Margaret Cho

Unlike many biographies, this book does not start with its subject's birth. It starts by describing how Cho got expelled from high school. From the jump, a controversy like this breaks the stereotype that all Asian Americans are studious. It challenges "model minority" myths. I think readers who don't fit the norm of their identity groups will find comfort in learning about Cho. Unlike most books for young readers, this has few photos. It is text-based, rather than visual. This may be a clue that the book is intended for high school readers or late junior high ones. Then again, topics are presented that some adults may feel are too heavy for especially young readers. I think this book may be especially appreciated by Asian-American readers who are coming to terms with their group status. The work mentions how a program placed a flag of Korea behind Cho even though she is an American citizen. Many Asian Americans have complained of society's tendency to dismiss them as "perpetual foreigners." Cho recalls how a person once said to her, "If there are few Asian Americans in entertainment, then maybe because they choose not to be there." This strategy is called "blaming the victim." It can be used by the majority to refuse to think of structural oppression in their society; instead the fault is placed upon the marginalized group. Still, in her autobiography, Cho takes many Korean Americans to task for harming her. This book ignores that intra-ethnic tension. Many works on famous people who are known or suspected to be of the rainbow flag community refuse to speak on the subject's sexual orientation. This book makes two quick references to Cho's bisexuality. The brief mention makes sense in light of Cho's failure to go into detail about it in her own autobiography. The work admits that Cho is married to a man, but never shows a photo of the couple. This book is one installment in a series called "Asian Americans of Achievement." The series covers men and women. I think it may have wanted to include Cho due to her sexual diversity, not despite of it. (I still question why the series has no installments on South Asian Americans, however.) The work speaks about Cho's struggles with weight and bad health. It speaks about how she and her fan try to challenge the beauty myth in our society. I love that about this artist. Still, the chald does have a big, old head! I can innocently walk past photographs of her and think, "Why is her face twice as big as the other people in the photo!?" Jay Leno deals with his chin. Bob Hope admitted that he was called "Ski Slope Nose." These men are not from oppressed groups. I do wonder if Cho must accept that physically, she is simply conspicuous. This work lists Cho's website and quotes her blog. This makes this biography very 21st century. No one can read about George Washington and then read his blog. The same applies to Eleanor Roosevelt and others. There is a way in which this book is i