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USA Today
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Kristina McMorris pens her city's dark history, talks meaning of 'shanghaied'
Kristina McMorris pens her city's dark history, talks meaning of 'shanghaied' As a historical fiction author, Kristina McMorris has made a career out of exploring untold nuggets of history. Her novel 'Sold on a Monday' was inspired by a real newspaper photo of children under a sign offering them for sale. 'Bridge of Scarlet Leaves' followed the non-Japanese women who voluntarily entered Japanese internment camps to stay with their spouses and children. But it took her several decades to learn about the history right in her backyard. McMorris had heard of 'being Shanghaied' as slang, but found out about the Portland Shanghai tunnels, funnily enough, from an episode of "Ghost Hunters". Now, 'The Girls of Good Fortune' (out now from Sourcebooks) connects those tunnels and the discrimination against Chinese laborers during the 1800s through its main character, Celia. What does it mean to get 'shanghaied'? 'Girls of Good Fortune' goes behind slang In popular culture, 'shanghaied' often refers to tricking or coercing someone. But the term's historical roots refer to the method of kidnapping men to meet the growing demand for sailors in the late 19th century. The Portland Tunnels, subject to much local lore, were likely used as dungeons for "shanghaied" victims. 'Girls of Good Fortune,' set in 1888, opens as Celia awakens in one of these underground cells, drugged and disguised as a man. As she retraces her steps to understand how she got there, she begins to understand that she has been 'shanghaied' and is about to be shipped off into forced labor. She'll do anything to make it back to her young daughter, who's been left behind in peril. During the start of her research during the pandemic, McMorris took virtual tours of the tunnels and read historical texts from the Oregon Historical Society to fill in the blanks. It was more of a challenge than her previous novels, many of which have been set in the 20th century and relied on interviews and first-hand accounts. That research led her to a period of intense anti-Chinese violence in the late 1800s. McMorris learned about the Tacoma Method, which refers to a mob of several hundred white men (including city leaders) violently pushing out the entire Chinese community of Tacoma, Washington in 1885. The mob intimidated families, burned churches and broke into and vandalized homes. Seen as a method to successfully push Chinese populations out, the Tacoma expulsion led to even more violence. In Rock Springs, Wyoming Territory in 1885, white miners attacked Chinese miners and set fire to their homes, killing an estimated 28 people. In Hells Canyon in 1887, 30 Chinese miners were gunned down in Oregon by a white gang. The novel is set during this period of intense anti-Chinese sentiments, and Celia's father is killed in these massacres. 'How have we never learned about this?' McMorris says. 'Given that it is, historians will tell you, the greatest atrocity against the Chinese immigrants in America, in our history. And yet most people have never heard of it.' As a historical fiction writer, McMorris says the best compliment she receives from readers is that her books make them want to learn more and do their own research. She sees the genre as an accessible entry point. 'That is more interesting, I hope, than a textbook from history class, when we were told just to memorize dates and names and regurgitate them for exams and it didn't mean much to us because we didn't humanize it,' McMorris says. 'The humanizing of history, where it becomes real people that are us at a different time, they're ordinary people during extraordinary times, in extraordinary circumstances, then we're able to increase empathy. And I think that is really important.' In all her work, McMorris searches for women's roles in history that are 'easily brushed over.' 'When We Had Wings,' her 2022 novel with Ariel Lawhon and Susan Meissner, follows the forgotten but crucial Women's Army Corps in World War II. She's 'endlessly fascinated' by stories of women (fictional and real) who had to disguise themselves as men for freedom, political power or to serve on the battlefield. She was also partially inspired by 'Mulan,' a household family favorite, when she was writing Celia getting 'shanghaied.' Kristina McMorris' Asian identity informs 'Girls of Good Fortune' characters McMorris, who is Japanese and white, hasn't put this much of her Asian identity into a novel since 'Bridge of Scarlet Leaves' in 2012. With 'Girls of Good Fortune,' she used her own experience being mixed race to craft Celia, who is white and Chinese and passing while she works as a maid for the mayor's family. McMorris' father is from Kyoto, and she says he was reluctant for many years to teach her and her sister Japanese because he was 'so proud of having his kids be American.' He regretted it later in his life. 'We didn't know exactly where we fit in,' McMorris says. 'Having a foot in both worlds was interesting and yet wasn't something that we appreciated as much until we got older. And so now we absolutely love that, the feeling that we're different in a way, that we're unique in our own ways.' That experience of balancing assimilation but holding onto cultural roots is something McMorris injected into her novel. And more than just grappling with her identity, Celia reckons with her privilege to pass as white and how she can use her voice to speak up for those who cannot, like her father. 'What we bring to the table is our voice, which is how we view the world, the way that we put those words together, the messages that we want to share,' McMorris says. 'Most importantly, it is telling stories from history that otherwise might be forgotten. Shining a light on that in some way, I think, is absolutely important today more than ever.' More historical fiction: 5 books about forgotten female heroes Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
USA Today
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
5 books about forgotten female heroes to celebrate Women's History Month
5 books about forgotten female heroes to celebrate Women's History Month Women's History Month is almost at a close, but there is still time to add empowering reads to your TBR before March is over. Stories of unsung female heroes are having a moment, like Kristin Hannah's 'The Women,' which spotlights the 'forgotten' female veterans of World War II. Kristina McMorris, the author of the bestselling historical fiction novel 'Sold on a Monday' and the upcoming 'Girls of Good Fortune,' told USA TODAY that women's historical fiction is an uplifting space for readers and writers. 'There is something that is very special about having female bonds and friendships (where) we really understand each other and are there to support each other,' McMorris says. 'We are so passionate about shining a light on these stories from the past that it never feels competitive. We are all just there to help lift each other up and spread word about each other's stories and about each other's talents as much as possible. It is an amazing community.' Here are five books we recommend checking out and the real-life history behind them. 'Harlem Rhapsody' by Victoria Christopher Murray What's it's about: This novel follows Jessie Redmon Fauset, a high school teacher from Washington D.C. who arrives in Harlem as she becomes the first Black woman named literary editor of The Crisis magazine. But her secret affair with her older boss, W. E. B. Du Bois, threatens her position. Determined to prove herself, Jessie throws herself into helping The Crisis thrive by scouting writers who would someday become literary icons, including Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes and Nella Larsen. The real history: Fauset became the literary editor of The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, at Du Bois' persuasion. She edited and published the work of notable Harlem Renaissance writers but was rarely given credit for her role in the artistic movement. Like many others, Fauset's writing was often dismissed because it dealt with 'women's issues' and because she was a woman herself, The New Yorker reported. But scholars and writers alike acknowledge that the movement would not have been possible without her. 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah What it's about: 'The Women' is the story of the women serving in the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. It follows 20-year-old sheltered nursing student Frances 'Frankie' McGrath, who, while in Vietnam, makes friends and learns that every day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal. When she comes home to a changed America, she has to face a country that wants to forget Vietnam and ignore the women who served in it. The real history: About 10,000 women served in-country in Vietnam, and 265,000 served in the war efforts overall. Many were nurses, averaging just 23 years old, according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. These Vietnam veterans are sometimes called the 'forgotten veterans' because of the hostility and ignorance they faced from Americans who did not believe women served in the war. 'The Rose Code' by Kate Quinn What it's about: This World War II novel follows three female code breakers at Bletchley Park, working against the clock to solve the puzzle and crack German military codes. If that isn't pressure enough, the women are faced with a mysterious traitor who emerges, years later, as the three friends are torn apart. The real history: Most think of Alan Turing cracking the Enigma Code when it comes to World War II code breakers, but more than 10,000 women also served for the U.S. Army and Navy in that capacity. At a time when employment opportunities for women were a rarity, code breaking offered jobs to the math- and puzzle-minded. Female code breakers were crucial to the U.S. winning the war. 'The Queen of Sugar Hill' by Reshonda Tate What it's about: 'The Queen of Sugar Hill' is a fictional portrait of Hattie McDaniel, the Hollywood actress who would become the first Black person to win an Oscar. The story picks up after she receives her award for best supporting actress, only to face unemployment, discrimination and disdain from both white and Black communities. The real history: The 'Gone with the Wind' actress is far from unknown, but her accolades are wholly underappreciated and overlooked. McDaniel's career was hindered by racism and sexism, especially after 'Gone With the Wind.' Many Black audience members saw her role as 'Mammy' as furthering racist stereotypes. In her later years, McDaniel successfully lobbied against racially restrictive deeds that were pushing Black residents out of neighborhoods. 'Forbidden City' by Vanessa Hua What it's about: Beginning on the eve of China's Cultural Revolution, 'Forbidden City' follows a teenage girl named Mei who becomes the Communist Party Chairman's muse, lover and confidante. Within the capital, Mei becomes disillusioned with the Chairman and his politics, eventually publicly betraying him and running away. Here, she learns just how much female revolutionaries have been erased and rewritten. The real history: 'Forbidden City' tells the stories of women who fought and endured during the Cultural Revolution, only to be left in the heavily edited footnotes of history. Mei is a reimagining of the underage girls Mao Zedong slept with during this time. Here, Hua shines a light on the lesser known role of young women in the Cultural Revolution and disillusionment in abusive political figures. Looking for your next great read? USA TODAY has you covered. Taste is subjective, and USA TODAY Books has plenty of genres to recommend. Check out the 15 new releases we're most excited about in 2025. Is dystopian your thing? Check out these books that are similar to 'The Hunger Games' and '1984.' Or if you want something with lower stakes and loveable characters, see if a "cozy mystery" or "cozy fantasy" book is for you. If you want the most popular titles, check out USA TODAY's Best-selling Booklist. Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
