Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant and Hearfelt Arguments for Omniculturalism
Review: "The Accidental Asian" is a deeply introspective collection of essays on growing up as a second generation Chinese American. However, the essays constitute much more than that, being a brilliant and heartfelt series of arguments in support of what Eric Liu appropriately calls "omniculturalism" and what others, with derisory connotations, call "assimilationism". It is a book which has as much to say about what it means to be an American, and where American culture and society are heading, as it does about the specific struggles of its author.There is a scene which Liu describes in his essay, "The Chinatown Idea", which particularly struck me and which illustrates Liu's view of ethnicity and the claims of tradition. When Liu was a young boy, he and his family took a day trip to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a trip which Liu remembers vividly. "[W]hat I remember most is meeting the eyes of an Amish boy about my age. He stared back at me, pale and expressionless, as if from a history book. To me, this was a boy already dead, consigned to live out his days in someone else's past." This memory, like many others, form the ground for Liu's compelling arguments for individual choice and against the claustrophobic, lock-step claims of ethnic and cultural traditions. Since "[e]very identity is a social construction, a drawing of arbitrary lines," each generation (indeed, each individual within each generation), must establish his or her own cultural identity, drawing on traditions of the past, but ultimately deriving authenticity from the exercise of freedom. As Liu writes, with thinly veiled gratitude to his parents, "[i]t just happens that I was raised with great latitude--to preserve, discard, combine, and create." Thus, Liu proffers a kind of existential argument for assimilation, or at least for having the freedom to choose the degree of one's ethnic identity. As Liu notes, "Chineseness isn't a mystical, more authentic way of being; it's just a decision to act Chinese." In arguing for "omniculturalism" or "assimiliation", Liu provides a particularly insightful discussion and analysis of the development, since the 1970's, of the so-called "Asian American" identity, an imagined community that has sought to unify the interests and cultures of the polyglot Asian ethnic groups. He also notes the compelling demographic trends which establish, "that America is white no longer, and it will never be white again." Thus assimilation in America no longer has the same meaning, and rejecting the past in favor of a future in an omnicultural society "is an act of creation, as much as destruction." While you may disagree with Liu's ultimate position, "The Accidental Asian" is a lucidly written, thoughtful examination of the issues raised by ethnicity and the claims of tradition, a memoir which deeply mirrors the cultural and social turmoil of America at the dawn of this new millenium.
Rating: 
Summary: skeptical of his intent
Review: "The Accidental Asian" is a series of autobiographical essays by Eric Liu, a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton. The book focuses on the topic of Asian-American identity. Issues include the following: being an "ABC" (American-born Chinese), being the son of an immigrant, defining "Chineseness," the birth of "[t]he Asian-American identity," and the fallout from the "Asian money" political scandals of the 1990s. More personal topics include an account of his own father's battle against kidney disease. Liu writes a very readable prose. Many of his ideas are provocative, and could, I imagine, spark some lively debate. I was intrigued by the parallels he drew between Asian-American experience and that of other minority groups (Jews, gays and lesbians, Hispanics), and also by his distinction between biculturalism and omniculturalism. Definitely useful reading for the Tiger Woods millennium. For a fascinating companion text, try "Blood, Bread, and Poetry," by Adrienne Rich, or "The Fire Next Time," by James Baldwin.
Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking observations, but flawed conclusions
Review: As a 2nd generation Chinese American myself, I was able to empathize with many of the issues that Mr. Liu confronts. His observations pertaining to family, stereotypes, and the political ramifications of being Asian in America are perceptive, poignant, and often heartfelt. Hence the 2 stars. However, my problem with this book and why I did not award it more stars is not with the observations, but with the conclusions he draws from those observations, which are misguided, if not simply erroneous. Of these conclusions, the one I found most troubling and the one that forms the basis of his thesis is his assertion that he has assimilated. In fact, he declares it so many times you get the sense that he wrote this book as a therapeutic tool of self-affirmation. And I say this because I too used to think like Mr. Liu when I was his age - that I had assimilated. My opinion took a dramatic turn after living for awhile in Asia and realizing upon returning that I had not truly assimilated and that assimilation is a 2 way street - the act of one's assimilation is complete only when society embraces one's assimilation. Going to an Ivy League school, wearing preppy clothing, vacationing at B&Bs and marrying a white woman does NOT mean you have assimilated. And repeated declarations to that effect does not make it so. Consequently, I found Mr. Liu's perception of himself sad, if not downright pathetic. Whether misguided by his own demons or simply naive, he is living a life of self-deception and much of the book has a tone of strained justification to perpetuate that deception. I highly recommend to Mr. Liu that he spend an extended period of time in Asia as I had done. And I don't mean spending a month long vacation - I mean actually living there for awhile so that he can experience the subtle differences in the way he is perceived and treated in this country and in a country that is predominantly Asian. Only then will he truly understand what complete assimilation means and that "omniculturalism" in the U.S. is still wishful thinking.
Rating:
Summary: The Asian American Experience Explained
Review: As a second generation Chinese American, Eric Liu has spent much of his young life confronting issues of race, assimilation, and cultural identity, whether he wanted to or not. The MSNBC commentator, Washington Post contributor, and former Clinton speechwriter has assembled a thoughtful and introspective collection of essays on what it means to be "Asian" in America today, and the role race plays in our society. "The Accidental Asian" is Liu's successful attempt to explain the struggle many Asian Americans face as they attempt to balance a multicultural existence. The author provides well-balanced arguments for what can be described as his own multi-cultural personality complex. He defines the many cultural dilemmas he and many Asian Americans face - he "feels" American, however he "looks" Chinese, and is sometimes treated differently because of his appearance. He discusses the many facets of race and its role in American society, and how culture shapes who we are and how others perceive us. Liu brightly and candidly explores ethical, racial and societal questions that are often not addressed outright by the Asian community or others. His essays are intelligent, inquisitive, and thought provoking, and his writing style is clean and elegant. He manages to delve deep into racial ethics without coming off as preachy, whiney or defensive. This book must have been very cathartic for Liu to write - he explores and discusses issues of race that have shaped how others perceive him, and he seems at peace with his multi-cultural roles. I got the sense that a lifetime of thought had gone into Liu's essays, and that by publishing this book he was sharing his most private and candid views on race, his own ethnicity, and his one-time desire to assimilate into "white" culture. He is unafraid to share his thoughts on all sides of racial issues, and it is refreshing to have an author be so up front about race and culture. I am not of Asian descent, and I feel that "The Accidental Asian" is a powerful and though-provoking read for people of all cultural backgrounds.
Rating: 
Summary: one of the worst books i've read
Review: By titling the book "The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker" Eric Liu leaves little doubt as to his outlook on racial self-identity. He is Asian only by 'accident'--if it were up to him he would shed his skin like an ermine coat in summer. He wants to make sure you know he is a Native Speaker. Of what? And this is supposed to shock and please: don't all Asians speak English with a bad accent? On his list of things about himself that he thinks people might characterize as 'white', Eric Liu mentions that he speaks 'unaccented English'. The mere fact that he thinks an 'unaccented English' exists at all speaks volumes--the myth that there is a normalcy, an order in which anything that is not mainstream is to be slapped with otherness. There is the Southern 'accent'; there is the Australian 'accent'; and he speaks the 'unaccented' English. Oh the model minority. The good ol' 'if you try hard enough, you can almost become white' sentiment, without the hard edge. The same type of racial unawareness would persist throughout the rest of the book. And the fascinating thing about the book is that it is supposed to be a reflection on racial self-identity. Eric Liu describes how in college he avoided Asian student groups because he did not want to be a member of self-segregating, crusading fanatics. He prides himself on the fact that race notwithstanding he was able to penetrate into the 'center of power'--if being a speech writer for Clinton can justify that claim. He never was subject to ostensible forms of racism. What Eric Liu does not realize is that if things were as easy for most people of color as they were for him, nobody would in their right minds choose to be a race militant. The book does, however, appear to have honest intentions. Eric Liu speaks in the first person not of opinions or personal agenda, at least for the most part, but questions and reflections. He may not be adequately knowledgeable about race issues--partly due to the upper middle class success that shields him from reality--but at the very least he makes an effort to examine them. The book has the appearance and the candor of an edited personal diary, telling stories that many Asian Americans can relate to. Episodes like the struggle with Asian hair, the rebellion against stereotypes by running the opposite direction, the history of assimilation and then rebirth of self-identity, and the adolescent frustration with 'getting chicks'--would evoke the shared experience and the understanding smile on perhaps 9 out of every 10 Asian American men. The book is a recommendable read, although readers who do not hope to deceive themselves should also read Malcom X's autobiography and "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" by Dr. Tatum--books that I itched to send to Eric Liu while I was reading his book.
Rating: 
Summary: Poetic analysis of cultural identity
Review: I have barely gotten past the 1st chapter, and I feel compelled to write this. It is as if Eric Liu's had opened up my heart and mind on everything I know and feel about being Asian American and put it down on paper so poetically. I am pratically in tears with the accuracy of his account to my own experience, and his disection of his thoughts are thorough and meaningful. I highly recommend this book for those who feel their lives as a constant tug-of-war of cultural identity.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful
Review: One thing I really appreciate about this book is that the author is humble about cultural realms where he is not familiar with. Personally, I liked his writings coming from the the view of everyday life a lot more than his somewhat tedious comparisons of the CA phenomenon to each ethnic groups in America. Nonetheless, this is a book worth chewing on.
Rating:
Summary: A++ book
Review: That accidental asian by Eric Liu is a very well written memoir, he talks about the second generation of asian american which is very unusually you would find that most books out there are about the first generation of asian american. He talks about he experiences as he finds himself choosing between being asian or being american. There two culture are very different as he tries be both he finds himself being a banana like many of the second generation asians. he also talks about not being label as a typical asian so he tries to separate by having white friends but in the end he is put into the area as being a regular asian. This book was very fun to read and I recommend it to anyone that wants to read something new.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Perspective
Review: The Accidental Asian makes for quick, fascinating reading. Eric Liu is very eloquent and his viewpoints are very thought provoking. I really recommend the book. But however, his viewpoint is of an "ABC" who grew up primarily in a white suburb and occasionally visits the "Old Chinatown" (in NY). He does mention Monterey Park and the new Little Taipei but lacks experience in that community. There's a whole new world of Asian Americans out there in Southern California left to be explored hopefully by other authors. We immigrated to the U.S. when we're in grade school and grew up in the U.S. in mixed culture and race neighborhoods unlike the polar extremes presented in Eric's book: white suburban neighborhood or a very Chinesee-Chinatown. We grow up fully aware and accepting of our dual-cultural upbringing and identity...and quite comfortable at that. It's like the Irish Americans and the Italian Americans...we're Chinese Americans. We also grew! up in affluent, professional Asian American neighborhoods, with friends who all attend prestigious universities and graduate school. Eric does make a good point that the "Asian American" is an artificial and contrived term.
Rating:
Summary: A few flaws, but an otherwise excellent book.
Review: The author gives an account of growing up in America as the child of Chinese immigrants from Taiwan. He mentions his awkward teenage years, attending Yale University, and choosing a career path different from that of the stereotypical Asian-American: Marine officer, political staffer, television commentator, and essayist.
The first essay is a well-written, powerful tribute to the author's father, who immigrated to the United States and ultimately spending a majority of his life in his new country. This essay alone would prompt me to recommend this book to all immigrants and their children, Asian or otherwise.
This book is at its best when the author reflects on his own life and identity. However, when he drifts into pondering questions on assimilation and "omniculturalism," he forgets that he speaks only for well-educated, upper-middle class Asians born in the United States. To uneducated fishermen, indentured domestic servants, restaurant workers, and other blue collar Asians, assimilation will be far more difficult, if not impossible. Because the author appears to ignore this and other barriers to assimilation, I have to disagree with his theory that today's Asians are the "New Jew."
Overall, the book was a good read, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Asian-American culture. However, this book is hardly an authoritative look at Asian-Americans, and it only provides one man's perspective.
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