Friday Favorites Remixed: Nonfiction Storytelling
Asia Society at Home
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Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas Center team's favorite ways to stay entertained indoors! In each post we'll share with you our picks for what to read, watch, listen to, and more.
Our Friday Favorites: Remixed series looks back at the dozens of suggestions our staff members have made over the last few months, collecting them by theme and adding a couple new suggestions to help you find exactly what you most want to nerd out to!
This week's remix surveys a selection of nonfiction offerings. Through books, podcasts, documentaries, and more, dive in for a fresh understanding and appreciation of history, food, music, and contemporary life.
History: Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People
Recommended by Chris Dunn, Marketing and Communications Manager
"Helen Zia is a journalist and activist who's documented and represented Asian American issues since the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin. Though much has happened in the 19 years since Asian American Dreams was published, it remains critical reading to understand how Asian Americans, both as a whole and as subgroups, have interacted in the U.S.'s binary racial landscape.
Find it on: Helen Zia's website
History: The True History of Tea
Recommended by Alex Perlloni, Security and Facility Assistant
"I love tea in all its varieties (black, green, yellow, oolong, and pu-erh), so I recently added to my library The True History of Tea by Erling Hoh and Victor H. Mair. This book gives you a detailed history of tea, covering how it developed from the earliest Chinese dynasties through Japan, Central Asia, India ,and Europe. It is very engaging and well-researched."
Find it on: Thames & Hudson | Bookshop
YouTube: 李子柒 Li Ziqi
Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Education, Outreach, and Data Coordinator
"Li Ziqi's channel is one of the gems of YouTube. Her videos are of her rural life in China, as she shows the viewer how she makes meals using traditional methods, explains the uses of different crops, and makes furniture and tools from scratch. Her videos show her impressive array of skills, and never cease to surprise me — from the time she made a dress out of grape skins to when she demonstrated the method of making traditional Chinese paper. She allows people to admire the skills of farmers and an appreciation for living off the land. The videos are beautiful to watch and fill you with a sense of serenity. I always turn to her videos when I want to relax and clear my mind."
Find it on: YouTube (Channel)
Podcast: Asian Americana
Recommended by Mei Qi, Business and Policy Manager
"Asian Americana releases episodes infrequently enough that I'm always excited about new episodes! Similar to NPR's This American Life, it takes a topic and dives into its history and wider effects and impacts, often with contributors sharing personal stories. I particularly loved the episode on boba (do you call it "bubble tea"? It might depend on where you live!), the one about Cambodian Rock Band featuring Khmer American music, and the one that explores how immigrant families might react differently to the KonMari method."
Find it on: Asian Americana website | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher
Radio Show: Soundcheck
Recommended by Kaitlyn Ellison, Performing Arts and Culture Manager
"I've recently been spending a lot of time listening to NPR's New Sounds, a New York Public Radio production all about uncovering new music from all over the world. They have a couple different shows, one of which is called Soundcheck, where they invite artists into the studio for hybrid interview/performance sessions. I've really enjoyed discovering completely new music and hearing the stories behind the sounds — the one highlighted here features Junun, a collaboration between an Israeli composer and Indian musical group that performs in Urdu, Hebrew, and Hindi."
Find it on: New Sounds: Soundcheck
Instagram: Asian Grocery Only
Recommended by Janine Mae Arostique, Development Manager
"Asian Grocery Only is more than an assortment of photos of Asian snacks, fruit displays, and 'exotic' ingredients. This Instagram account reminds me of fond memories I have as a child going to the supermarket with my parents: watching fresh crabs move around in their container by the fish counter, trying my best to resist the urge to climb on top of 20-pound rice bags, and how I would beg for strawberry Yan Yan at the cash register. Asian Grocery Only also gives insight to Asian grocery stores in the midst of COVID-19. Following them on Instagram is a must."
Find it on: Instagram
Documentary: Asian Americans
Recommended by our Education and Outreach team
"Supplemented by short videos and detailed lesson plans, the PBS docuseries Asian Americans delivers a fresh, bold perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever."
Find it on: PBS (with membership)
Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and United Airlines, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsor of Education & Outreach; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.
About Asia Society at Home
We are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.
