Frank AbeRezensionen

This powerful graphic novel sheds light on a dark chapter in American history - the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Importantly, the focus of this graphic novel is on the resistance of Japanese Americans, exploring the experiences of three individuals - Jim Akutsu, Hiroshi Kashiwagi, and Mitsuye Endo - who defied the unjust internment of Japanese Americans in rather different ways. As a graphic novel, the text uses a blend of art in two distinct styles and storytelling to provide readers a clear and accurate view of wartime era America, and provides portrayals of these Japanese American heroes as courageous and resilient in their fight for justice. The storytelling is straightforward and honest, and keeps the reader engaged all the way through the text.

This book tells the story of three individuals who were sent to US internment camps during WW2. The book shows the conflicts within the Japanese community as well as their resistance to their internment.

Here was my review on the Staff Recommendations pages of the Lincoln City Libraries in Lincoln, NE: https://lincolnlibraries.org/bookguide/staff-recommendations/staff-recommendatio...½

A stirring history of the interment of Japanese Americans during World War II that draws attention to the resistance movements in the camps. Many prisoners engaged in civil disobedience and protests against their unconstitutional mistreatment, and some were even radicalized toward becoming the enemies they were labeled to be by a distrusting and disloyal government. Others cooperated with the government to an uncomfortable degree. Many were just trying to keep their head down until they could get on the other side of these unthinkable circumstances.

I was particularly impressed with the quiet courage of Mitsuye Endo, whose court case led to the Supreme Court finally putting an end to this black mark on American history.

I could quibble about the art and the writing, but in the end I just found myself swept up by the events and the individuals involved. This is a terrific companion to George Takei's They Called Us Enemy.

graphic nonfiction, history (resistance to WWII Japanese Incarceration/Internment, JACL's role in encouraging compliance)

I want to applaud anything that increases understanding about important history, but also have to be honest in that I found the level of detail to be confusing in this graphic novel---through the last 2/3 of the book it was a lot of work for me to decode what was happening, who was speaking, and the order of events, and I think it would have been easier for me to just read a prose account without the cramped, jumbled graphics. But other things, like the camp conditions, were brought to life with the graphic format, and overall the content was thoroughly researched and well worth studying. It's definitely not an easy book to casually pick up and read through, but it has a lot of merit because of the content.

Watch the authors talk about their book with Seattle Public Library (https://youtu.be/nxvFio8xB64)½

We Hereby Refuse is a riveting book which portrays the struggles of 3 Japanese Americans who were placed in Japanese Internment Camps following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The book takes the reader through a journey of emotions: betrayal, confusion, and heart break. Japanese Americans underwent an enormous level of upheaval, having their lives very suddenly turned upside down and being labeled as “enemies of America.” The story also takes the reader through the fight against injustice and standing up against unfair treatment. The story connects to many challenges we face in America today: stereotyping, discrimination, and injustice. A must read book for an examination of the obstacles faced by Japanese Americans from a life changing perspective.