Mott Street

A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming

By: Ava Chin

Narrated by: Ava Chin

“Essential reading for understanding not just Chinese American history but American history—and the American present.” —Celeste Ng, #1 bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere

* TIME 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 * San Francisco Chronicle's Favorite Nonfiction * Kirkus Best Nonfiction of 2023 * Winner of the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Non-Fiction Book Prize * Library Journal Best Memoir and Biography of 2023 * One of Elle's Best Memoirs of 2023 (So Far) * An ALA Notable Book *

“The Angela’s Ashes for Chinese Americans.” —Miwa Messer, Poured Over podcast

As the only child of a single mother in Queens, Ava Chin found her family’s origins to be shrouded in mystery. She had never met her father, and her grandparents’ stories didn’t match the history she read at school. Mott Street traces Chin’s quest to understand her Chinese American family’s story. Over decades of painstaking research, she finds not only her father but also the building that provided a refuge for them all.

Breaking the silence surrounding her family’s past meant confronting the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882—the first federal law to restrict immigration by race and nationality, barring Chinese immigrants from citizenship for six decades. Chin traces the story of the pioneering family members who emigrated from the Pearl River Delta, crossing an ocean to make their way in the American West of the mid-nineteenth century. She tells of their backbreaking work on the transcontinental railroad and of the brutal racism of frontier towns, then follows their paths to New York City.

In New York’s Chinatown she discovers a single building on Mott Street where so many of her ancestors would live, begin families, and craft new identities. She follows the men and women who became merchants, “paper son” refugees, activists, and heads of the Chinese tong, piecing together how they bore and resisted the weight of the Exclusion laws. She soon realizes that exclusion is not simply a political condition but also a personal one.

Gorgeously written, deeply researched, and tremendously resonant, Mott Street uncovers a legacy of exclusion and resilience that speaks to the American experience, past and present.

A Beautiful Story

Ava Chin’s book is a must! Love, loyalty, betrayal, history, A wonderfully amazing family saga.

The history I love it and the voice was gooooddd

Everything loved it was amazing overall it was a great book ten out of ten

Required reading for every high school student

Excellent exploration into a little known piece of American history that unfortunately is ugly - Chin did an extraordinary feat of research in uncovering how Chinese immigrants were treated for almost 61 years until barbaric laws were finally overturned.
This book is very timely in light of the immigration issues we are facing today

Captivating, fascinating and important read!

In this captivating audiobook, the author's emotive narration skillfully weaves a beautiful tapestry of stories, engaging listeners in a journey from the broad strokes of history to intimate family details. Her inclusion of overlooked Chinese exclusion history enriches the narrative, and her emotional delivery adds a profound connection, making this a must-listen for a compelling exploration of history and family dynamics. A must listen!!

elegiac, compelling family history

some of the early sections engaged me less, but as she got into the 1920s and later, this was wonderful and informative, compassionate and clear eyes