Iris Chang's 'The History of Chinese in America' is an important work and should be required reading for any modern American history class. It reads with a smooth flow and covers great range of contributions and triumphs, as well as too many tragedies to speak of. It is just as much about the powerful taking advantage of the less powerful, in general, as it is about the plight of various generations and groups of emigres. Even though the author reminds the reader that the conditions most left were far far worse than their plight in America, it is still an ugly realization for the reader that the ideal of America isn't a given at all for the Chinese immigrant, and frankly most groups of immigrants in general. It's a great read, and fills gaps in knowledge formed by the little coverage Asia and Asian Americans received in history classes over the years. Read it. You'll be happy you did.