Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2016 - (Page 36)

off the shelf The Chinese in America by Iris Chang Review by Zelin Liu In the early 1980s, an American junior high student of Chinese descent, who was born in the United States and who had lived in America all her life, was asked by a Caucasian classmate a simple question: "If America and China went to war, which side would you be on? Would you leave and fight for China? Or try to support China from the U.S.?" Though she finally mumbled out an ambiguous answer about how she would try to make peace between the two nations, Iris Chang, the Chinese American student being asked, was deeply affected by these questions, which assumed that Chinese Americans were automatically more loyal to China than to the United States and somehow less American than others. These unfounded assumptions, which left a lasting mark on Chang's mind, flowered into her narrative history, The Chinese in America. Chang's book covers the three major "waves" of migration from China to the United States, a history spanning more than 150 years. The first wave started with the gold rush of 1849 and ended with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The migrants, who came largely from poverty-stricken and war-torn Southern China, arrived with little money and few possessions and slowly carved out niches for themselves in a hostile and wild environment as they worked menial, labor-intensive jobs. The second wave arrived after the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, as thousands of well-educated and well-connected families poured into the United States as refugees, settling as university professors and other intellectuals. The third wave of immigrants, which began after the thawing of Sino-American relations in the 1980s, saw large numbers of people from all backgrounds leave mainland China, hoping to better their own lives economically. By recounting the tragedies and triumphs of one people in the United States, Iris Chang explores the question of American identity itself. What truly defines an American? Why are Chinese Americans, and almost all Americans of Asian descent, still seen as not fully American and not fully loyal? Is an American identity really dependent on race? By posing these ques- 36 imagine tions in her book, Chang draws attention to the ambiguous identity assigned to all minorities, challenges stereotypes, and makes a strong argument for universal equality. The Chinese in America combines the academic rigor of a history paper with the clarity and readability of a novel. While Chinese Americans would certainly find this history fascinating, Chang's book is not only for those of Asian descent. On the contrary, this is a book that touches on the lives of all immigrants to the United States; the story it describes is one that all minority groups have experienced in one form or another. It helps us revisit history at a time when the United States is once again torn over the question of immigration. n A sophomore at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, MD, Zelin Liu competes in public forum debate, forensics, and math. He has taken several writing courses with CTY in the past. In his free time, Zelin enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and studying calligraphy. Also recommended A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro This novel appears to tell a simple story of a woman reflecting upon her life in post-WWII Japan. However, Ishiguro's subtle use of switching pronouns and vague descriptions makes readers question everything: Is the woman in England the same narrator as in Japan? What do the memories of swinging children have to do with the child murders in Nagasaki? With no conclusion, Ishiguro's novel is fascinating and intricate, and remains with the reader long after the last page. -Lilith Frakes, 16, PA Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia Teenage music prodigies gather for a music conference and get snowed in at what turns out to be a haunted hotel in the Catskills where one of the musicians goes missing. All of the quirky characters seem to have some hidden secret, adding to the mystery. Musicians will especially like this novel, but all readers can enjoy the intricate and surprising plot. -Jaime Dahm, 15, CT Jan/Feb 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2016

Big Picture
In My Own Words CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.
My Summer of Medicine Three ways of exploring healthcare
Teens Target: Public Health How high school students are solving real-world public health problems
Slowing the Race Addressing antibiotic resistance
For the Greater Good Majoring in public health
Epic Epidemics Studying History of Disease at CTY
Teen Health is Public Health Interview with Beth Marshall, Associate Director, Center for Adolescent Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Building Bridges Addressing health disparities through service
Becoming a Disease Detective Behind the scenes at the CDC
Finding Light in the Darkness Astrophysics at UCSC SIP
Girls Who Code Paving the way to careers in tech
Selected Opportunities and Resources
Off the Shelf Review of Iris Chang’s The Chinese in America
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options Interview with epidemiologist Christine Scott-Waldron, M.S.P.H.
One Step Ahead Summer in limbo
Planning Ahead for College Is medical school in your future?
Students Review: Tufts University
Creative Minds Imagine Essay contest winners
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2016