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Growing Up in San Francisco's Chinatown: Boomer Memories from Noodle Rolls to Apple Pie

Growing Up in San Francisco's Chinatown: Boomer Memories from Noodle Rolls to Apple Pie

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Chinese American baby boomers who grew up within the twenty-nine square blocks of San Francisco's Chinatown lived in two worlds. Elders implored the younger generation to retain ties with old China even as the youth felt the pull of a future sheathed in red, white and blue. The family-owned shops, favorite siu-yeh (snack) joints and the gai-chongs where mothers labored as low-wage seamstresses contrasted with the allure of Disney, new cars and football. It was a childhood immersed in two vibrant cultures and languages, shaped by both. Author Edmund S. Wong brings to life Chinatown's heart and soul from its golden age.

ISBN-13: 9781467139359

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing SC

Publication Date: 02-05-2018

Pages: 192

Product Dimensions: 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

Ed was born at San Francisco's Chinese hospital in 1948 and is a graduate of that city's Galileo High School. He used graduate degrees in Spanish and international relations to enjoy a long career in foreign language education. Since retiring in 2013, Ed has been busy with his writing. The Sea Takes No Prisoners: The Men and Ships of the Royal Navy in the Second World War is set to release in 2018. Ed has traveled the world in the company of his wife of forty years, Elizabeth. They live in Louisville, Kentucky.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Author's Notes 11

Introduction 15

1 Dual Cultures and Identity. "I Was Totally Contused" 19

2 Showtime and Movie Nights: "Someone Got the Brilliant Idea to Set Off Some Firecrackers in the Balcony" 48

3 The Loneliness of Being Gay: "I Could Have Been a Dutiful Chinese Son and Faked It" 61

4 Expectations and Discipline: To Be Beaten Is a Sign of Affection, to Be Scolded Is a Sign of Love 73

5 Working in the Family Store: "I Always Kept Weapons Close By" 85

6 Home Cooking, Restaurants and Takeout: Great Memories of Yummy Food and Love 104

7 Frances and Cheryl: Discovering Chinatown through Marriage 133

8 Chinese New Year: "Gung Hay Fat Choy!" 154

9 On Growing Up as a Second-Generation ABC: "I Enjoyed Being Different and Unique" 168

Notes 179

Bibliography 187

Index 189

About the Author 191