by Lisa See
First published 1995
Lisa See's family history is a sweeping tale of triumph and turmoil. As a girl, See heard captivating stories from her grandmother and great-aunt about their ancestors' journey from China to the "Gold Mountain" of America. Now, through years of research and interviews, she uncovers the intimate details of her family's remarkable past - from a great-great-grandfather's perilous voyage to a son's unlikely marriage and rise to prominence. Against a backdrop of racism and discrimination, this family perseveres, their ambitions and loyalties colliding across the generations. Intimate and epic, "On Gold Mountain" is a powerful testament to the immigrant experience.
Genres: family, 20th-century, american, biography-memoir, 21st-century, asian-american, family-drama, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, powerful, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-saga, generational-conflict, immigrant-experience
Setting: California
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century, 21st-century
394 pages · Hardcover · St Martins Press
Content warnings: racism