American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (1984) Winner
Ruthanne Lum McCunn
ルースアン・ラム・マッカン
Ruthanne Lum McCunn
Aliases:
Roxey Drysdale
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1946-02-21 （Chinatown, San Francisco）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- Cantonese, English
- Residence History
- Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong → Boise, Idaho → Walnut Creek, California → Austin, Texas → San Francisco, California
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, editor, teacher, librarian
- Active Years
- 1974-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diablo Valley College (Diablo Valley Junior College) | — | — | — | 1962–1964 | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley | — | — | — | 1964–1966 (編入・在籍) | United States |
| University of Texas at Austin | College of Liberal Arts | Department of English | B.A. | 1966–1968 | United States |
| University of California, San Francisco | — | — | Teaching credentials | 1969 | United States |
Diablo Valley College (Diablo Valley Junior College)
Period:
1962–1964
Year of Graduation:
1964
Country:
United States
Attended for two years before transferring to UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
Period:
1964–1966 (編入・在籍)
Country:
United States
Transferred and attended; degree completed later at University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
College of Liberal Arts
/ Department of English
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
1966–1968
Year of Graduation:
1968
Country:
United States
Completed undergraduate degree in English
University of California, San Francisco
Degree:
Teaching credentials
Period:
1969
Year of Graduation:
1969
Country:
United States
Earned teaching credentials
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
God of Luck
2008 fiction (historical / family)A family-focused novel with historical elements, dealing with Chinese American experiences.
familyimmigrationcultural identity
Thousand Pieces of Gold
historical fictionA novel inspired by the life of a Chinese woman in 19th-century America; one of McCunn's notable works and adapted into a film.
women's historyimmigrant hardshipcross-cultural encounters
Adaptations
- [film] Thousand Pieces of Gold (1991)
The Moon Pearl
2001 children's book / fictionA children's story drawing on motifs from Chinese culture.
cultural transmissionfamily
Wooden Fish Songs
1995 novelA novel addressing immigration and intergenerational stories.
intergenerational conflictimmigration
Sole Survivor
1999 novelA work portraying loss and personal recovery.
lossrecovery
Chinese Proverbs (editor)
2002 editorial / non-fictionA compiled and illustrated volume of Chinese proverbs (McCunn as editor).
cultureproverbs
Pie-Biter
1998 children's bookA children's picture book/story.
childrenculture
An Illustrated History of the Chinese in America
1979 history / non-fictionAn illustrated overview of the history of Chinese in America.
immigration historycultural history
Bibliography
- An Illustrated History of the Chinese in America (1979)
- Wooden Fish Songs (1995)
- Pie-Biter (1998)
- Sole Survivor (1999)
- The Moon Pearl (2001)
- Chinese Proverbs (ed., 2002)
- Thousand Pieces of Gold (reprint 2004)
- God of Luck (2008)
Adaptations
- Film adaptation of Thousand Pieces of Gold (1991)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- historically informed narrativeaccessible, character-driven storytellingfocus on Asian American perspectives
- Recurring Motifs
- family bondsconflict of assimilation and identityintergenerational memory
Legacy
Ruthanne Lum McCunn is known for works that illuminate Chinese American histories and personal narratives, bridging literature and public history. Her novel 'Thousand Pieces of Gold' is among her best-known works and reached a wider audience through film adaptation.
Academic Societies
- Chinese Historical Society of America (associated)
Archives
- UCLA Asian American Center Press (publication involvement)
- Author's official website (bibliographic/resource information)
In Popular Culture
- Increased visibility through the film adaptation of Thousand Pieces of Gold
Trivia
- Born with the name Roxey Drysdale.
- First language was Cantonese; grew up in Hong Kong.
- 'Thousand Pieces of Gold' was adapted into a film; the author was reportedly unhappy with the adaptation.
- Lives in San Francisco with her husband Don and two cats.