May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders have built American history & American culture for generations, from literally building the trans-continental railroad to creating some of your favorite Food Network shows. And while we can recognize the problematic roots of areas like Chinatown, we can also celebrate the hubs of Asian & Asian-American culture that they have become today. Movies like Moana and Lilo & Stitch are also increasing interest in the Pacific Islands, as well as their various cultures.
The cookbook collection at the Quincy Public Library is quite nice - both in terms of the amount of materials & the diversity of topics you can grab from it. And we do have cookbooks on Chinese food, Korean & Korean BBQ, food from the Philippines, to name a few.
There is also manga in both the teen area & the adult collection, like the Manga Lover's Tokyo Travel Guide. The Quincy Public Library has travel books covering Asia, ranging from travelogue (Lands of the Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road, for example) to various Fodor's, Lonely Planet, & DK travel guides. There are also various histories, covering specific countries, a timeframe or an event - such as: Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, Tropic of Football: The Long & Perilous Journey of Samoans to the NFL; Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes who Shaped History.
The Quincy Public Library's DVD collection has movies set in Asia, movies with Asian American actors, & documentaries about the various countries & cultures. If you are unsure where to start, a couple of ideas would be: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; The Farewell; Asia (a travel documentary to covering several places.)
As we wrap up May (and AAPI), feel free to stop in the library. We have a display up with a variety of materials, in addition to what we have in stock or can get through the partner libraries & the various apps. Please keep an eye out for our displays throughout the year, as we rotate the materials & topics we highlight.