|
|
(Larger Image)
|
A Larger Memory: A History of our Diversity, With Voices
by Ronald Takaki
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Back Bay Books (1998-09-23)
ISBN: 0316311626
EAN: 9780316311625
Dewy Decimal #: 305.800973
Paperback: 384 pages
SKU: 08080161
Condition: Like New As issued n
Comments: Paperback. Like new condition with remainder mark on bottom edge. creases to spine or cover. Very slight wear to cover. Near fine copy.
|
Editorial Reviews
|
Product Description
A Larger Memory emerges from eighteenth-century archives and yesterday's headlines -- a sweeping yet intimate history of the diverse individuals who, together, make up America. Ronald Takaki uses letters, diaries, and oral histories to share their stories. Workers, immigrants, shopkeepers, women, children, and others, their lives often separated by ethnic borders, "speak" side by side as Takaki frames their voices with his own text. Among them, the young slave Frederick Douglass learns to read; a fifteen-year-old Irish-American girl speaks at a labor rally; a Native American performs as an "Indian" in a Wild West show; a Japanese American fights heroically in World War II; an illegal Mexican immigrant renounces her artistic dreams to provide a future for her son; affirmative action helps a black youth obtain a university education and escape from the inner city. Takaki skillfully weaves these voices and others to create a dynamic conversation about the diverse nature of the American experience.
|
Customer Reviews
|
Just a response to another review.
Rating  (5)
Date: 2004-07-31
4 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
One of the reviews below claimed that there was a theme of "white man is evil" in the book, and I really have to disagree with that. Although it's easy for alternative histories to often fall into that theme, Takaki does well to seperate himself from that pitfall. Rather than replacing WASP history with equally exclusive anti-WASP history, his goal is to incorporate and acknowledge EVERYONE involved in the history of America. I personally think that his explanations of what "a larger memory" truly means are excellent. In addition to all of that, hearing history through the actual voices of people involved was a great idea that I'm sorry to say I haven't ever run into before (although I admit my exposure is somewhat limited).
Overall, I'd recommend this book simply for its vision, if nothing else.
|
|
Why I give this book a 4?
Rating  (4)
Date: 2001-06-06
8 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
Ronald Takaki focuses on his book about Asian-American history through Asian and non-Asian perspectives. It is often controversial because readers would think that this is reverse racism towards White-Americans but NO! One must remember Asian have been in the U.S. for 150 years and out of these 150 year, around 120 years the government has institutionalized racism towards the Asians so 4/5 of Asian-American history is about racism. Even the past 30 years after the civil rights movements there is still resentment towards Asian-Americans. So if one was to write about Asian-American history, racism could not be obliterated unless you would like to omit 80+% of the history to appeal to the everyone. The fact is racism is ugly but we must confront it and solve the problem. This is a message to all American and all earthlings no matter your background. The reason for this is that well a majority of the population may mistreat the minority of that particular population but a individual from the majority would become a minority when he/she travels elsewhere. Anyone may be mistreated and it is still happening today everywhere. I believe though this book still has space for some minor improvement and I'm certain Mr. Takaki and his staff, pioneers in this area, is working on it. Mr. Takaki's books are actually suggested as reading material in many Universities which I find convincing enough as a book to pickup from the book store or from amazon and read on your spare time if you have a open-mind and want to know more about Asian-American history. Takaki's main focus is Asian-American history but his materials include history of many minority groups such as Irish, African-American, Jews, etc. I look forward to new material from Takaki.
|
|
GREAT!
Rating (5)
Date: 2000-12-05
8 out of 9 customers found this reveiw helpful
This is an excellent book. Seeing the American experience through the eyes of different cultures was a very eye opening experience. This is an excellent cultural education. The prejudice experienced by new immigrants and those of us who will always "look" different--non-white, can be experienced by everyone to take the narrow out of our mindedness.
|
|
Terrible
Rating  (1)
Date: 2000-10-15
1 out of 39 customers found this reveiw helpful
Just awful-so boring. All of the stories seem to blend together. "White man is evil" is the common theme.
|
|
Excellent
Rating (5)
Date: 2000-05-19
3 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
Excellent how Mr. Takaki shows the struggles of different races in America using their own words
|
|
|
|
|