Product Description

Meet the Wongs, Shengs, and Tsuis. Each of these families has its own troubles and secrets. But the three clans-whose members include a matriarch who talks to dead relatives, her nymphomaniac granddaughter, and a street punk-share a past and face a common future. Hailed by critics, Troublemaker "refracts classic old-vs.-new-world tensions through the prism of second-generation Chinese-American Gen-Xers." (Time)

"A truly auspicious fiction debut." (Vanity Fair)

"Honest, complex...deeply satisfying." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Literary debuts don't come much nervier. [It] explores the generational, cultural and sexual divides with humor and compassion." (The Washington Post Book World)

"Impressive...Chiu weaves gracefully among her characters' several stories. Wonderfully involving and intelligent." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

"[Christina Chiu is] a find." (Detroit Free Press)

"Recommended for all collections." (Library Journal) "I loved every page." (Alice Elliott Dark, author of In the Gloaming)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1616905 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-02
• Released on: 2002-04-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Tragedy and epiphany strike with equal force in this collection of 11 related short stories featuring the Chinese-American members of an extended network of family, friends, lovers and neighbors combating their private and public shames and struggling to find a place to call home. In "Troublemaker," Eric Tsui, a teenager growing up in a squalid corner of New York's Chinatown, suffers physical abuse at the hands of his brother and rediscovers both his national identity and his humanity when he's forced to reconcile with an elderly neighbor he injured in a prank. Eric's abusive brother, Jonathan, resurfaces in two other stories: "Trader," in which his engagement falls apart when his fianc‚e is overwhelmed by his uncontrollable anger and feelings of inferiority at being Asian, and "Gentleman," in which he participates in a dramatic one-night stand in Hong Kong on the night of the handover. After years of racial slurs, his Hong Kong lover, Amy, an "Asian beauty," turns the Asian sexual fetish on its head, trying to regain her sense of self-worth through encounters with men she meets through the personals; in "Beauty," she brings white men to their knees, but her thoughts drift to the only Chinese lover she's had, Jonathan. The list of issues confronted in the stories is grim domestic violence, suicide, crime, sexual abuse, anorexia, racism and yet Chiu somehow manages to avoid cynicism or despair. Torn between the Asian inclination to save face and the American penchant for sharing troubles and emotions, her characters are tenderly and skillfully drawn, and, as the title suggests, most ultimately find redemption. In sharp, witty, heartbreaking prose, Chui communicates the Asian-American experience as adeptly and freshly as Sherman Alexie describes the Native American experience, or Junot D¡az defines Latino life in the U.S. (Mar. 5)Forecast: Advance praise is already pouring in for this impressive collection it is an alternate selection for BOMC and QPB, and a nominee for a BOMC First Fiction Award, and likely will be one of the most talked-about literary debuts of the year.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This debut offers a rich but wholly edible slice of diverse contemporary Chinese American life. Chiu's 11 stories are so tightly woven together that they read like a novel. Shifting from New York City to Hong Kong, the stories occur mostly around the time the British were returning the latter to China and expertly chronicle the daily struggles of their characters. The "troublemakers and saints" who appear prominently in one story often reappear as secondary but supporting characters in another's poignant narrative. Thus, in "Troublemaker," skateboarding aficionado Eric must do penance for seriously wounding an elderly neighbor by daily tending to the old man's needs. Eric materializes again in "Trader," his brother Johnnie's testimonial about how not to negotiate lasting love and affection. After tasting this creative morsel, readers will be hungry for Chiu's first novel or second work of collected stories. Recommended for all collections.DFaye A. Chadwell, Univ. of Oregon Libs., Eugene
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Eleven stories encircle each other, each linked by major and minor characters--and a goldfish named Yu, the Chinese word for fish. Very contemporary concerns--family rivalries, anorexia, interracial relationships, and bisexuality--intersect with deeply traditional Chinese family ties and expectations. In "Nobody," the opening story, Laurel, longing for her dead grandmother, is tormented by her parents, her classmates, and the girl next door, whose own sorrows come full circle in "Copycat." A young punk catalyst in "Troublemaker" turns into the desperate robber of "Thief." Laurel spirals into anorexia and is treated by a young Chinese doctor who has a history of bulimia herself in "Doctor." The language throughout is dark and vivid and spares no one; even Yu comes to a sorry end. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Amazing Book
I am very impressed with the way the author presented many different points of view in a realistic and unforced manner. I'm not quite sure why there are so many comparisons to Joy Luck Club- this book has nothing in common with Joy Luck Club except its main characters happen to be Asian. For the reviewer who thought this book did not represent "true" Chinese- American life, my question to you is- what IS a "true" Chinese-American experience? There is no such thing. Sex, drugs, violence- all of these are present in the patchwork of society and if you think that Chinese-Americans are exempt from such, I strongly suggest you open your eyes (or move out of suburbia). The characters in this book are provocative, and multi-dimensional. A very interesting read indeed.

re: Excellent and moving!
Christina's stories of the Asian culture is exact and emotional. When I first took a look at it, I thought it was going to be another "Joy luck Club", as many of the Asian-American writer's novels turn out to be. Thankfully, this is a breath of fresh air.

If you're looking to become a little more intuned with our culture--this is the book to help you get started. Quite an intelligent a read, and has its moments of sad humor as well.

Well written. And I can't wait for her new novel to come out!

Pleasantly Surprised!
Nowadays there are so many Asian/Asian-American writers and they all seem rather similiar in terms of themes. The stories in this book are different, touching on issues of suicide, eating disorders, mental illness, and sexuality. I love the way the stories all tied in together. I'm happy to read an Asian American book that does not beat down the issue of mother-daughter relationships, or adjusting to American life. This is a great alternative for those of you who are sick of the Amy Tan type books. I can't wait for more!