Learning From My Mother's Voice: Family Legend And The Chinese American Experience (Multicultural Foundations of Psychology and Counseling)

This fascinating book takes a new and different look at the immigrant experience of Asian Americans and shows how themes of separation, loss, guilt, and bicultural identity are pervasive in the lives of immigrant families. In Part I, the author introduces the reader to a wealth of old and new myths, symbols, and legends that have shaped the lives of these families for generations. She then shows how these powerful stories and images have worked to both sustain and oppress Chinese Americans as they've struggled to build new lives here. In Part II, the author captures the immigrant experience of many Chinese American families through the voice of her mother, Fung Gor Lee, who arrived in America in 1939 from Hong Kong. Grounded in the trials and tests of forbearance faced by many Asian immigrants in their journey to the west-from the Gold Rush in California during the 1850s, to the Japanese invasion of China, through World War II, communism and McCarthyism, and finally the civil rights and the women's movements of the 1960s-this moving account will resonate with all Americans who have immigrant roots. A compelling saga of mothers and daughters, survival and striving, women, family, and culture that will resonate with all Americans who have immigrant roots. This fascinating book takes a new and different look at the immigrant experience of Asian Americans. Through the voice of her Chinese mother, the author examines perennial themes of separation, loss, guilt, and bicultural identity in the lives of immigrant families. Grounded in a historical context that spans events of more than a century, World War II, McCarthyism, Civil Rights, the Women's movement, this Uses oral history to show how families rely upon myth and legend as they adjust to a new culture. Illustrates how strong cultural and intergenerational bonds can both support and oppress Chinese American families; Uses Asian mythology and symbols to understand the psyche of Chinese Americans and their immigration experience, illustrating the contrasting world views of Asian and Western culture. Provides strategies for coping with the immigration experience for use by counselors and other professionals. Pt. I. Family Saga And Cultural Legend. 1. Mythology And Storytelling: Of Women, Family, And Culture -- 2. Contemporary Storytelling And Immigration Legend -- 3. Cultural Symbols: Universal Bonds -- Pt. Ii. Biculturalism: Contrasts Between Cultures. 4. Of Survival And Striving: An Intergenerational Saga -- 5. Day By Day: Of Women And Culture -- 6. Traveling To The Future: Connecting With The Past -- Pt. Iii. Transformation And Enlightenment. 7. Of Bonds And Bondage -- 8. Of Intergenerational Bonds: Lessons -- 9. The Future. Jean Lau Chin ; Foreword By Jessica Henderson Daniel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 161-162) And Index. A compelling saga of mothers and daughters, survival and striving, women, family, and culture that will resonate with all Americans who have immigrant roots. -- from back cover