42 pages 1 hour read

Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1973

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Before You Read

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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.

Reviews & Readership

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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 this

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.

Recommended

Reading Age

12-18years

Lexile Level

1040L

Book Details

Topics

History: World

Incarceration

Education

Period

WWII / World War II

Themes

Identity: Race

Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Identity: Mental Health

Genre

Education

Classic Fiction

Biography