4. Gold Mountain Blues
In 1879, 16-year-old Fong Tak Fat boards a crowded, stinky ship destined for British Columbia and joins the rush of Chinese men hoping to strike it rich in a cold, inhospitable land, This poignant family saga follows Tak Fat; his bride, brave and artistic Suk Yin; and three generations of their descendants, whose destinies are irrevocably altered by Tak Fat's desperate decision. Gold Mountain Blues, Ling Zhang, $32. - S.L.K.
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