This biography investigates the life and cultural impact of Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to arrive in the United States, to understand how her presence shaped early American perceptions of China. Author Nancy E. Davis utilizes archival research and historical records to reconstruct the experiences of Moy, who was brought to America in 1834 as a promotional curiosity for a merchant firm. The text examines the intersection of commerce, racial performance, and the immigrant experience during the nineteenth century. Davis argues that Moy served as a complex bridge between two cultures, functioning simultaneously as a celebrity attraction and a displaced individual navigating a foreign society.

Historians and scholars of Asian American studies recognize this work as a significant contribution to the recovery of marginalized voices in early American history. Readers frequently note the meticulous research required to piece together the life of a figure whose history was largely obscured by her role as a public spectacle.