Japanese-Americans were imprisoned in the desert following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For no reason. When they were released, the males of draft age were told to sign up to fight in WWII. if you didn't feel especially patriotic after being locked up in a desert prison for 2 years, and declined, you were again locked up. 2 more years. Is it any wonder that the young men characterized in this book were full of hate and despair? John Okada died at 47, his book largely unread, and unacclaimed by other Japanese-Americans. ( )

heartbreaking

This book was written in1956 and is considered to be the first Japanese American novel. This book is so powerful not just because it is considered an Asian American classic, but it allows the reader to understand the decision many Japanese American men had to make when it came time to serve in the American Armed Forces.

Really really good. His breathless internal monologue stuff really worked for me

Lots of heartbreaking stuff but some of the saddest to me revolved around the vision of a particular and very dated optimism about the American Project. I think the q of whether there's anything redeemable about the idea of American liberty is an important political one (cf Aziz Rana's stuff) and it was really affecting to see that playing out in the life of this brutally minoritized American subject

Just taught this to high school Juniors. I had to make myself like it a bit more than I otherwise would, but overall it is solid. It's more readable for the historical/social aspects than the literary ones, but worth the read nonetheless. ( )