Asian-American Studies: A Research Guide: Biography

"Oral Histories of First- to Fourth- Generation Americans from China, Japan, India, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos." Interviews with students, musicians, lawyers, engineers, politicians, stay-at-home moms, activists and others, that touch on every aspect of life.

In Straight A's, Asian American students at Harvard reflect on their common experiences with discrimination, immigrant communities, their relationships to their Asian heritage, and their place in the university. They also explore the difficulties of living up to family expectations and the real-world effects of the "model minority" stereotype.

(Online also; click on title) This refreshing and timely collection of coming-of-age essays, edited and written by young Asian Americans, powerfully captures the joys and struggles of their evolving identities as one of the fastest-growing groups in the nation and poignantly depicts the many oft-conflicting ties they feel to both American and Asian cultures.

This reference presents narrative biographical entries on 250 prominent Asian Americans, past and present. Each essay covers personal, career and educational information as well as a discussion of significant achievements. It includes people from many different professions, including the arts and literature.

[The people] profiled in this work represent more than 75 fields of endeavor. From historical figures to figure skater Michelle Kwan, this work features both prominent and less familiar individuals who have made significant contributions in their fields. A number of the contemporary subjects have given exclusive interviews for this work. All biographies have been written by experts in their ethnic fields. Those profiled range widely from distinguished scientists and Nobel Prize winners to sports stars, from actors to activists, from politicians to business leaders, from artists to literary luminaries.

[This book] is the first-ever compilation of biographies of Asian American elected officials, major political appointees, judges, and activists. It provides information on the life histories and political accomplishments of 96 Asian Americans, who have participated in political, judicial, and civil rights arenas of this nation from 1950 to [2002]. Most of the distinguished Americans profiled in this important resource were trailblazers, being the first Asian American or the first of a particular Asian ethnic community...to be elected or appointed to a leadership position. Included are biographies on each Asian American who has served or is serving as a state governor; other statewide elected offices; the U.S. Senate; the U.S. House of Representatives; and as a presidential cabinet member. The authors have also provided a cross-section of 45 Asian American elected officials at the municipal and state levels for 12 states from Alaska to Massachusetts and from Minnesota to Texas.