The Making of Asian America Through Political Participation is a much-welcomed addition to the Asian American politics literature (and the minority politics literature) in that it takes the multifaceted and multiethnic dimensions of Asian American politics seriously. The basis from which this book is written is refreshing and revealing. Throughout the text, Pei-te Lien highlights the relationship that Asian Americans have with other groups and documents the contiguity and change in their status over time.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the historical struggles that have shaped the Asian American group. The main thesis is that Asian Americans were politically active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries because they needed to battle the racial antagonism that greeted them upon their arrival in the United States. To change the repressive system, they often worked though complex networks of community organizations. They actively fought against mob violence and utilized the legal system extensively, filing thousands of court cases. In short, Asian Americans were not passive recipients as many sources often are wont to portray them. Instead, the roots of Asian American activism stretch far back in American history.

Chapter 2 shifts from the historical focus to a review of some of the contemporary struggles that Asian Americans face, and the political means by which they engage them. Lien provides an overview of the Asian American movement in the 1960s that complemented the civil rights struggles of other minority groups. She ties this movement to post-1960 movements in order to demonstrate that the activist spirit is alive and well. Indeed, we can see that Asian Americans are still stepping up to fight against anti-immigrant and antiminority sentiments today through the struggles that have led to the appointment of Bill Lann Lee and the formation of the 80–20 Initiative. In both of these specific incidences, pan-ethnic organizations have emerged in response to internal community and external political forces. In continuing the historical tradition, then, Asian Americans are still pursing activism through elite-based tactics, such as litigation, campaign donations, and lobbying.

Chapter 3 examines traditional electoral politics. A particularly nice feature of this chapter is Lien's tracing of a little-known history of Asian American candidates at the local and state level. Her qualitative analysis here clearly demonstrates that Asian Americans have been active candidates as well. Indeed, in recent times, there have been more than 1,200 elected and appointed Asian American officials. She further compares the Hawaiian case, where the political success of Asian Americans is unmatched, to the mainland case. Although participation on the mainland is still restricted and lopsided (both with respect to geography and ethnicity), she documents the great strides that have been made.

Chapter 4 discusses the historical relationship between Asian Americans and other groups, making use of public opinion polls that oversample minority groups and focus on racial attitudes. She notes that Asian Americans occupy a middle position between whites and other ethnic minorities. This separation and the high-profile examples of such racial tensions as the Rodney King riots produce obvious barriers. Nonetheless, some cooperative relationships have been formed, and this formation is dependent upon the political context and the issue areas.

Chapter 5 looks at the all-important question of pan-ethnicity. This is perhaps the greatest barrier of all to the emergence of a viable Asian American entity. Lien delineates the challenges that have been created by both historical and contemporary events. She then examines public opinion polls to gain some insight into these obvious barriers to a common identity within the umbrella group. She uncovers gaps in voter registration, groupbased participation, and vote choice. Nevertheless, some patterns emerge. For instance, Asian American groups generally support Democrats and liberal issue positions. In addition, when external forces mobilize the group, glimpses of a common identity shine through. Her evidence demonstrates that when and if they are mobilized and the context is ripe, the barriers are not insurmountable.

Chapter 6 examines the role of gender. She reviews the history again and notes how historical circumstances have shaped gender and family roles. Historically, because of antiimmigration legislation, the Asian American community was primarily a bachelor society. Families did not develop until well past the mid-twentieth century. She shows that now, Asian American women are relatively prosperous, comparatively speaking, because of the opportunities that have been afforded them after the lifting of immigration restrictions and due to their own abilities as well.

This book is very strong on a number of points. The focus is broad, both with respect to the time period examined and the topics that are explored. It is rich in methodological approaches and sources, spanning both sophisticated multivariate analyses and insightful qualitative analyses. The author's deep knowledge of her subject is beyond doubt. Although one might complain of a lack of a comparative focus, in the realm of Asian American studies this book is not insular. Indeed, Chapter 6 incorporates a fascinating comparative focus in its discussion of the gender gap. Overall, then, this book is a most impressive effort: a must read for anyone interested in Asian American politics, and an important contribution to the minority politics literature more generally.