/24-7PressRelease/ - DIAMOND BAR, CA, February 17, 2006 - Artist/Author Carl Allen Schoner's fifth book, "Suburban Samurai - The Asian Invasion of The San Gabriel Valley," has stirred some controversy in Usenet groups on the WEB. In the author's words the book is a humorous, sensitive, provocative, and enlightening perspective of how the new Asian immigrants have transformed life in the San Gabriel Valley. But some people object to his use of the word "Samurai," pointing out that it is a Japanese word and most of the Valley's new immigrants are Chinese.
The author chose the word "Samurai" to refer to all new Asian immigrants, regardless of their original nationality, to highlight the fact that most Westerners view Asian immigrants as all being the same, much as they may think of a Geisha when asked to visualize an Asian woman in a traditional dress. The author says the mission of this book is to illustrate the inaccuracy of that perception, to dispel some of the common myths and stereotypes that Westerners have about Asians, and more important, to illustrate some of the colorful cultural changes this new Asian population has brought to the Valley.
The author, who has lived in the Valley for 45 years and is married to a first generation Asian American, paints a picture of the changing demographics of the San Gabriel Valley through essays and cartoons and touches upon such topics of interest as traffic congestion, image and wealth, Chinese restaurants and dining experiences, music and entertainment, Asian banks, markets, cultural centers, feng shui, the "dating disparity" issue, karaoke clubs, and much more.
Schoner is a gifted author and cartoonist. His articles and cartoons have appeared in many prestigious publications such as Consulting Magazine, The California Law Student Journal, Chess Life Magazine, and The Saturday Evening Post. He has also published a 400 page phonebook-sized collection of his cartoons and sketches called "Carl Allen Schoner's BIG Cartoon Sketchbook;" a zany collection of his favorite recipes and cartoons titled "Carl Allen Schoner's Cartoon Cookbook Sampler," and a motivational self-help book titled "Dream Psycles - A New Awakening in Hypnosis.
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