The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'N'roll

by Ben Fong-Torres

Book Overview

The Rice Room is a brilliant and moving memoir of growing up in Oakland's Chinatown, by one of America's preeminent journalists. Ben Fong-Torres was the third child of first-generation Chinese parents. His father came to America via the Philippines, adding Torres to his name to convince immigration officials that he was Filipino, since there were strict limits on the number of Chinese immigrants that were allowed. His mother came into the country...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452274125
• ISBN13: 9780452274129
• Release Date: May 1995
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A universal story of 1st Gen immigrant offspring challenges

Ben Fong-Torres should be a household name to you if you are reading this review or.. if you saw ALMOST FAMOUS..where he was somewhat wrongly portrayed as part of an "establishment" press organization, something which ROLLING STONE had yet to become at that time in history. No, Ben (if I may may call him by his first name..)has led a way hipper life than most of us while also negotiating the perils of assimiliation into the alleged "Great Melting Pot" that was the American Immigration dream back when he was a kid. He's about 10 years older than I am but we both share the fact that our parents came to the USA via less than legal means and we share the constant inner struggle of determining to which culture we belong: our parents, our adopted country's.. or some culture that lies mysteriously in-between.Fong-Torres is of chinese descent, don't let his last name confuse you...that is explained in the book. Like many of us children of immigrants, the first thing sacrficed on our way to a better life was our authentic names. Most of this memoir deals with Ben's difficulties in balancing the two-worlds he was co-occupying and his being increasingly drawn to American teen culture and ultimately the world of Rock-n-Roll and the journalism that sprung up in its wake. Do not think you will get a loving description of his life as a journalist, however. He's covered that territory elsewhere. No... this book appears to be his own genuine but sometimes tortured attempt to describe the unusual manner in which he came to reconcile his ethnicity with the choices he made in how to lead his adult life and mind you, this is no Multi-cultural feel-good story. Ben had it very rough in the ways many of us did, regardless of our origins. The children of immigrants share certain basic experiences that make reading a book like this one useful in grappling with the issue of Multiculturalism, assimilation and the various expectations of immigrant communities.Ben's story is a very personal one and he makes no attempt to claim he speaks for all the children of chinese parents and as a result, he does not deserve even the slightest of criticisms that have been leveled at him for not being properly reverential to his parents' cultural expectations. He quite rightly chooses to share how precarious it was for a young man of chinese heritage to negotiate the perils of dating outside own's cultural "caste" as while as flouting genuine american hostility towards asian male sexuality in general (although he doesn't go as far as I do in giving those feelings a name).This book is what it is... the memoir and coming of age recollections of one of our more solid music journalists who just happened to spring forth from chinese roots. If one is sufficiently aware of own's one roots, the possibility exists to see your own life's struggles mirrored in the pages describing his life. Many thanks to Mr. Fong-Torres for the courage to relate his life in such intimate terms and praise

A deeper context

I am surprised that anyone contested the worth of Fong-Torres's work. Fong-Torres does not claim to represent the Chinese experience. Rather, he symbolizes the Chinese-American question.Some readers claim that Fong-Torres's individual experience is made more important than that of his family's, is too acculturated and "patronizing" towards Chinese culture. However, I think that it is necessary to recognize the limitations of the author's upbringing, within the realistic context of immigrant survival, and then appreciate the uniqueness of both his parents' and his experience. If Fong-Torres does reflect negatively, at times, towards his parents' culture, it is because he most negotiate it daily. Just how Chinese should he be? White Americans are never forced to consider these issues.Like many children of immigrants, his grasp of a home language is at odds with the white American standard of English. Halloween becomes somewhat traumatic. Dating becomes the nightmare of social expectations within his community. Though some readers believe these problems are petty compared with his parents' economic survival, they are formulated honestly and reflexively. In fact, Fong-Torres's eventual return to China, and an interview with his family, would indicate a reverse position--a sincere desire to learn more about his history.Fong-Torres isn't an authority on Chinese culture; he's only an authority on his own mixed experiences. Furthermore, writing this book, returning to his home country, indicate a desire to explore that contested identity further. No one can determine just "what it means to be Chinese." Therefore, I would remind readers, if you ask a Chinese question, you will receive a Chinese answer.

Thoughtful introspective

As a second-generation Chinese born to parents who immigrated to North America in the 1970s, I cannot relate to all of the experiences that Fong-Torres presents. However, in many instances, I identify completely. I also disagree with the view of some reviewers that Fong-Torres had a lack of respect towards Chinese culture. His word choice may indicate an occasional unhappiness with some of the traditions of Chinese culture, but overall, it is clear that he has a deep respect for his past. Especially prominent is his recognition of language barriers with his parents, and an attempt to arrive full circle with his heritage at the conclusion of the book (with a visit to China). Being born what many would term an, "ABC" (American-born Chinese) does not prevent Fong-Torres from embracing Chinese-ness. It is that such an embrace is oftentimes at odds with the white context of America.Furthermore, if Fing-Torres was UNCRITICAL of Chinese culture, wouldn't that romanticize his experience? I think that his reflexive gestures are necessary and rich. Also, while Fong-Torres presents a very real and honest depiction of the Chinese-Americans in the 1960s and 70s, by no means can he reflect the entire Chinese-American culture. Certainly, the children of "New Wave" immigrants possess a "whole different set of problems". However, one cannot say that there exists no overlap. Again, I don't think it is his intent to capture all of Chinese-American culture -- it is *his* life and *his* thoughts. (By no means does he attempt to capture the lives of Chinese immigrants.) In fact, I appreciate his honesty.I recommend this book to anyone interested in Chinese-American culture and especially to Chinese children raised in the America. Parents of ABCs, can also benefit.

America's Melting Pot Defined by Fong-Torres a la Alex Haley

Ben Fong-Torres is known to us as primarily a chronicler of rock 'n' roll. In his book, "The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American-From Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll," he adeptly writes about not only himself and his family, but also America. Alex Haley gave us "Roots" and Fong-Torres shares with us his roots and the destiny that America's melting pot had in-store for he and his Chinese-American family.It is an astounding and at the same time a wonderful story. It is OUR story. I am 3rd generation Polish-American and I see and feel many of the same things that Fong-Torres does as he shares his experiences with us: from his parents efforts to escape China with and enter the US with false identification papers (his father bought a Filipino birth certificate to circumvent immigration laws), to his growing-up in the rice room of his parents restaurant and their demands and expectations, to the rock 'n' roll culture to which he took such a liking to the untimely shooting death at 29 of his older brother. Although he led a somewhat hard life, the book also reveals a humorous side. A truly wonderful sharing of the American experience.

We should all know our heritage so well...

This past holiday season, I went home to visit my parents in Tennessee, and made it a special point to sift through the trunks of photographs, diaries and old Marantz tape reels of my family history. We shared stories of my Swedish, Irish and German relatives, and the trials and tribulations of moving to various points of America.My inspiration for this important and emotional family gathering, was Ben Fong-Torres' book, "The Rice Room." His grasp of not only his immediate family, but of the rich and wonderful Chinese heritage his parents brought with them to California, should be echoed by all. Many of us "European-Americans" have taken our American status for granted, and fail to remember that not only is America only a shade over 200, but we have a long ignored cultural background that could be equally as rich if we researched our history as thoroughly as Mr. Fong-Torres.His autobiography is not just one of learning "the hard way." He will certainly take you on an emotional roller coaster through the 50's, 60's and 70's, but he also shares a certain boyish wonder -- a Chinese-American version of Woody Allen's 'Radio Days,' if you will. From movies, to magazines; to radio and Rolling Stone, I don't think I have curled up with a better, and more sweeping, book in quite some time.This book is apparently used by colleges and universities as a required book for Asian culture, and sociology classes. That is certainly a worthy honor for a book so deserving, but it is my feeling that we will see this book on such lists for years to come. Success comes in many colors, and Ben Fong-Torres should be held in highest regard for truly living the American Dream.Thank you Ben for opening my eyes to the importance of family, brothers, traditions both maintained and broken, music and the power of writing.