Paper Son One Man's Story

First person account of the "untold story" of a Paper Son, one of the thousands of Chinese who illegally entered the US during the exclusion era using fake documents that claimed them to be the child of a US citizen. Chin speaks for many of the illegals who entered this country during the exclusion era, but whose lives have--until now--only been documented in fragments. Chin eloquently describes the anxieties of being a Paper Son which combines "constructing" a fictional family, separation from his "home" (the pressure of being away from his wife & family who remained in China prompted a divorce) & coping with life in a new culture with heartfelt details. Claiming to be single, even though he was married, was a shortcut for having to memorize fewer details. Chin worked in a laundry, wrote poetry about his life, (his recent poems are included) & joined community organizations. However, his writing about the hardships of being an immigrant got the attention of the FBI who were cracking down on illegal emigres & a whole new set of anxieties surfaced as "Communist" Chinese posed a threat. His vigorous narrative speaks to the efforts to bridge cultures & find a place in the world. In the Asian American History & Culture series.Chin, Tung Pok is the author of 'Paper Son One Man's Story' with ISBN 9781566398008 and ISBN 1566398002.