As we enter the lively month dedicated to celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage, the Miami University Hamilton library proudly welcomes the diverse cultures, histories, and stories that define the APIDA community.
APIDA Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the diverse identities and narratives within the APIDA community. It highlights marginalized voices and fosters understanding and appreciation for APIDA cultures and experiences. In our library, we are dedicated to offering a variety of resources that represent the depth and diversity of the APIDA experience. From timeless literature to modern memoirs, from historical narratives to innovative research, our collection presents a multitude of viewpoints ready for discovery.
This month, we invite you to explore a collection of literary works that highlight the significant contributions of APIDA individuals across various fields.
- 25 Events that Shaped Asian American History: An Encyclopedia of the American Mosaic edited by Lan Dong: This book provides detailed and engaging narratives about 25 pivotal events in Asian American history, celebrates Asian Americans’ contributions to U.S. history, and examines the ways their experiences have shaped American culture.
- Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People by Helen Zia: This groundbreaking book is about the transformation of Asian Americans into a self-identified racial group that is influencing every aspect of American society.
- Captive Paradise: A History of Hawaii by James L. Haley: A narrative history of Hawaii profiles its former existence as a royal kingdom, recounting the wars fought by European powers for control of its position, its adoption of Christianity, and its annexation by the United States.
- The Chinese in America: A Narrative History by Iris Chang: Chronicles the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States, identifying their contributions to the nation’s development, from the construction of the transcontinental railroad to scientific and technological advances.
- Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped Civilization by Kenneth W. Harl: The nomads of the Eurasian steppes have played a decisive role in world history. These nomads built long-lasting empires, facilitated the first global trade of the Silk Road and disseminated religions, technology, knowledge and goods of every description that enriched and changed the lives of so many across Europe, China and the Middle East.
- Kamala’s Way: An American Life by Dan Morain: A revelatory biography of the first Black and Asian American woman to stand for Vice President charts how the daughter of two immigrants in segregated California became one of the most effective power players in the United States.
- The Lowland: A Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri: Two brothers bound by tragedy. A fiercely brilliant woman haunted by her past. A country torn by revolution. A love that lasts long past death. An extraordinary novel, set in both India and America, that expands the scope and range of a dazzling storyteller.
- Madame Wu Chien-Shiung: The First Lady of Physics Research by Chiang Tsai-Chien: This book provides a comprehensive and honest account of the life of Dr. Wu Chien-Shiung, an outstanding and leading experimental physicist of the 20th century.
- Make Break Remix: The Rise of K-style by Fiona Bae: This book makes no attempt to define or categorize, instead celebrating the eclectic, multi-faceted nature of K-Style and its home city of Seoul.
- The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee: The definitive history of Asian Americans by one of the nation’s preeminent scholars on the subject.
- Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now by Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, Philip Wang: When the Hart-Celler Act passed in 1965, opening up U.S. immigration to non-Europeans, it ushered in a whole new era of Asian American socio-political shifts. Yang, Yo, and Wang have created a love letter to and for Asian Americans, providing a vivid scrapbook of voices, emotions, and memories from an era in which their culture was forged and transformed.
- They Called Us Enemy by George Takei: Takei’s firsthand account of years spent in a Japanese American concentration camp, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother’s hard choices, his father’s faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future.
- The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan: Violet Minturn, a half-Chinese/half-American courtesan who deals in seduction and illusion in Shanghai, struggles to find her place in the world, while her mother, Lucia, tries to make sense of the choices she has made and the men who have shaped her.
- The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston: A memoir of the American-born daughter of Chinese immigrants who lived within the traditions and fears of the Chinese past as well as the realities of the alien modern American culture.
As we celebrate APIDA Heritage Month, let’s embrace diverse narratives, expand perspectives, and foster inclusivity within our academic community. Explore APIDA experiences through library books and join us in honoring the community’s vibrant contributions.
Happy APIDA Heritage Month from all of us at Rentschler Library!
See More: The Miami University Libraries DEI Committee created a guide with resources all about APIDA Heritage Month. Check it out here.
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