Based on 35-years of meticulous research through Chinese language sources, archives, and oral histories, this definitive collection of essays by Him Mark Lai-the foremost authority on Chinese American history-is a must read for scholars and students interested in the Guangdong heritage, immigration patterns, community development, and cultural retention of Chinese Americans from the Gold Rush to present day.

Judy Yung, Professor of American Studies, University of California-Santa Cruz, and author of Unbound Feet: A Social History of Chinese Wome

Meticulous research, careful interpretation, and unrivaled comprehension of the complexities of the Chinese American past: these are the features of Him Mark Lai's work. This essay collection well displays his singular intellectual contribution.

Gordon H. Chang, Professor in the Department of History, Stanford University

Years of meticulous research and judicious selection of key issues are masterfully captured by Professor Lai in this definitive and indispensable history of Chinese life in America. Becoming Chinese American affirms his status as the 'Dean of Chinese American Studies.'

Peter Kwong, City University of New York

Here we have a lifetime of scholarship by the dean of Chinese American history. Him Mark Lai densely details how the Chinese settled America through their businesses, associations, and schools.

Ronald Takaki, Author, Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans