Acknowledgments

I thank my colleagues in the Department of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University for providing a collegial and intellectually stimulating teaching and working environment that enables me to pursue my research interests. I am grateful to the dean of arts, the research office, and the academic vice president for their encouragement of my research by giving me a course release and financial support. The project was initially funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Grant. My very able graduate student assistant, Jenny Hei Jun Wills, helped enormously with her careful reading and comments.

For lively and thought-provoking conversations about reading and teaching Asian American and Asian Canadian literature, I thank Patricia Chu, Rocío Davis, Monica Chiu, Glenn Deer, Roy Miki, and Shirley Geok-lin Lim. I am fortunate to have the warmth, laughter, music, and energy at home from my husband, David Hunter; my children, Jason, Jeremy, and Miranda; and the abiding presence of my mother, Vicenta.