Beyond silence

by Lien Chao

"The Chinese Buddhist monk Hoei-shin may have come to the west coast of Canada centuries before Columbus arrived in the Americas; and modern Chinese presence in Canada dates back more than a century, including the railway pioneers whose contribution was pivotal to the development of the nation from coast to coast." "This study of the literary output in English by Chinese Canadians begins with the 130-year history of the community in Canada to consider first how institutional racism and neglect contributed to its collective silence in mainstream media, history, and mythology; since the 1970s a fully developed Chinese literary consciousness and historical awareness have emerged in the country. The genres of mythology, anthology, fiction, poetry, drama and essay are considered in detail, and numerous writers, including Denise Chong, Sean Gunn, Winston Christopher Kam, Evelyn Lau, Sky Lee, Paul Yee, Fred Wah, Jim Wong-Chu and others"--Jacket.