Detroit, MI – Curtis Chin’s upcoming memoir, “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant,” is a vivid tale of his childhood growing up in Chung’s, a historic and longstanding restaurant in Detroit’s Cass Corridor. The memoir, set to release on Tuesday, takes readers on a journey into the heart of the restaurant, where Chin, his family, and customers shared stories, meals, and life experiences.
Curtis Chin, an award-winning writer, co-founded the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and is known for directing documentaries and producing the film “Vincent Who,” which explored the 1982 murder of Detroiter Vincent Chin.
The book provides a window into Detroit’s late 20th-century history, featuring moments such as the Detroit Tigers’ World Series win and the tragic killing of Vincent Chin. Through Chin’s perspective, readers can relive these key events and the atmosphere in the city during that time.
Chin doesn’t just focus on his life within the restaurant but also reflects on his family’s move to Troy, his experiences with racism, and his journey toward accepting his sexuality. He also discusses finding a second family at Drake’s in Ann Arbor during his college years.
Despite Chung’s restaurant having closed over 20 years ago and Chin living on the West Coast, the themes explored in “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant” – including racism, LGBTQ+ identity, immigration, and Detroit’s historic Chinatown – remain pertinent today.
Chin emphasized the significance of Chinese restaurants as places where people of different backgrounds could interact. He used humor in his book to address weighty issues, hoping to foster discussions about topics such as racism and identity in a friendly and engaging manner.
As he worked on his memoir, Chin initially focused on humorous anecdotes, but as events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd unfolded, he decided to address more serious and timely matters. He believes that his book can contribute to the ongoing conversation about identity formation and social issues.
The book has already received significant attention in the media and is highly anticipated by readers. It’s been featured on lists of the most anticipated books by publications such as Time Magazine, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, W Magazine, and Eater.
Curtis Chin envisions a potential future for his memoir as a television series and has plenty of stories from his Detroit upbringing to fill a second book, tentatively titled “Leftovers.”
“Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant” by Curtis Chin will be available on October 17, published by Little, Brown and Company.
Readers interested in exploring more of Detroit’s Chinatown history can visit the “Detroit’s Chinatown” exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum, running through January 7.
Curtis Chin will also host a Book Talk event at the Detroit Historical Museum on November 12.
For further information and upcoming appearances by Curtis Chin, visit curtisfromdetroit.com.
