Josh Tuininga
Autor von We Are Not Strangers
Werke von Josh Tuininga
Getagged
Wissenswertes
- Geschlecht
- male
- Nationalität
- USA
- Wohnorte
- North Bend, Washington, USA
- Ausbildung
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Kurzbiographie
- Josh Tuininga is an author, artist, and graphic designer based in North Bend, Washington.
Mitglieder
Rezensionen
Auszeichnungen
Statistikseite
- Werke
- 2
- Mitglieder
- 53
- Beliebtheit
- #303,173
- Bewertung
- 4.1
- Rezensionen
- 8
- ISBNs
- 5
This book was born from curiosity and a whole lot of research. Tuininga’s uncle, Marco, while attending his grandfather’s funeral services in 1987, observed three guests that he did not know. What makes it even more curious is that Marco and his family are Sephardic Jewish immigrants, while these unknown guests are all Japanese. The book then goes back in time, to before the beginning of World War I, when Marco’s grandfather, the original Marco journeyed to America. Like many immigrants of color, redlining kept them in certain districts. Marco befriended a Japanese American, Sam Akiyama, and became fishing buddies. In time, the events of WWII, the bombing of Japanese Harbor, and the 1942 mandatory evacuation (Executive Order 9066, i.e. internment camps) dramatically changed their lives. Marco, having seen all that had happened to Jews overseas and whom he couldn’t help, was determined to help those he can. With some research, he figured out how and got to work for the next years until the Akiyama family and several other families he had helped were finally released and returned in 1946. How did he help? Each family signed over limited power of attorney. Marco rented out their houses, collecting rent to pay mortgage and taxes, and made repairs as a property manager. He had to do it stealthily, so he would not be branded a “J*p-lover” and risked a beating during those ugly years. He never told anyone, not even his own family to protect them. Through letters that Akiyama kept and stories from Akiyama himself, Tuininga pieced together this hidden part of Grandpa Marco’s momentous history.
Tuininga further included historical images, locations, and landmarks to explain sources and inspirations of stories. An example is the famous Linc’s Tackle Shop, whose Japanese owners were able to keep their shop because a family friend paid their taxes while they were gone and whose grandson now runs the very popular Seattle Fish Guys fishmonger and restaurant.
I had the pleasure of attending the author’s talk. The simplicity of what had happened, layered by the many historical tidbits of the area, made the book very worthwhile.… (mehr)