The Eighth Promise facts for kids

The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother is a special kind of book called a memoir. It was written by William Poy Lee and came out in 2007. A memoir is like a true story about a part of someone's life. This book tells the story of William Poy Lee and his mother, Poy Jen. It also shares how her family moved from China to America.

What Is The Eighth Promise About?

This book tells two main stories that are woven together. One story is about William Poy Lee growing up in San Francisco during the 1960s and 1970s. He shares what it was like to live in Chinatown, a busy neighborhood. He also talks about important events like the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. These were big times of change in America.

The other story is about his mother, Poy Jen. It's like an oral history, which means it's her story told in her own words. She was born in 1926 in a farming village called Toisan in Southern China. William Poy Lee interviewed his mother in their family's old Toisanese dialect. Then he translated her words into English for the book.

The Eight Promises

Before Poy Jen left China in 1950, she made eight promises to her own mother. China was going through a war at that time, and Poy Jen was leaving to join her husband in America. The book shows how these promises guided both William and his mother throughout their lives.

The most important promise is the eighth one. It's about living with kindness and understanding toward everyone. William Poy Lee sees this promise as the most important lesson from his family. He says it's a way of life that lasts forever.

Main Ideas in the Book

The Eighth Promise covers several important ideas. It's not just one person's story. It also tells about a family and a community.

William's Personal Journey

The book shares William Poy Lee's own experiences. He talks about his early life and how he learned to fit into American culture. He also became involved in the Asian American movement in high school. This movement worked for the rights and recognition of Asian Americans.

His Family's History

Both of William's parents came from Toisan, a village in China. Many people from Toisan moved to North America. They came as workers starting in the 1850s. After 1949, when the Communist Party took control of mainland China, many came as refugees.

The book describes the history of these early Chinese Americans. At first, they were sometimes welcomed. But later, many were forced out of towns and cities in the West. They had to move into special areas called Chinatowns.

The Story of San Francisco Chinatown

The book also looks at how San Francisco Chinatown grew and changed. It shows how the community kept positive traditions alive. It also provided a safe place for people who were facing difficulties.

Being a "Model Minority"

William Poy Lee talks about the idea of being a "model minority." This is a stereotype that suggests all Asian Americans are successful and don't have problems. After working as a lawyer, William started to think about what was truly important in life. He wanted to understand his mother's Toisanese wisdom and his own American experiences.

He decided to become a full-time writer. As part of his writing, he traveled back to China with his mother in 2000. They visited their family's old village. Now, William uses his writing to help people understand different cultures better, especially between America and China.

Awards and Recognition

The Eighth Promise has received many honors. Organizations like NPR and universities have invited William Poy Lee to speak. Many readers from different backgrounds, not just Chinese American, have enjoyed the book.

In October 2007, the book won the 2007 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award. This award is for great and original books that celebrate different cultures. The city of Ann Arbor, Michigan also chose the book for its 2008 "One City One Book" program. This program encourages everyone in a city to read the same book.