Gold wasn’t the only thing rushing Chinese citizens into Canada in 1858. In the aftermath of the Opium Wars, Chinese people fled to British Columbia to escape political unrest and poverty in their homeland. Great Fortune Dream: The Struggles and Triumphs of Chinese Settlers in Canada, 1858 – 1966by Ding Guo & David Chuenyan Lai (Caitlin Press) follows the story of Chinese migration and life in Canada, taking us into a crucial period in history that contributed to Canada’s multicultural identity. Publisher Caitlin Press tells us more below.
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To celebrate Canada150, we’re turning the page on the most celebrated historical moments and highlighting the footnotes for a change. Take a trip down literary lane with us as we share books on aspects of Canadian history and notable people that don’t always get due attention. Publisher Caitlin Press tells us more about what makes Great Fortune Dreamso great, and what it brings to Canada’s history.ALU: What brought you to publish Great Fortune Dream?CP: We learned of the book when authors Guo Ding and Dr. David Lai approached us with a rough translation of a book that was first published for a Chinese audience. We knew that it was important to have this story of Chinese immigration made accessible to a Canadian audience. With the amazing editing capabilities of Catherine Edwards and the editing support of Kathleen Fraser, our team adapted the English translation into Great Fortune Dream: The Struggles and Triumphs of Chinese Settlers in Canada, 1858-1966. Immediately we knew we had the definitive history on Chinese immigration to Canada and we were proud to see it fit with our mandate for publishing stories and histories of British Columbia, where the majority of Chinese immigration took place. ALU: What impact do you think this work has on Canadian culture/history?CP: The most common feedback we get with Great Fortune Dream is how accessible of a read it is, especially considering how rich the book is in facts and figures. We believe readers who identify as second-generation Chinese-Canadians will appreciate a historically-accurate examination of how much the Chinese contributed to Canada, both in infrastructure and culture. Everyone else who picks up this book will likewise be able to traceback the hard work done by people we recognize today like former Members of Parliament Olivia Chow and Sophia Leung in righting the wrongs of the Chinese Head Tax, among other forms of historical oppression. Great Fortune Dream demonstrates one piece of the diverse tapestry of peoples who made Canada what is today, and we hope it informs children, youth, and all adults on the great history of Canada.If you want to learn more about this history, check out this feature from last year’s Asian Heritage Month***Thanks to Vici Johnstone and Michael Despotovic from Caitlin Press for sharing their insights with us. Remember, if you purchase Great Fortune Dream or any other forget-me-not feature title we’ll send you a snazzy full-page wall calendar.Follow along with us on the blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #ALUneverforget as we book-hop through the centuries, and take a peek at our history timeline for more books that bring footnotes in Canadian history to the fore.
