They Called Us Enemy

This book is wonderful. Simple words explained well, with Japanese words for the time translated and explained perfectly. You get wrapped into the story quickly, and it clearly exposes and explains a little understood episode of American history that deeply affected thousands of American-born citizens as well as their legal immigrant parents and grandparents. It was both educational and touching, and enlightening and satisfying to hear how George Takei spoke out in unpopular fashion and became a popular icon even in his elder years. Very very well-drawn and well-written with detail and compassion for those who lived it and those of us trying to understand it and prevent similar, later.Engrossing for an adult, and maybe a little frightening for young children under twelve, but they could read it if they are especially good readers and have support of caring adults. Absolutely perfect for tweens and teens trying to understand why knowing history is important, and that while government tries to serve and protect, mistakes are made even by well-intentioned people. It also shows that some so-called educated adults who think they are compassionate and informed, can make terrible decisions because of bias implicit in how they were raised.

This book had me in tears the whole way through.It is an important look at a much forgotten part of our history. A must read!

This is a beautiful graphic novel that outlines the story of George Takei and the discrimination he and his family suffered during World War II. His experience in the internment camps as a child shaped his call to social justice that carries on to this day. I loved the connections of past and present, bringing the plight of minorities into the forefront as he tells his story. It is a story of then and now. A story that unfortunately the United States as a whole has not learned from and continues today. The illustrations drive the story more home for me. A perfect way to show and have conversations with younger people. A wonderful story!

Great quick read on the personal side of what happened during WW2 and the camps in America. I barely remember learning about it in school tbh so it was insightful and scary to see history basically repeating itself now.

The black and white art and the style of the illustrations may initially seem simplistic or even childish, but they actually are reflecting the era (1940's) and an interweaving of Japanese and American illustration style (with some contemporary touches).The fact that there were Japanese internment camps may be something you know, but this book will give you a more emotional view of this embarrassing passage in recent American history.George Takei takes us through his personal experience of the camps, from when he first arrives as a young boy, and then the reader experiences the growing awareness young George experiences, as he matures over time in the camps.As a teen, we watch as he grows angry with his father for not standing up better against the mistreatment, but the book continues and shows us how as a grownup he comes to appreciate better what his father did, with limited options.This is not an autobiography in the regular sense, because even though George Takei is the main character, and it is written from his point of view, the center of the story considers what it means to real people when Democracy gives way to fear, as it did with the American Japanese during WWII.The book does touch on other aspects of the author's life, mentions Star Trek, and a few other things, but these are only included as they reflect ways American culture recovered from that dark period.If you are looking for a fully fleshed out autobiography of George Takei, or if you are looking for a nonfiction book about the Japanese internment in the U.S., you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a good, fast read, centered around a human being you already know something about, as a way to learn about the experiences of the internment, and the emotional situation both from the people in the camps and the emotions leading to what happened to Japanese Americans at that time, this book is for you.4 stars instead of 5 because there were a few passages that were hard to follow. I realize the book was carefully edited to be as succinct and direct as possible, but sometime I would have appreciated a few more frames to clarify the scene.This book is easily read by teens and adults. Probably appropriate for middle school students, though they may need someone to help them understand some of the political background (the book leaves a lot to the reader to know). Younger readers won't struggle with the vocabulary if they are old enough to read chapter books. But they won't understand the events, and they won't understand the importance of how George changes as he ages.Some adults may be inclined to not pay attention to the illustrations. Don't skip them, they're not superfluous. They help with the setting in a way that the sparse text intentionally leaves to the art in both style and content."They Called Us Enemy" is a worthwhile read for the story, the history, and the example of the son coming to terms with his father with love, tenderness, and respect.