Born into a large family of Asian ethnicity in Canada, Marion Ascough
always felt like an outsider, not just because of her heritage, but also
because of her aspiration to be an artist. At home, her siblings often
take notice in the ways she defies expectation, and their next-door
neighbors call Marion and her siblings "heathens" because they are not
white. As Marion comes of age, she escapes the scrutiny of her siblings
and the racism of Quebec to move to New York. There, Marion is dedicated
to following her dream of having a successful art career. In New York,
Marion is now labeled as a Canadian rather than ethnic, which lessens
the racial discrimination she faces, but is instead disenfranchised
because she is a woman. Because of this, Marion struggles to be taken
seriously. While she fights to start her career and earn a consistent
living, she meets Reggie, the man of her dreams. The two grow close and
quickly talk of marriage. But when Reggie reveals that he wants all the
benefits of a marriage without the actual ceremony, Marion becomes
suspicious of his intentions.
Set in three major cities, Quebec, Boston, and New York, Onoto Watanna's
Marion: The Story of an Artist's Model provides invaluable insight on
the 20th century societal values and practices present in these cities.
With compelling themes of race, gender, and class, Marion: The Story of
an Artist's Model allows readers a gripping and rare perspective of the
experience of people of Asian descent in the United States in the early
20th century.
First published in 1916, Miss Numé of Japan: A Japanese American
Romance is rarely found in print. This special edition features a
stunning cover design and is printed in an easy-to-read font. With these
accommodations, this edition of Miss Numé of Japan: A Japanese American
Romance caters to contemporary readers by restoring the novel to modern
standards while preserving the original intricacy of Onoto Watanna's
work.
