Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is a novel about Rachel, a Chinese American New York University economics professor, whose boyfriend, Nick, is an heir to a Singaporean family fortune. Nick invites Rachel to accompany him to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore for the summer. I love this book because I am also a Chinese American business/economics professor who has lived and worked in Singapore and New York city. The incredibly rich descriptions of Singapore and New York transported me back to my previous life in those cities. The mentions of all the Chinese and Singaporean dishes had my mouth watering and my stomach craving authentic Asian food. And, the Chinese American and Singaporean cultural contexts were instantly familiar and brought the drama and plot lines to life for me. But, I also loved this book because it was the Chinese American/Singaporean version of Real Housewives with all the over-the-top drama, gossip, and double crossing/back stabbing. Please don’t judge! Real Housewives is my number one guilty pleasure, and reading a Chinese American/Singaporean “Real Housewives” novel was, well, a dream come true!
I teach all the business (BSAD) courses, IT C101, and ECON C102/103. I teach courses online, at Owens Valley Conservation Camp, and at the Bishop and Mammoth campuses.
I LOVE to read and grew up going to the public library every weekend with my parents. I used to wander through the stacks browsing titles. The possibilities were endless! From a young age, I used to hide my library books at the foot of my bed and then stay up all night reading under the covers with a flashlight. In college the library was where I used to study because I had ready access to all the resources. As resources have become digitized, I have found that I spend less time inside libraries and more time accessing information online. While convenient, I do miss the culture and interpersonal connection experienced being in a library. Thank you to Cerro Coso librarians for prompting me to revisit these fond memories.
Deanna Ing Campbell
Cliff Davis
Tyrone Ledford
Melanie Jeffrey & Debilyn Kinzler
