42 pages • 1 hour read
Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment
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Book Brief
Farewell to Manzanar
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1973208
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Manzanar Internment Camp • 1940s
1973
Adult
12-18 years
1040L
Super Short Summary
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston narrates her experience as a young girl in a Japanese American concentration camp during WWII, describing her family's upheaval from Long Beach to the Manzanar camp, her father's arrest and changed behavior, camp life challenges, family disintegration, and eventual return to Southern California, where Jeanne grapples with identity and acceptance. This book discusses the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII, alcohol addiction, domestic abuse, and racism/xenophobia.
Melancholic
Informative
Emotional
Mysterious
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
21,085 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston receives praise for its poignant and compelling recount of Japanese-American internment during WWII. Critics commend its emotional depth and historical significance, though some note a slow narrative pace and occasional disjointedness. Overall, it's valued for illuminating a crucial part of American history.
Who Should Read Farewell to Manzanar?
A reader who appreciates historical memoirs and introspective narratives will enjoy Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's Farewell to Manzanar. Fans of The Diary of Anne Frank or Night by Elie Wiesel, which illuminate personal experiences in the face of adversity, will find this poignant account of Japanese American internment compelling and enlightening.
21,085 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
208
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Manzanar Internment Camp • 1940s
1973
Adult
12-18 years
1040L
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