Nisei daughter

by Monica Itoi Sone

Paperback, 1953

Status

Available

Publication

Seattle : University of Washington Press, [1979] c1953.

Description

"With charm, humor, and deep understanding, Monica Sone tells what it was like to grow up Japanese American on Seattle's waterfront in the 1930s and to be subjected to "relocation" during World War II. Along with over one hundred thousand other persons of Japanese ancestry--most of whom were U.S. citizens--Sone and her family were uprooted from their home and imprisoned in a camp. Her unique and personal account is a true classic of Asian American literature; "Monica Sone's account of life in the relocation camps is both fair and unsparing. It is also deeply touching, and occasionally hilarious"--New York Herald Tribune; "The deepest impression that this unaffected, honest little story made on me was of smiling courage"--San Francisco Chronicle "--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Hamburgerclan
Do you ever see the Hand of God in the mundane parts of your life? I mean, have you ever seen things come together so perfectly that you suspect there's a conspiracy afoot? Getting this book was one of those moments for me. You've probably heard of the Japanese internment, in which all of the
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people of Japanese descent living on the west coast of the United States were forced to move to concentration camps located inland. You've probably heard that it was a gross injustice fueled by racism. Well, I think so, too, but I happened to be privy to a conversation where an honorable, loving and (as far as I can tell) non-prejudiced woman whom was living in Seattle at that time put forth her opinion that the event was a justifiable war-time security measure. In the course of the discussion, she had mentioned this book, a biography of a second generation Japanese woman who had grown up in America and had endured the internment. I had scribbled down the title, knowing that I would probably never have enough interest in the specifics of the event to pick it up. Well, time passed and I was picking over the remnants of the King County Library book sale. Nothing looked good and I feared that I would leave the sale empty handed, save for whatever volumes my wife manged to find. As I scanned the titles, however, my eye happened to catch Nisei Daughter. A surprising coincidence and since I was empty handed, I decided to risk 50¢ and pick it up. (Of course, I then managed to find two other minor acquisitions, but I digress...) It was another great find. It touches many of my interests in history: it's local, first person, set in the early 20th century and deals with immigration and cultural issues. It's a good book to share with my daughters as they learn about history. And it's just an engaging, well written book. So, this "accidental" find is now firmly entrenched on my shelf.
--J.
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LibraryThing member Martha_Thayer
So glad, after meeting 'Kimi' in 'The Plague and I', to discover that she'd written a memoir. I recommend this book to all who are familiar with Seattle. If you want more about the TB sanatorium, you'll be disappointed, as she gave that episode in her life only about 3 pages. That's OK, she
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couldn't have topped Betty MacDonald's highly amusing account of it.
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LibraryThing member kslade
Great memoirs of second-generation daughter of a Japanese family in Calif. during WW II. Camp life, etc.

Language

Barcode

2193

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