoestring (jobs weren't plentiful, especially for Chinese immigrants) and fear of the 'immigration police.'

Little House in the Big Woods introduces kids to the westward movement. This book is a positive story of an immigrant.

[Roger Flores-Chacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose the book because I wanted to know what it would be like to be a Chinese immigrant. The book is about Li Keng Wong's life in China and in the U.S. There was a controversial topic that Chinese immigrants couldn't do a lot of things like open a lottery business, bring their wives there, be free to choose a job, and a lot more. I was surprised that some immigrants could spend years of interrogation in an Island.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short Biography of an immigrant family from a small village in China to Oakland, CA in the 1930s. It follows them from their village and all the way on the journey until they are in the US and have hard times. The story is told from one of the daughters of the family, and ends when ehey have beome US citizens. I only wish this was a longer read and I was able to follow the family for a longer period of time. That was the only let down. It was a good read.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad that Li Keng Wong wrote this memoir about her experiences as a young girl emigrating from China. She describes the harrowing experience of staying at Angel Island and having to lie to immigration officials about the true identity of her mother because of ridiculous policies. It is told in a manner that is appropriate to children. I will read this memoir to my children when they are older.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This may be the only book w/the sentence "I can't wait to get to Oakland !" in it (p60).

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book was excellent in terms of telling a story. The transitioning however was atrocious as the author gives few or no description as to how or what happened in the sequence of events. Even though I didn't understand some areas of the book, I really appreciated the imagery used to describe the scenery. I also appreciated the storyline. The reason I chose this book is that I was recommended by a friend to read it. I also chose this book because I love to read personal accounts and biographies. My favorite quote is, "My life forever changed when I moved to America." because I can relate as I visited the Philippines, realizing how different my life would've been if I grew up there. Although there were a few loose ends in the book, I really liked the author writing style. Her stereotypical perspectives really got me into the book. Li Keng Wong, the author provided a fairly clear story in her point of view. I wish didn't just look at her own perspective and look at other characters' point of view. I would recommend this book because it provides a decent storyline for any student. It also adds a sense of each genre in the book like action, adventure, and mystery. Overall this book was above average compared to other books and exceeds some areas and standards I look for in a book. I rate it a 4/5.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Li Keng Wong gives a vivid personal account of her journey from China to San Francisco. Wong recounts in honest detail how her family prepared to leave China, her experiences while staying at Angel Island, and how her family adjusted to living in America. The reader is taken through the excitement of the family arriving in their new home, eating their first American meal, and the births of several siblings. The family endures many struggles as they try to assimilate to America such as, Wong's father participating in a gambling business to support the family during the Depression. This causes many stresses for the family, and I felt compassion for Wong because she was forced to balance school and work to help her family survive. After many years of struggling, Wong's family establishes a successful grocery store that turns a small profit.

I found the end of the book particularly fascinating because there are several pictures of Wong's family and a description detailing some of their accomplishments. This book and the author's notes provide a hopeful account of achieving the "American Dream." I would highly recommend this book as an introduction to autobiographies for grades three through six.

[Celia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting biography, that is a perfect fit for middle school students. The year is 1933, and the place is a rural community in China. Li Keng Gee's father is far away in Gold Mountain, and is sending for his family to come and live there with him. Gold Mountain is, of course, America. Li Keng is seven years old, and tells her story in a very simple way. The hardships and triumphs that she experiences as she becomes an American are quite fascinating.
This is the story of an immigrant family with determination, and we find out that Li Keng actually goes to college and becomes a teacher!

[Wsclai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up the book because of a HK-made documentary on the history of Chinese immigrants to the US. The author, Li Keng Wong, was among these immigrants detained on Angel Island and the book is her memoir.

As the book is intended for young readers, the language is simple and it is easy to read. It gives young people a glimpse of how life was like for Chinese immigrants at the turn of the last century.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. I thought that it was interesting because it was the story of an actual person who this had happened to. I read this book for a book club and it was really cool because we actually got to meet Li Keng Wong, the author, which was awesome! We got to ask her questions and she told us about the book!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to use with my Immigration Unit, especially as it is about Chinese immigrants and their entry to America through Angel Island; most of the selections in the unit feature immigrants arriving via Ellis Island. Also, a good book to use with social studies literary circles.

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's an interesting book that talks about Chinese immigrants and their entry to America through Angel Island in the 1920s and 1930s.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay it showed the journey of a family moving to America. I liked it because it was a true story, but it was not a very interesting one.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a good book for a child who was studying immigration to the U.S.

[Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner, finished in 2 sittings

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short memoir about Li Keng's journey to and life growing up in America during the Great Depression. Aimed at a younger audience.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good memoir with excellent cultural appeal. Photos are great.