About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
This book is a definitive history of Chinatowns in Canada. From instant Chinatowns in gold- and coal-mining communities to new Chinatowns which have sprung up in city neighbourhoods and suburbs since World War II, it portrays the changing landscapes and images of Chinatowns from the late nineteenth century to the present. It also includes a detailed case study of Victoria's Chinatown, the earliest such settlement in Canada.
Contributor Notes
David Chuenyan Lai is an associate professor of geography at the University of Victoria. In 1983 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in recognition of his work in Victoria's Chinatown.
Editorial Reviews
Much of the book is devoted to a kind of urban history of Victoria, where Dr. Lai lives, and in these chapters a good deal of local colour escapes through the bars, and there is a real feeling for the minority of Chinese who still inhabit Chinatowns.
— Saturday Night
Contains much that is applicable to the study of urban Chinese settlements in the United States, and has an excellent bibliography of Canadian sources.
— Asian Comparative Collection
'The Asian invasion' is a hot topic right now. It is ironic that the same issue was bruised about 102 years ago. Dr. Lai's book may not resolve the issue, but it may help one to a better understanding of the rise of ethnic communities in Canada.
— Chinatown News
