All That Matters
by Choy, Wayson
Born in 1939, Wayson Choy grew up the son of Chinese immigrants in Vancouver’s Chinatown. His father worked as a chef on a Canadian Pacific ship, and the young Wayson often accompanied his mother at evenings of mahjong. He watched Chinese opera, but wanted to be a cowboy.After attending the University of British Columbia, where he enrolled in its Creative Writing course, Wayson Choy left Vancouver and has lived in Toronto since 1962. He is Professor Emeritus of Humber College and is a faculty member of the Humber School for Writers; he taught English for thirty years until he retired in 2002. He has been a volunteer for community literacy projects and AIDS groups, and for three years was President of Cahoots Theatre Company. He was appointed a Companion of Frontier College in 2002.A teacher himself for many years, he acknowledges those who helped in his early writing days, such as Jacob Zilber who guided him towards writing a short story called “The Sound of Waves,” which was selected for inclusion by the Best American Short Stories in 1962. Others were Jan de Bruyn, one of the first editors of PRISM magazine, and the poet Earle Birney, who taught creative writing at UBC. “I haven’t searched out mentors; they have been a kind of gift to me.” Choy was already teaching when he enrolled once again in the Creative Writing course; this time he produced the short story “The Jade Peony,” which was first published in 1977 and would be anthologized many times before Choy was asked to develop it into a novel.The Jade Peony, Choy’s first novel, is narrated by Kiam-Kim’s three siblings — Sister Jook-Liang, Second Brother Jung-Sum and Third Brother Sekky — as they each grope for their own childhood identity within the Chen family in Vancouver’s Chinatown. Their stories tell of poverty and racism. Published to glowing reviews, it became a runaway bestseller in Canada, and was published in Australia, Germany and the United States, where it was selected as a notable book by the American Library Assocation.It was after doing a radio interview about the book in 1995 that Choy received an unexpected phone call from a woman who had once been his babysitter, with a stunning revelation. At the age of 56 he learned that he had been adopted as a child. The feelings and memories unleashed inspired his second book, Paper Shadows, a memoir of his Chinatown childhood, which the National Post called a “lovely, agile dance of memory.” It won the Edna Stabler Award for Creative Non-Fiction, and was shortlisted for the 1999 Governor General’s Award, the Charles Taylor Literary Nonfiction Prize and the Drainie-Taylor Biography Prize.Choy says, “I began writing the book as if it was going to be a light, entertaining read because I had a happy childhood, but the more I delved into the past, I realized that dark path of the ghetto, the racism, and the family sex life, and so on. So the book turned on me and let me see for the first time what Chinatown meant.” On the other hand, his love and understanding of his deceased parents grew deeper as he learned about them through his research and his writing. Secrets were discovered that his family were not able to share, such as what had happened to the false papers they probably were destroyed to avoid being deported.Research forms an important part of the evolution of Choy’s work, whether it takes the form of talking to older people about their memories or of looking through old documents and photographs in museums for historical context. However, the depth of feeling in All That Matters evolved from a profound source. While Choy was writing it, he had a severe asthma attack, leading to a coma, during which he had more than one heart attack. As he recovered, he gradually discovered how terrible it had been for his friends and family. Though he had seen loved ones die of AIDS or cancer or old age, this made him realize more about the power of simple acts of decency, and the “deeper level, of connection between people,” something he went on to explore in the novel.
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All That Matters: A Novel
by Wayson Choy
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Doubleday Canada, 2004. First Edition. Hardcover. New/New. Signed. We ship each business day; Tracking provided. New hardback book, First Printing with complete number line. Signed by author, not gift inscribed. Item Price
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All That Matters
by Choy, Wayson
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Doubleday Canada, 2004-01-01. First Edition. HARDCOVER. Fine/Near Fine. 5x1x8. We're happy to combine shipping to save you some money. We're also always buying collectible book collections. Contact us for details. We're happy to provide pictures of any and all books for you, please just ask! Canadian first edition, first printing. Contains number line 1 2… Read more about this item Item Price
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All That Matters: A Novel
by Choy, Wayson
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Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2004. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. Signed by Author(s). Canadian First. First edition, first printing as evidenced by a complete number line from 1 to 10; signed by Wayson Choy on the title page with no inscription; two creases at the top and bottom of the back cover on both the dust jacket and the boards; otherwise a… Read more about this item Item Price
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All That Matters: A Novel
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Doubleday Canada. Near Fine in Very Good+ dust jacket. 2004. First Edition. Hardcover. 0385257597 . A Good Read ships from Toronto and Niagara Falls, NY - customers outside of North America please allow two to three weeks for delivery. Inscribed and Dated By Author; Inscribed "To Theresa" by Choy and dated in 2004. Light bumping to outer… Read more about this item Item Price
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All That Matters
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A lovely, as-new copy, signed by the author on the title page. Laid-in is a promotional bookmark from the publisher. Protected in a Brodart cover. Item Price
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All That Matters: A Novel
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Canada: Doubleday Canada, 2004. Book. Near Fine (Book Condition). Hardcover. First Printing. A very nice copy. Text clean, binding strong. [Our rating system: 1. Fine; 2. Near Fine; 3. Very Good; 4. Good; 5. Fair.]. Item Price
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All That Matters
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Anchor Canada, 2005. Paperback. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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by Choy, Wayson
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Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2004. Bump along top edge of upper board. Sequel to author's award-winning novel "The Jade Peony" (1995), this novel is set in Vancouver's Chinatown during the 1930s and 40s. 423 pages. Inscribed by author, in his very nice script, on title page "For [All that Matters], / To ___ 'who matters' W. / Best… Read more about this item Item Price
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All That Matters
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Paris, Ontario, CAN
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All That Matters: A Novel
by Choy, Wayson
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Toronto, Ontario: Doubleday Canada, 2004. Book. Very Good+. Hardcover. Canadian First. Complete number line from 1 to 10; minor wear; otherwise a solid, clean copy with no marking or underlining; collectible condition.. Item Price
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by Choy, Wayson
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Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2004. Sequel to author's award-winning novel "The Jade Peony" (1995), this novel is set in Vancouver's Chinatown during the 1930s and 40s. 423 pages. Inscribed by author, in his very nice script, on title page "For [All that Matters], Best Wishes / Wayson Choy / 2004 Ottawa".. Signed by Author. First Edition, First Printing. Hard… Read more about this item Item Price
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All That Matters
by CHOY, Wayson
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Hadley, Massachusetts, USA
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(Canada): Doubleday. (2004). Signed by the author. Fine in a fine dust jacket. Unless otherwise noted, our first editions are first printings. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine. Item Price
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All That Matters
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All That Matters: A Novel
by Choy, Wayson
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Ottawa, Ontario, CAN
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Canada: Doubleday Canada, 2004. First printing. Lightly bumped on head of spine, else fine. DJ lightly wrinkled at head of spine, else near fine.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Near Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Item Price
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All That Matters (Inscrobed copy)
by Choy, Wayson
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Burnaby, British Columbia, CAN
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Toronto: Anchor Canada, 2005. (CAD)4th Printing INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR: " To-----/ who matters/ W/ Sechelt '07", no other markings, tiny crease to lower edge of front cover, no spine crease, Very Good. Wraps, 423pp. This novel of Vancouver's chinatown was a Giller Prize Finalist and won the Trillium Book Award. (1.5 JM HOJ 301/1. Inscribed… Read more about this item Item Price
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All That Matters
by Choy, Wayson
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Anchor Canada, 2005. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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All That Matters (Appears to be signed by author)
by Choy, Wayson
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Sudbury, Ontario, CAN
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U.S.A.: Doubleday Canada Ltd, 2004. Hardcover. Very Good/Good. Very Good condition. Minor wear. Binding tight, pages clean. Dust jacket is in Good condition. Moderate wear, light chipping present. Book appears to be signed by author. Pictures are available upon request. Item Price
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All That Matters
by Choy, Wayson
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Doubleday Canada. Fine in Fine dust jacket. 2004. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. 0385257597 . Stiff unmarked book in crisp dust jacket; about new; 8.4 X 5.4 X 1.2 inches; 423 pages . Item Price
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All That Matters: A Novel
by Wayson Choy
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All That Matters
by Wayson Choy
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