Reading the narratives and stories of the lives and struggles of others promotes understanding and empathy. Acclaimed Japanese American author, Julie Otsuka, will be engaging St. Edward High School students in a discussion of her critically acclaimed debut novel, When the Emperor Was Divine (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002).
This moving, semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of a Japanese American family uprooted from their home in Berkeley, California, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They are first sent to a racetrack stable and then to the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah. The novel explores the family’s experiences before, during and after their internment.
Julie Otsuka’s novel is a work of historical fiction that draws on her own family’s experiences in internment camps. Through lyrical prose and shifting perspectives, the story exposes the emotional toll of displacement and prejudice. The novel’s themes include the loss of identity and the long-lasting effects of trauma.
The novel received critical acclaim and was recognized with several awards, including the American Library Association’s Alex Award and the Asian American Literary Award. This title has also been widely used in educational settings to discuss the history of Japanese American internment, and to explore the problems of prejudice and injustice.
“A gem of a book and one of the most vivid history lessons you’ll ever learn.”
—USA Today
“Heartbreaking, bracingly unsentimental. The novel’s honesty and matter-of-fact tone in the face of inconceivable injustice are the source of its power. Dazzling.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Shockingly brilliant…it will make you gasp. Undoubtedly one of the most effective, memorable books. The maturity of Otsuka’s prose is astonishing.”
—The Bloomsbury Review