Books

"Screaming Monkeys" book cover

Screaming Monkeys (2003)

Screaming Monkeys

Art, fiction, poetry and essays critiquing Asian and Asian American images in media, government, and popular culture.

When a restaurant review referred to a Filipino child as a “rambunctious little monkey,” Filipino Americans were outraged. Sparked by this racist incident, Screaming Monkeys sets fire to Asian American stereotypes as it illuminates the diverse and often neglected history and culture within the Asian American diaspora. Poems, essays, paintings, and stories break down and challenge “found” articles, photographs, and headlines to create this powerful anthology with all the immediacy of social protest. By closely critiquing a wealth of material, including the judge’s statement of apology in the Wen Ho Lee case, the media treatment of serial killer Andrew Cunanan, and the image of Asian Americans in major U.S. marketing campaigns, Screaming Monkeys will inspire all its readers to instigate change by pursuing their own course of personal and public activism.

2004 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award in the Advancement of Human Rights.

2003 ForeWord Gold Award: Best Anthology of the Year for SCREAMING MONKEYS.

Coffee House Press
Read reviews and order on Coffee House Press website

PrAise For
Screaming Monkeys

SCREAMING MONKEYS performs one of the most challenging, yet culturally rewarding subversions of prevailing stereotypes of Asian Americans in contemporary mass media. This outstandingly comprehensive document takes the pulse of a critical contradiction in American self-perception, and attempts to adjust an unfocused lens.
— Rocío G. Davis