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blearywitch's review against another edition
2.0
If I said Shanghai Girls were a little too obviously made up, this one is the opposite extreme - incredibly factual it's almost difficult to enjoy at times. All those families, names, years, shops, locations, numbers, and of course drama makes for a great story. There were incredibly interesting parts and then some not so much. I admired Fong See - his risk taking, generosity, ambition, intelligence, love and perseverance allowed him status in an America at a time where there was incredible intolerance for non-white races and miscegenation laws were in place. Chinese people are still as hardworking as ever.
bryng's review against another edition
5.0
I found this book through a historian who mentioned it in passing while talking about the Chinese exclusion act. I thought, "Oh a history book, this will be a bit of a slog"...and then couldn't put it down. It is an extremely well-written book about the characters of her family and the places and times they lived through. It mostly follows the life and times of her Great Grandfather who came over from China to work and send money home. it follows his struggles to build a business in a country that didn't want any Chinese people here and set up roadblocks so they couldn't live or work here, but no one tells Fong See what he can and can't do and works all the loopholes he can find. If you love books with a lot of character development and descriptions of place, then this is the book for you. (also a fascinating historical record)
caresays's review against another edition
4.0
Intensely interesting. I'm fascinated by her family history and how it's so radically different from mine. Told lyrically. I'm not always a fan of hers, but this book is worth a read.
spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition
3.0
Liked it — I really like Lisa See's writing, so even though I'm not the biggest fan of memoirs I enjoyed this
despicablecow's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.25
lisa really makes you feel like you're a part of the family and idk i was kinda sad when the book ended and all the older generations died
carrolk3's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting history of the Chinese immigration over the past 150 years or so from the experiences of Lisa See's family. Her great-great grandfather (I believe that is the correct relationship) arrived from China during the railroad building in CA and the family established itself in the years to come, first in the Sacramento area and them really putting down roots in Los Angeles. The story seem a bit long toward the end but that's how family stories often end up being told. Also there can be some confusion about names as the Chinese characters often used more than one name for a variety of reasons. I did find it an interesting read maybe partially because of my roots in CA - my own great-grandparents and grandmother lived in the Pasadena area during much of this time. Wish my grandmother was around to see what she knew about early Chinatown. :-)
alisonburnis's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
At her great-aunt’s eightieth birthday, See is told she should write their family story: people are only getting older, and the stories are slipping away. So See ends up embarking on a quest to tell the story of the Fongs and Sees (See becoming a last name through an immigration mistake), starting with her great-great grandfather, but ultimately focusing her energies on her great grandfather, Fong See, who went to the United States at 14, and put into motion much of the circumstances of their lives. He married a white woman, Letticie Pruett, and from then on, the Sees are a bit different, hard to categorize in a country which isn’t ready for Eurasian children.
Fong See and Letticie create a business empire which lasts past their late divorce and both of their lives, and is intimately connected to all of the generations of the family. Sometime a little draggy, On Gold Mountain is sweeping tale of racism, opportunity, and managing to find success. See carefully weaves the historical context into her family’s story and makes it rich, complex history.
Fong See and Letticie create a business empire which lasts past their late divorce and both of their lives, and is intimately connected to all of the generations of the family. Sometime a little draggy, On Gold Mountain is sweeping tale of racism, opportunity, and managing to find success. See carefully weaves the historical context into her family’s story and makes it rich, complex history.