City News

The memoir Farewell to Manzanar details the true story of Jeanne Wakatsuki’s and her family’s experiences in the Japanese internment camps. The book is set in the midst of World War II, immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which sparks anti-Japanese hysteria. All Japanese Americans are suspected of being spies and are forced to leave their previous lives to move into desolate barracks. Throughout the story, the reader views the internment camps through the eyes of a young girl named Jeanne. As she grows older, she struggles to find self-acceptance and must choose between her Japanese or American identity.  

If you enjoy historical stories and a bittersweet coming-of-age novel, this book is the perfect match for you. When I read this book, it opened my eyes to the terrible injustices that many Japanese-Americans had to go through. In Manzanar, the climate was hostile, with extreme summers and winters that constantly showered dust over everything and people were treated like animals. As Jeanne grows older, the author employs themes of prejudice, self-acceptance, and the triumphs and downfalls of pride. Furthermore, the theme of understanding identity is beautifully explained throughout the novel as Jeanne feels the rift between her Japanese and American cultures.  

I loved how the author breathed life into the story of Japanese Americans’ internment, and I was swept up by the joys and pains of the Wakatsuki family. The author includes compelling themes and that are easily digestible, and the book is rich with culture. The plot provides a glimpse into the tragedies Japanese Americans were forced to face, losing their homes, livelihoods, businesses, possessions, and dignity. Moreover, there was a perfect balance of historical content and personal experience which kept me hooked on flipping another page and reading more.  

Furthermore, I loved how personal the book was and how the author laced every chapter with vivid memories of her life before and after the war. The story is not only about war, but a young girl’s insightful story of growing up and discovering herself through baton twirling, ballet, weaving, and Catholicism, all behind barbed wire. By learning about the encampment through Jeanne, a naive and innocent girl, I was able to relate with her and care about her story. Overall, this memoir is a detailed and honest account of growing up during a significant historical event.  

Finally, Farewell to Manzanar has a very powerful conclusion where Jeanne comes to terms with her experiences in the encampment and finds her true identity. Although the plot was engrossing, I found that the story could be slow at times and drag on with no major conflict. However, that is to be expected as the book is more about Jeanne’s self-discovery and journey to accept her heritage rather than an extreme battle. In summary, I still greatly enjoyed the book and how it explored the Japanese internment.  

If you want to learn about different cultures and real experiences, I highly recommend that you pick up this book! It is a heartfelt and poignant tale of a historical tragedy.   

Check out Farewell to Manaznar from the Newport Beach Public Library.