In the United States, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated May 1- 31st to celebrate all the achievements and contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. This includes people from the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island) (https://asianpacificheritage.gov/). The month of May was selected because of two important anniversaries: May 7, 1843, the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant, and May 10, 1869, the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, which was mostly built by Chinese workers (https://asianpacificheritage.gov/).
Come check out the Rio Hondo College Library's Asian Pacific American book display for the month of May! You'll find a range of intriguing and informative titles that will help spark your curiosity on all things Asian Pacific American, from philosophical musings, cultural art collections, mythology, novels, biographies, and more!
Once Were Warriors by 
Shrimp to Whale by
Follows a Viet Cong agent as he spies on a South Vietnamese army general and his compatriots as they start a new life in 1975 Los Angeles.
The story of a South Vietnamese captain -- a man brought up by an absent French father and a poor Vietnamese mother, a man who went to university in America -- who returns to Vietnam to fight for the Communist cause.
Tales of Japan by
A deluxe volume of 15 Japanese folk tales that is sure to impress any fan of cultural and mythological literature with impactful and stunning illustrations by contemporary Japanese artist Kotaro Chiba.
Rise by
Lara Jean has never openly admitted her crushes. Instead, she wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.
Sun Tzu's the Art of War by
he oldest known military treatise, Sun Tzu's the Art of War is still one of the world's most influential writings on strategic thought. Applicable everywhere from the boardroom to the bedroom, from the playing field to the battlefield, its wisdom has never been more highly regarded or used. Now available in its complete form-including an insightful English translation, the entire Chinese language text, and the original translator's often-omitted extensive use and discussion of Chinese characters-this essential examination of the art of strategic thinking features extensive commentary and an insightful historical introduction.
Tao Te Ching by
Compiled by disciples of Confucius in the fourth century B.C.E., The Analects of Confucius is a collection of aphorisms and historical anecdotes embodying the basic values of the Cunfucian tradition: learning, morality, ritual, decorum, and filial piety. Reflecting the model eras of Chinese antiquity, the book is valued for its insights into the successful governance of the empire and its ideal organization of society
