DONALD DUK by Frank Chin, 1991

FIC

CHI

For obvious reasons Donald Duk hates his name, given him to honor an uncle who acts in Cantonese opera. In fact, he hates everything Chinese. It is not easy for Donald to ignore his heritage when he lives in San Francisco's Chinatown with parents who own a Chinese restaurant. During his twelfth Chinese New Year, Donald discovers reasons for pride in his Chinese forebears, in a series of detailed and historically accurate dreams.

In these dreams Donald joins the Chinese immigrants who built the Union Pacific railroad, setting a record for laying ten miles of track in ten hours. Author Chin is at his best in these historical scenes, but his descriptions throughout the book bring many other scenes to life also. Donald's father, despite the name with which he has saddled his son, is a marvelous character with a surprising sense of humor and insight.

THE DIM SUM OF ALL THINGS by Kim Wong Keltner, 2004

FIC

KELTNER

Lindsey Owyang lives precariously between the world of her Chinese grandmother and the world of a young modern San Franciscan. She endures disastrous dates with grandsons of her grandmother's friends while looking for the perfect boyfriend. She is often drawn to "white" men, but feels guilty about it. Her family feels she is wasting her education working at the Vegan Warrior magazine, but Lindsey is clever and resourceful, often using outlandish tactics to keep the office on target. When her grandmother's health requires live-in assistance, Lindsey is recruited. She loves her grandmother but is sometimes embarrassed by her adherence to Chinese customs. A trip to China awakens in Lindsey an appreciation for her heritage. This novel of being Eastern in a Western world is both endearing and hilarious.