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Book Reviews of The Barbarians Are Coming

The Barbarians Are Coming
The Barbarians Are Coming
Author: David Wong Louie
ISBN-13: 9780965451628
ISBN-10: 0965451623
Publication Date: 2000
Rating:
  • Currently 2.9/5 Stars.
 5

2.9 stars, based on 5 ratings
Publisher: Putnam
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

5 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

CocoCee avatar reviewed The Barbarians Are Coming on + 404 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a Chinese-Born American-finding-my-identity sort of book. Funny and a very touching ending.
reviewed The Barbarians Are Coming on + 55 more book reviews
This is an intriguing book with a great story. I enjoyed it very much.
paigu avatar reviewed The Barbarians Are Coming on + 120 more book reviews
I would've given this book 5 stars if it had a slightly better ending. However, this book is a true emotional read that dares to address racism and Asian stereotypes. Written from a true Asian-American perspective, this book accurately presents a Chinese male protagonist who struggles against his Asian roots (grows his hair long, dates non-Asians, learns to cook all cuisines except Chinese food, even goes so far as to prefer one son who looks more White to his other more Asian-looking son) but then is forced by his non-Asian supervisors/managers (even his father-in-law) to act "Oriental," or at least what they perceive the word to mean based on television shows, books, and superficial vacations.

I feel David Wong Louie has not earned as much fame and word-of-mouth as Amy Tan, for example, because his (Louie's) style of writing is more direct, sarcastic and bitter. He should definitely be considered one of the strongest voices of modern Asian-American writers.
reviewed The Barbarians Are Coming on + 34 more book reviews
A novel of the Chinese-American immigrant experience, seen in the relationship of a father & son.
reviewed The Barbarians Are Coming on + 29 more book reviews
Quirky and it will draw you in!