The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky: A History of the Chinese Experience in Montana by Mark T. Johnson (review)

R E V I E W S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 83 In America’s Philosopher, Professor Arcenas has produced an entertaining and insightful book of political historiography that enlivens America’s intellectual past and stimulates thinking about its present. Geoff White Ottawa, Ontario The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky A HISTORY OF THE CHINESE EXPERIENCE IN MONTANA Mark T. Johnson University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 2022. $55.00 cloth Since its very founding as a study, historians of­ Chinese America have lamented the lack of unbiased primary sources available to their field. With The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky: A History of the Chinese Experience in Montana, Mark T. Johnson joins a growing number of scholars using transnational and multilingual research to address this longstanding paucity.Counting among his source material several hundred previously untranslated documents, Johnson sets out to achieve two goals: to present Montana’s historical Chinese American population as they saw themselves and, in doing so, to arrive at more accurate answers to questions such as, “What hopes and motivations did [Chinese Montanans] bring? To what extent did they achieve their goals? What pressures did they face? In what ways did they adapt to the realities of life so far from home? How fully did they integrate into Montana society?” (22) Following an introductory chapter, The Middle Kingdom under the Big Sky progresses through seven morechaptersthataddressthequestionsposedabove. Chinese language sources feature most prominently in chapters 2 and 8, which describe the trans­ national pressures faced by Butte’s late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Chinese ­ residents and the ways in which Cold War fears renewed ­ restrictions on ASK US ABOUT ADVERTISING in Montana The Magazine of Western History. Call (406) 444-4708 or email tryan@mt.gov for more information. INTRIGUING NORTHWEST READS $22.95 Paperback 978-1-63864-008-0 Basalt Books $18.95 Paperback 978-1-63864-005-9 Basalt Books $19.95 Paperback 978-1-63864-007-3 Basalt Books $32.95 Paperback 978-0-87422-422-1 Boyhood Among the Woolies Growing Up on a Basque Sheep Ranch Richard W. Etulain A sheepherder’s son delivers a rare look at life on an early eastern Washington sheep ranch, recounting endless chores, lambing season, sheep shearing, and fighting dangerous grass fires. He also describes family activities and shenanigans, schooling and church in Ritzville, Basque history, and more. Man of Treacherous Charm Territorial Justice Edmund C. Fitzhugh Candace Wellman Appointed to Washington Territory’s District and Supreme Courts in 1857 despite being under indictment for murder and only marginally qualified, Fitzhugh’s biography offers unique insights into the people, personalities, politics, and practices of the territory and 19th century American West. The Last Lookout on Dunn Peak Fire Spotting in Idaho’s St. Joe National Forest Nancy Sule Hammond Don and Nancy Hammond spent three exciting, magical fire seasons near Avery, Idaho. Interspersing regional fire history with dangers and details of the work, Nancy journeys back to narrow catwalks, stunning panoramas, and dry forest. Cashup Davis The Inspiring Life of a Secret Mentor Jeff Burnside and Gordon W. Davis Cashup Davis and his family—some of the first white settlers on the Palouse— turn bunchgrass acreage into a farm, befriend Native Americans, and open an immensely prosperous stagecoach stop. Against all odds, the brash yet charming entrepreneur fulfills his dream of building an opulent hotel on Steptoe Butte’s summit. Then his life comes crashing down. Available at bookstores, online at wsupress.wsu.edu, or by phone at 800-354-7360. R E V I E W S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 85 Chinese Americans’ ­ mobility in the mid-­ twentieth century. Throughout these two chapters, letters­ written to individuals like Wing Hong Hom and De Quan (whose name is reproduced most frequently­ according to its Mandarin ­ pronunciation despite his likely having spoken Cantonese) vividly demonstrate the impact of immigration policy,transpacific politics, and enduring family bonds on lived experience. Though less infused with personal ­ perspective, chapters 3 through 5 contribute to the book’s goals by tracing the evolving activism of Montana’s Chinese population through the 1892 Geary Act, the...

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