Bibliograph

Beautiful country, a memoir, Qian Julie Wang

Type

Label

Beautiful country, a memoir, Qian Julie Wang

Language

eng

resource.biographical

autobiography

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Beautiful country

Medium

large print

Oclc number

1267996222

Responsibility statement

Qian Julie Wang

Sub title

a memoir

Summary

In Chinese the word for the United States, Mei Guo, translates directly to "beautiful country." When seven-year-old Qian is plucked from her warm and happy childhood surrounded by extended family in China, she finds a world of crushing fear and poverty instead. For five years she lived undocumented after immigrating with her parents to New York City. Shocked at where her family fits in comparison to their status as educated elites in China, she works shifts alongside her mother in Chinatown sweatshops. Unable to speak English, isolated and disregarded, Qian put into special education classes and humiliated by teachers and classmates when she struggles to pay attention because of hunger or exhaustion. Her memoir illuminates the cruelty and indignity of America's immigration system, and the cost of making a home in a hostile land. -- adapted from publisher info

Table Of Contents

How it began -- Home -- Ascent -- Dances and shadows -- Type B -- The beautiful country -- Silk -- Native speaker -- Dumplings -- Sushi -- Lights -- Chatham Square -- Hair -- Shopping day -- McDonald's -- Sleepover -- Trapdoors -- Solid ground -- Auntie love -- Normalcy -- Marilyn -- Graffiti -- Julie -- Hospital -- Mothers -- Surgery -- Gifted -- Graduation -- Tamagotchi -- Community -- Gone -- Home -- How it begins

Target audience

adult

Classification