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3.93k reviews for:
They Called Us Enemy - Expanded Edition
Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, George Takei
4.54 AVERAGE
3.93k reviews for:
They Called Us Enemy - Expanded Edition
Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, George Takei
4.54 AVERAGE
I had heard very little about Japanese camps during WW2, but this graphic novel was an important dip into history that was not taught in school.
Overall this was a great graphic novel. Before reading this, I had very little knowledge about Internment camps, so in this regard this was a great read. More on a personal note, I struggled a bit with Takei’s glorification of US democracy…
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
emotional
tense
fast-paced
This book was very informative about a time in US history so often overlooked.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
George Takei's memoir, They Called Us Enemy, packages a powerful story in the beautiful art form of a graphic novel. It portrays his family and their experiences during the United States' effort to contain Japanese people (even American citizens) in concentration camps during World War II. It's one of many examples in U.S. history when fear of "the enemy" was stoked to the point of a racially motivated mass act of violence by the state.
The story is both informative and heartfelt, covering Takei's memories of internment camp realities, from living in horse stalls at a race track to the family's relocation to a more stringent camp when his parents became infamous "no-nos" who would not serve in the U.S. military and would not renounce any other allegiances except that to the United States-- a decision they made in protest of the assumptions behind the questions. His mother later made the difficult decision to give up her citizenship when the choice was offered, fearing that their family would otherwise be separated. They then went through the arduous process of fighting to have it undone when it became clear the alternative would be much worse, and their legal battle led to the determination that the offer had been unconstitutional in the first place.
The story spins into Takei's adult life, fighting for civil rights and using his platform as an actor to reach many people with his story. Through his involvement in political organizing and his fame, he has had full-circle moments with the Roosevelts (who signed the orders for the internment camps), demonstrating for readers the messiness of politics and the ways that political figures can be revered by some while doing real, sweeping harm to others. After hearing his story, I'm amazed that Takei still feels a true sense of patriotism regarding what American democracy could and should be. I struggle to scrounge any of that up most days and after far less hardship at the hands of my country.
This story is valuable for any reader, but I admire that it's written to work for a young adult audience. It's a powerful choice to reach across generations with this intimate view of history.
The story is both informative and heartfelt, covering Takei's memories of internment camp realities, from living in horse stalls at a race track to the family's relocation to a more stringent camp when his parents became infamous "no-nos" who would not serve in the U.S. military and would not renounce any other allegiances except that to the United States-- a decision they made in protest of the assumptions behind the questions. His mother later made the difficult decision to give up her citizenship when the choice was offered, fearing that their family would otherwise be separated. They then went through the arduous process of fighting to have it undone when it became clear the alternative would be much worse, and their legal battle led to the determination that the offer had been unconstitutional in the first place.
The story spins into Takei's adult life, fighting for civil rights and using his platform as an actor to reach many people with his story. Through his involvement in political organizing and his fame, he has had full-circle moments with the Roosevelts (who signed the orders for the internment camps), demonstrating for readers the messiness of politics and the ways that political figures can be revered by some while doing real, sweeping harm to others. After hearing his story, I'm amazed that Takei still feels a true sense of patriotism regarding what American democracy could and should be. I struggle to scrounge any of that up most days and after far less hardship at the hands of my country.
This story is valuable for any reader, but I admire that it's written to work for a young adult audience. It's a powerful choice to reach across generations with this intimate view of history.
Absolutely heartbreaking and eye opening. I can't believe they won't teach this in schools. We need to know this happened. We CANNOT ignore what this country did to it's Japanese/Japanese-American people. My children will be reading this for school. They are going to be educated on EVRYTHING that country did and did not do. Not just the good stuff where we won because the victors write the history.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced