Wah interprets memory-a journey to China and Japan, his father's experience as a Chinese immigrant in small Canadian towns, images from childhood-to locate the influence of genealogy. The procession of narrative reveals Wah's own attempts to find "the relief of exotic identity."
"Fred Wah searches for his father within various literary forms and embraces. This is a beautiful book and we are in the muscle and limbs of rough cut clear language-live bright fish slapping on the table."
-Michael Ondaatje