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In this dramatic memoir of early-twentieth century immigration, the author shares her family's difficult but ultimately triumphant journey from their small village in rural China, through detention and interrogation at Angel Island, to a new life in Oakland's Chinatown. THE YEAR IS 1933, and seven-year-old Li Keng's life is about to change forever. Her father has decided to bring his family from a... More

In this dramatic memoir of early-twentieth century immigration, the author shares her family's difficult but ultimately triumphant journey from their small village in rural China, through detention and interrogation at Angel Island, to a new life in Oakland's Chinatown. THE YEAR IS 1933, and seven-year-old Li Keng's life is about to change forever. Her father has decided to bring his family from a small village in southern China to "Gold Mountain," the United States. California. Now Li Keng, Mama, and her two sisters will embark on a remarkable journey that will take them halfway around the world. Getting to America is not easy. The family travels by foot, by train, and by boat. Even more difficult is getting past America's strict anti-Chinese immigration laws. To do so, the family must keep secrets and offer well-rehearsed lies to American officials. The Gees are detained for processing along with other Asian immigrants at Angel Island, in San Francisco Bay. The conditions are harsh and uncertainty and fear hang in the air. Any misstep could mean deportation. Life in America during the Great Depression brings many exciting surprises as well as a few disappointments. Li Keng loves the American school she attends each day and she makes friends with other children in her neighborhood. Hunger, poverty, police raids, frequent moves, and the occasional sting of racism are a part of everyday life, but slowly Li Keng and her family find stability and a true home in "Gold Mountain." An author's note contains photos and an update on her family. The book contains information on Angel Island and its significance in history as well as an explanation of the Chinese Exclusion Act

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