Rise

Starred review from October 11, 2021
Cultural critic Yang, Angry Asian Man blogger Yu, and filmmaker Wang take readers on a riveting tour through pop cultural milestones of the 1990s to the 2010s, when the children of the wave of Asian immigrants who came to America after the passage of 1965’s Hart-Celler Act were confronted with “the job of trying to fill in the blank of what it meant to be Asian American.” In graphic essays and conversations with artists, the authors reflect on how, for decades, finding success as an Asian American “meant making sure you could appeal to white audiences... compromising who you were.” From the racially motivated murder of Vincent Chin in Detroit in 1982 to more recent reflections on the racial implications and random violence toward Asians perpetrated by those who falsely believe that Covid-19 is a “Chinese disease,” they illustrate the obstacles Asian Americans have come up against and brilliantly juxtapose them with stories of how those barriers have been thwarted (Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve fans will appreciate behind-the-scenes details of how Sandra Oh landed her roles on those shows). Interspersed throughout are amusing memes featuring K-pop sensation BTS and quirky depictions of Asian grocery stores and boba shops. This celebration of Asian American culture is as revelatory as it is entertaining.

Starred review from January 1, 2022

Starting in the 1990s, the first generation of Asian Americans born since the Hart-Celler Immigration Act of 1965 liberalized immigration policies have reshaped America, not just as activists, politicians, and executives but in the pop culture realm as singers, rappers, dance crews, and social media pioneers. Cultural critic Yang, who started one of the first Asian American national magazines, A. Magazine, covers the 1990s, while Angry Asian Man blogger Phil Yu and Wong Fu Productions cofounder Philip Wang handle the 2000s and 2010s, respectively. Interactive graphics, original graphic essays from notable Asian American artists, nine fold-out images, eight Asian American "spaces," and an Asian American U.S. atlas--all in full color. With a 40,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2021
A fun and informative book about the explosion of Asian American culture in recent decades. In the past 30 years, there has been a wave of successful Asian-background artists, writers, actors, bloggers, and entrepreneurs who were born in America or arrived here when young. Until 1965, write Yang, Yu, and Wang, there were limits on the number of (legal) immigrants from Asia; for years after that, most arrivals were fleeing poverty or persecution. They focused mainly on building lives for their families, but the next generation showed an energetic, outward-looking diversity. This book--a collection of essays, interviews, illustrations, and even some comic-book pages--reflects that broad range. There are maps showing where Asian communities have developed and timelines indicating the key steps in overcoming social barriers. There is no question that there has been painful discrimination in the past, and it still exists, but great progress has been made. The authors examine the concept of "yellowface," where White actors played Asians, mainly as caricatures, and several essays look at the roots of racism. In the 1990s and 2000s, Asian countries were beginning to export culture: anime, movies, fashion, and music. That did much to break down anti-Asian sentiment, and the internet provided another springboard for Asian Americans to dive into the cultural currents. There is a difficult duality in the position of coming from one culture and growing into another, although it provides a heightened sense of observation of both sides. The image of the divided self often finds expression in comedy, and the comments from Asian American stand-up comics are hilarious, made more so by the thread of poignancy in the mix. Finding the balance between the future and the past is a continuing journey, and, as for most travelers, the crucial question is what you choose to take with you and what you leave behind. A hip, entertaining book, as imaginative in its presentation and stories as the generation it portrays.

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November 1, 2021
Compiled by journalists Yang and Phil Yu and producer Philip Wang, with illustrations by Julia Kuo, Rise documents the history and major shifts in pop culture from the 1980s to the present as experienced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Guided by engaging essays, honest dialogue, and graphics, readers will absorb and understand the struggles and successes of AAPIs in the U.S., particularly in the entertainment industry. Additional, thoughtfully explored issues include yellowface in Hollywood; cultural appropriation; relations between Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; violence against South Asian Americans, particularly those of Muslim or Sikh faith after 9/11; and anti-Asian hate crime during COVID-19. Several invited contributors share their reflections on the roles of AAPIs impacting social media, food, and sports. An informative, smart, and refreshing book for readers of pop culture, American studies, ethnic studies, Asian Pacific American studies, and American cultural and social history, Rise offers invaluable firsthand accounts and experiences of AAPI writers, artists, and personalities on major milestones and achievements in pop culture.

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