We Were Dreamers
An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story
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4.4 • 106 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
The star of Marvel’s first Asian superhero film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, tells his own origin story of being a Chinese immigrant, his battles with cultural stereotypes and his own identity, becoming a TV star, and landing the role of a lifetime.
In this honest, inspiring and relatable memoir, newly-minted superhero Simu Liu chronicles his family's journey from China to the bright lights of Hollywood with razor-sharp wit and humor.
Simu's parents left him in the care of his grandparents, then brought him to Canada when he was four. Life as a Canuck, however, is not all that it was cracked up to be; Simu's new guardians lack the gentle touch of his grandparents, resulting in harsh words and hurt feelings. His parents, on the other hand, find their new son emotionally distant and difficult to relate to - although they are related by blood, they are separated by culture, language, and values.
As Simu grows up, he plays the part of the pious child flawlessly - he gets straight A's, crushes national math competitions and makes his parents proud. But as time passes, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the path that has been laid out for him. Less than a year out of college, at the tender age of 22, his life hits rock bottom when he is laid off from his first job as an accountant. Left to his own devices, and with nothing left to lose, Simu embarks on a journey that will take him far outside of his comfort zone into the world of show business.
Through a swath of rejection and comical mishaps, Simu's determination to carve out a path for himself leads him to not only succeed as an actor, but also to open the door to reconciling with his parents.
We Were Dreamers is more than a celebrity memoir - it's a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this triumphant debut, Liu, star of Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, traces how he followed his "immigrant dream" all the way to the big screen. His "cross-generational tale" begins in 1990s Harbin, China, where young Liu lived happily with his grandparents in a "ramshackle apartment." Things changed drastically when, at age four, Liu was reunited in Toronto with his parents, who'd moved overseas in search of a better life. He bluntly reveals how cultural divides, compounded by the "weight" of his parents' expectations, created a rift in the family, one that was often defined by violence. "I stopped feeling like my parents' happily ever after, and more like their burden," writes Liu. After excelling in school, though, dogged determination and a love of "tricking" (a mix of martial arts, gymnastics, and break dancing) led Liu to acting. Fans will relish the candid look at his winding road to success—from playing an "Asian extra" in 2013's Pacific Rim, to unglamorous gigs found via Craigslist, to making history as Marvel's first Asian superhero. The book's beating heart, however, lies in the affecting story of his family's path to healing: "My parents are beaming with pride at the son who has disobeyed practically every single order they had ever given." This real-life hero's journey is a knockout.
Customer Reviews
I loved it
Funny yet informative
Fun book, preview definitely lets you know the intended audience
I do enjoy the way Simu talks and jests about things. He gives personal insight about his family and China. He does throw in some leftist jabs but it’s not too overbearing. The comparison to China with America having a Donald Trump and Donald Glover was funny, but yes people from the same country can be vastly different despite the similar language and customs.
Rooted
When I first saw that Sims Liu had released a memoir I thought it was a bit premature. He is still very early in his career and I wondered how much there was to share in such a young life. What we get in place a reflection over a long life is an enlightening first hand perspective of the intersection of the Immigrant experience and Western culture. More specifically, how that experience unmakes and makes a family over time.
Simu’s approach is a grounded, funny, and self deprecating accounting of the Chinese immigrant, to Canadian citizen, to movie star hustle. Sims provides candid loopbacks at his failures and success. Occasionally, he offers up the accusatory glare or finger at others encountered along the way. Most tellingly, is the level of personal accountability he shows through every stage. A reminder that we are as much principal agents in our stories as others.
The real meat and what I wish we got more of is the dilemma of where eastern parenting meets the western lifestyle. I think it is a topic not fully understand on how that intersectionality affects identities and outcomes. I do appreciate that Simu uses many examples to challenge stereotypes and recast the personal immigrant dream against the western landscapes. It may be more important for parents of immigrant children to read this than their kids.