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We can always trust Patrick Radden Keefe for a compelling deep dive. This backlist treat is no exception. I knew very little about Chinese migration to the US in the ‘80s and ‘90s, legal or otherwise. This investigation into the Snakehead trade, through the case Sister Ping is narrative non-fiction at its best. You can‘t make this kind of story up.

I thoroughly researched and fascinating examination of Chinese/ US immigration. With an analytical, yet sympathetic approach, Keefe uses the tragedy of the Golden Venture to examine the complexities of US immigration policies and the shady characters who exploit them. Keefe has a talent for making the most complex situations and ideas understandable.

Again another fantastic book I couldn‘t put down by Keefe. This one opened my eyes to the history and darker side of Chinatown. It was well down to capture the many sides of human trafficking from China. I enjoyed the connection of politics to immigration, and the realization that it‘s not something you can stop. Recommend this book to all interested in history, politics, and more.

Such an interesting book. Having read one of his bios before, I came across this one! So glad I picked it up. A whole side of immigration I really haven‘t been aware of. Great read!

In 1993, a ship called the Golden Venture carrying 300 unauthorized immigrants from Fujian province, China ran aground off of Queens Beach. The ship had been commissioned by Sister Ping, an unassuming grandmother and noodle shop owner in NY's Chinatown who also presided over a multimillion-dollar global smuggling network. I worked on the edge of Chinatown for several years, and there wasn't a single resident I spoke to who didn't know Sister Ping.