An Immortal Book

Edith Maude Eaton (1865-1914) published hundreds of works (journalism, fiction, essays) in over 60 journals and magazines across Canada, the United States, and Jamaica-often under her pen name, Sui Sin Far. Eaton is best known for her short stories exploring the everyday lives of Chinese immigrants living in North America under hostile conditions codified through the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Her 1912 story collection Mrs. Spring Fragrance was the first published book by a writer of Chinese heritage in the United States. An Immortal Book brings together a selection of stories and essays showcasing her skill at rendering place, constructing characters, and exploring ideas about identity, race, gender, and politics with sharp humor, honesty, and sensitivity. Iconic stories (such as "Mrs. Spring Fragrance" and "An Inferior Woman") appear alongside groundbreaking autobiographical essays ("Leaves from the Mental Portfolio of an Eurasian") and compelling lesser-known works ("Woo-Ma and I") from different points in Eaton's career. This volume from Cita Press, which features a cover by Shuhua Xiong and a foreword by Victoria Namkung, celebrates Eaton's legacy as a significant contributor to Asian North American, feminist, and transnational literature. An open access (free to read and share) digital edition is available at citapress.org.