next »

[t_r_b]

I'll be prepping a new first-year seminar in the spring and am looking for a novel to include in the syllabus. Any suggestions would be welcome. Ideally, I'd like a book set somewhere between the mid-1900s and early 2000s that provocatively addresses the experiences of Latinos and/or Asian Americans (broadly defined) and themes of immigration and/or living on/around a national border and/or more figurative kinds of boundary-crossing. A traditional college-aged protagonist would be nice. I'm thinking 150-300 pages, though that's negotiable. And it needs to grab and hold the attention of eighteen-year-olds.

Any ideas?

[peppergal]

Can't help with anything featuring Latinos, but Chang-Rae Lee's Native Speaker fits the bill for the most part.  The protagonist is post-college, but reflects on his childhood and college experiences.

[paddington_bear]

I like Bone, by Fae Myenne Ng, although the protagonist is a bit older than college aged.  From Amazon: "In sharp contrast to the overdramatized lives of Chinese Americans in Amy Tan's work, Ng's simply written first novel is totally without sensationalism. Yet because her characters are depicted so realistically, the reader cannot but be moved by the hopes, grief, and quarrels of two generations of Chinese Americans in San Francisco's Chinatown. Mah, who has worked hard all her life in garment sweatshops, finally is able to own her baby-clothing store. Her husband, Leon, who used to be a merchant seaman, worked two shifts in ships' laundry rooms to provide for his family. Nevertheless, the family is torn apart after Ona, the middle daughter, jumps from the tallest building in Chinatown. The bones of contention and bones of inheritance come together in great turmoil as Nina, the youngest daughter, leaves Chinatown for New York City and then Leila, the oldest, marries and moves out to the suburbs. Leon, the paper son to old Leung, fails to keep his promise to take Leung's bones back to China. Thus, a family's tragedy is cast in greater historical context, and the reader is rewarded with a rich reading experience."

No-No Boy, by John Okada, is about a college-aged Japanese-American protagonist. Set after World War II, it's about a Japanese American  who had refused to fight in WWII, returns to Seattle after being in jail for his refusal, and trying to find his next path: college, a job, etc.

Or what about How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent, by Julia Alvarez?  From Amazon: "This sensitive story of four sisters who must adjust to life in America after having to flee from the Dominican Republic is told through a series of episodes beginning in adulthood, when their lives have been shaped by U. S. mores, and moving backwards to their wealthy childhood on the island. Adapting to American life is difficult and causes embarrassment when friends meet their parents, anger as they are bullied and called "spics," and identity confusion following summer trips to the family compound in the Dominican Republic. These interconnected vignettes of family life, resilience, and love are skillfully intertwined and offer young adults a perspective on immigration and families as well as a look at America through Hispanic eyes. This unique coming-of-age tale is a feast of stories that will enchant and captivate readers."

[prof_smartypants]

I haven't read this, but it looks like it might fit the bill: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Translation-Jean-Kwok/dp/1594487561/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_img_in

Another really good possibility on the Cuban-American experience: http://www.amazon.com/House-Mango-Street-Sandra-Cisneros/dp/067943335X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283537021&sr=1-2

Here's another: http://www.amazon.com/Garcia-Girls-Lost-Their-Accents/dp/156512975X/ref=pd_sim_b_2

Japanese-Americans during WWII: http://www.amazon.com/How-American-Housewife-Margaret-Dilloway/dp/0399156372/ref=pd_sim_b_9

Another possibility (although neither Latino or Asian): http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Street-Laurie-Fabiano/dp/1935597027/ref=pd_sim_b_4

Not quite in your time frame, but this might be good: http://www.isabelallende.com/island_frame.htm

And again, not a novel, but I'm considering using this for a class on the American Dream I'm planning:
http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Americans-Centuries-Immigrant-Writing/dp/1598530518/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283536553&sr=1-1

Good luck!

[bibliothecula]

I would say Sandra Cisneros's Caramelo, because it's got everything you're looking for, except it's set earlier in the 20th C. Her The House on Mango Street might work, though.

I disliked The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, but your students might enjoy it.

[elsie]

I actually do suggest The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I liked it quite a bit, and it hits your criteria well.

[hipgeek]

Gish Jen, Mona in the Promised Land.  Set a bit earlier, but a great read.

[bibliothecula]

Gish Jen, Mona in the Promised Land.  Set a bit earlier, but a great read.

Chime. This is a good one, too.

[systeme_d_]

Another vote for Oscar Wao, and a suggestion of Memory Mambo by Achy Obejas.  

Obejas also has a very good collection of short stories called We came all the way from Cuba so you could dress like this?

[tuxedo_cat]

Here are my votes (and remind me TRB, you are in a social science field?).  FWIW, I've taught minority lit quite a bit, and I am very opinionated about what I like:

Sandra Cisneros:  I think her work is marvelous (she's not Cuban, she's Chicana) -- she would be my first pick.  House on Mango Street is short, but very accessible to 18-year-olds (written from the perspective of a young girl -- the work Cisneros wrote when she was at the Iowa Writers Workshop and feeling totally out-of-place).  I'm a big fan of Woman Hollering Creek, also a collection of short stories (which is good because you don't necessarily have to make them read the whole thing) but with more adult themes.  The title story is a terrific one for teaching about border issues -- partly about the legend of la Llorona.  Caramelo is too long, I think (464 pp) for first-year students, even for English majors!

John Okada:  I've taught No No Boy a lot.  Not a big fan, not easy to teach, and focused much more on WWII and Japanese internment rather than immigration stuff (some with the crazy mom)

Junot Diaz:  I taught some selections from Drown, which went over ok; you would need to provide some of the historical background about the D.R.  If you assign the whole book, be aware that there is some pretty graphic sexual content (I'm always a little wary of assigning that sort of stuff to first-year students -- yes, most of them can handle it, but the ones who are more sheltered, it's a shock.  It interferes with their experience of the work).  I think Oscar Wao (350 pp) is probably too long, maybe a bit too much for first-years.

Julia Alvarez:  Also from the D.R.  I did not care for The Garcia Girls at all -- I just don't think she's a very good writer.  But my students liked the book a lot.

Chang-Rae Lee:  Have not read his stuff, but heard him interviewed and read from The Surrendered, which was breathtaking.  First few pages of Native Speaker look very accessible, but again, long.  Great interview with Tom Ashbrook here:

http://www.onpointradio.org/2010/03/novelist-chang-rae-lee

Jhumpa Lahiri: (this is if we are taking the very broad view of "Asian" as a label) people on these boards have raved about her.  I thought she was just kind of "meh."  I taught The Namesake last spring, which students enjoyed a great deal.  Very accessible, plus they got to watch a film starring that guy from "House."

[tinyzombie]

Bookmarking!

[t_r_b]

Wow, thank you all for the wonderful suggestions. I read Garcia Girls back in college and wasn't crazy about it. I also read Memory Mambo and LOVED it, and am considering it for this, but I'm not sure how well it will work with first-year students (it packs quite a punch, and the riffs on memory may be a bit much for them). I haven't read Obejas's more recent Days of Awe: how does it compare? If I don't use a novel of hers, I may plug one of the short stories in somewhere.

I am in history, but this is (at least officially) a non-disciplinary FYS.

A friend warned that Oscar Wao, though wonderful, might be too long and/or complicated and/or bilingual for this purpose (and I see that tux_cat agrees). I take it some of you disagree?

A bit more background: the course will be organized around the theme of "boundaries" - making them and crossing them - and the earlier units will explore that topic in various ways in pre-1900 American history. As I'm currently conceiving it, the novel will be the core of a final unit that addresses the politics and legalities of border enforcement and migration over the last century or so. That said, we'll also be talking about metaphorical boundaries - social, cultural, spiritual, etc. - and how they have been reshaped in conjunction with the rise of geopolitical boundaries. The underlying question throughout is how people have divided themselves from one another, and why they almost invariably transgress the divisions they've created. I want to include the novel (and some short fiction, and some films) mainly to give the students a sense of the different modes in which people try to make sense of all this, and some exposure to the college-level study of a variety of genres.

Got to run....

[anthroid]

Amy Tan is pretty accessible (Joy Luck Club, etc.), and you could always consider Maxine Hong Winston's work, which is more memoir than novel but very good nonetheless.  Both discuss Asian-American experiences.

[betty_p]

A bit more background: the course will be organized around the theme of "boundaries" - making them and crossing them - and the earlier units will explore that topic in various ways in pre-1900 American history. As I'm currently conceiving it, the novel will be the core of a final unit that addresses the politics and legalities of border enforcement and migration over the last century or so. That said, we'll also be talking about metaphorical boundaries - social, cultural, spiritual, etc. - and how they have been reshaped in conjunction with the rise of geopolitical boundaries. The underlying question throughout is how people have divided themselves from one another, and why they almost invariably transgress the divisions they've created. I want to include the novel (and some short fiction, and some films) mainly to give the students a sense of the different modes in which people try to make sense of all this, and some exposure to the college-level study of a variety of genres.

Okay, then how about:

TC Boyle's The Tortilla Curtain
Joy Kogawa's Obasan

[systeme_d_]

TRB, first-years at my place could definitely do Oscar Wao.  No trouble at all.  Since you know where I teach, that bit of info might help with your decision.

I've not read Days of Awe, but I just read about it on Obejas' website, and it sounds great.