A Fence Away From Freedom [Hardcover]

Ellen S. Levine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 1995

A series of interviews with Japanese Americans, who were placed in internment camps during World War II merely because they had Japanese ancestry, reveals how they lost businesses, homes, and personal possessions.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Loss of property, liberty, and in a few cases, life for Americans of Japanese descent, was the result of Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in February of 1944. More than 110,000 people were removed from their homes along the West Coast and moved to makeshift facilities in the interior euphemistically labeled "relocation camps." Levine has gathered together the personal testimony of 35 survivors, all of whom were children or teenagers at the time. These moving stories clearly demonstrate the depth of racial hatred present in the U.S. even before Pearl Harbor. That little or no protest was raised by the majority of Americans at the time doesn't seem surprising. What is astonishing, however, is how loyal most of the Japanese Americans remained to the U.S. government. The testimony gathered here tells of many young men who volunteered for the all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team and fought with distinction in Europe. But readers are also told of those who resisted the government and the price that they paid for it. Conditions in the camps are described in great detail, including the many adaptations that people came up with to cope with internment and try to carry on a normal life. This is an excellent source of information about a period of our history that is just beginning to be fully examined.
David N. Pauli, Missoula Public Library, MT
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. The bitter experience of Japanese Americans illegally interned during World War II is told in the voices of those who were young at the time. It's a story of democracy ignored and racism triumphant; of homes invaded, businesses lost, and thousands of civilians herded behind barbed wire. Like Levine's powerful Freedom's Children (1992) about young civil rights activists, this weaves individual oral histories with Levine's commentary, history, and analysis. Unfortunately, there's far too much included this time, too many voices, and it's hard to keep track of the many individuals whose stories are broken up among the various chapters. Yet this is a groundbreaking collection. On almost every page, there's a heartrending drama that could be a book in itself. One chapter focuses on those who fought for the Allies in Europe while their own families were behind barbed wire at home; another chapter pays tribute to the courage of those who resisted. There are astonishing accounts of Japanese Peruvians who were brought to U.S. prison camps. Looked at so closely, the personal experiences of roundup, imprisonment, and return are complicated and diverse. People remember conflict in community, family, and themselves. And it isn't over. One man says: "Camp was demeaning. . . . it felt like I was filthy. I was never cleansed of that feeling." Hazel Rochman

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; 1ST edition (October 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399226389
• ISBN-13: 978-0399226380
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #525,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellen Levine has always been drawn to stories of people who struggled for justice, and of ordinary people who did extraordinary things. She was fascinated by Henry "Box" Brown, whose escape is recounted in The Underground Railroad by William Still, first published in 1872. Ms. Levine was awed by Henry's ingenious idea and moved by his incredible courage. Among the author's award-winning books are Freedom's Children, winner of the Jane Addams Peace Award and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Darkness Over Denmark, a Jame Addams Peace Award Honor Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. She lives in New York City and Salem, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great history lesson for everyone, October 10, 2008

By 

LK (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fence Away From Freedom (Hardcover)

I happened to come across this book at the local library. As a Japanese-American whose grandparents and father had lived through the internment, I didn't hesitate to check it out even though it looked like a middle school required reading type of book (I am in my late twenties).

This book is excellent! I would not use this text for a research paper; that being said, the author gives a very good history of the internment experience. She is not overly sentimental or overly factual. It made for a very interesting and easy read.

What I loved most about this book is that the author took the time to interview people who lived through the internment. Throughout the book, you'll find their very moving experiences. Some are funny, but most are sad.

Growing up, I never thought of the internment of Japanese-Americans as such a terrible thing. I've seen many pictures of happy children and teenagers with the camps as background. Or groups of older people making mochi. But this book really makes it plain the incredible injustice that was done to these people. It must've been terrible to have their rights stripped by the US government that was supposed to protect them (most of these people were US citizens!). And then to not have an opportunity to speak out, to appeal. And of course, the way the friends and neighbors of these citizens turned their backs when they saw an opportunity to profit.

I read this book a while ago, but I felt compelled to finally review it last night. There is so much lack of cultural understanding and such a disregard for the teachings of history. I hope that others will read this book and understand how easy it would be for fear to push us down this road again. Diversity is such a wonderful thing and we should embrace it!