38 pages • 1 hour read
Desert Exile
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Book Brief
184
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
California • 1940s
1982
Adult
14-18 years
1280L
Super Short Summary
Desert Exile by Yoshiko Uchida narrates her family's experience as Japanese-Americans living in California who were interned in concentration camps during World War II following Pearl Harbor. The Uchidas face cultural shocks, internment hardships, and ultimate displacement, while maintaining their community spirit and resilience amidst the adversity. This memoir delves into themes of identity and loyalty, reflecting on the long-term impacts of internment on Japanese-Americans. The book contains descriptions of injustice and brutality.
Melancholic
Contemplative
Emotional
Heartwarming
Reviews & Readership
973 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Desert Exile by Yoshiko Uchida poignantly recounts the Japanese American internment experience during WWII through the author's personal narrative. Reviewers praise its emotional depth and historical significance, though some feel its focus is narrow and lacks broader context. Overall, it is valued for its intimate portrayal of resilience and injustice.
Who Should Read Desert Exile?
A reader who would enjoy Desert Exile by Yoshiko Uchida is interested in personal narratives of resilience, historical accounts of Japanese American internment, and issues of social justice. Fans of Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's Farewell to Manzanar and Miné Okubo’s Citizen 13660 would find this memoir compelling for its intimate portrayal of wartime struggles.
973 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Mr. Dwight Uchida
Mr. Dwight Uchida
Yoshiko's father, a first-generation Japanese immigrant and son of a samurai, worked his way up to become manager of Mitsui and Company in San Francisco.
Mrs. Uchida (Iku Umegaki)
Mrs. Uchida (Iku Umegaki)
Yoshiko's mother, an inventive and resilient Issei woman, who maintained family life and cultural traditions, even during internment, while writing traditional tanka poetry.
Keiko Uchida
Keiko Uchida
Yoshiko's older sister, who managed nursery schools during internment and later worked for Mt. Holyoke College's education department.
184
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
California • 1940s
1982
Adult
14-18 years
1280L
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