Sun is ready to leave his village in China for America, the

place known as Gum Saan, Gold Mountain. His father warns

him, though, that passage will not be easy. Because of the 1882

Chinese Exclusion Act, new immigrants like Sun are detained

at Angel Island until they are called to take a difficult oral

exam before they can "land" - leave Angel Island and go

ashore. On the boat, Sun had studied maps of his village and

memorized facts about his ancestors. But as the weeks pass in

detainment, the map's compass points swirl in his memory, and

Sun worries that he will lose his direction and be turned away.

The oil paintings are rich with historical details in this vivid

recounting, based on the author's father-in-law's experiences, of

a disturbing chapter in Chinese American history.