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Dorothy Hoobler

Thomas Hoobler

The Japanese American Family Album (American Family Albums) Paperback – May 28, 1998

by Dorothy Hoobler (Author), Thomas Hoobler (Author), George Takei (Introduction)

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The first Japanese immigrants to the United States came to Hawaii to work on sugar plantations, quickly followed by others who came to mainland cities. Their images of America were formed by popular guidebooks with titles such as Mysterious America and Come, Japanese! that promised, "Gold, silver, and gems are scattered on [the] streets. If you can figure out a way of picking them up, you'll become rich instantly." The Japanese arrived with the hope of making a better life for themselves. Their experiences, however, were often far different from what they had expected.

The Japanese American Family Album documents the lives of generations of Japanese immigrants through their own diaries, letters, interviews, photographs, articles from newspapers and magazines, and personal reflections. This personal history tells us--in their own words--what it was like to leave the beloved homeland for a life as different from life at home as could be imagined. The Issei--members of the first generation of Japanese immigrants--faced racial prejudice and even laws that effectively stopped Japanese immigration from 1924 until 1965. By then there were well over 100,000 Japanese immigrants on the U.S. mainland who daily faced unfamiliar customs, terrible working conditions, and strong anti-Japanese sentiment. Even in the face of such adversity, Japanese Americans formed labor unions, successfully purchased land and built farms, and established flourishing communities in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Fresno, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, and Salt Lake City, as well as the Hawaiian cities of Honolulu and Hilo. The very success of these farmers and other Japanese immigrants caused jealousy and fear, and the Album also tells of anti-Japanese groups, boycotts against Japanese shops and businesses, discriminatory laws, and even violence. With World War II came the nightmare of the concentration camps, and then the struggle to heal the many wounds caused by internment.

A strong sense of family, religion, and a resilient spirit allowed Japanese Americans to survive the prejudice in their new homeland. Profiles of noted Japanese Americans such as Daniel K. Inouye, Patsy Takemoto Mink, and astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka are testaments to the success the Japanese American community has achieved. The heartfelt words and remarkable family photos in The Japanese American Family Album tell a true American story that is an important part of our history.

Eighty-eight year old Osuke Takizawa, who emigrated to the U.S. as a young man, says in The Japanese American Family Album, "I believe children and grandchildren must know the way their grandparents walked." The precious stories and pictures of the Japanese Americans from our past and present show us the way.

The titles in the American Family Albums series tell the multicolored and often heroic stories of American immigrant groups, largely through their own words and pictures. Like any family album or scrapbook, the pages contain many period photographs and other memorabilia. These join with original documents--including selections from diaries, letters, memoirs, and newspapers--to bring the immigrant experience vividly to life.

Reading age

12 - 17 years
Print length

128 pages
Language

English
Grade level

7 - 9
Dimensions

8.25 x 0.33 x 10.75 inches
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

May 28, 1998
ISBN-10

0195124235
ISBN-13

978-0195124231
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A treasure trove of information, pictures, and history of Japanese Americans in the United States.... A book that anyone could look at and read with delight and satisfaction. It is a wonderfully painless way of learning a great deal about the Japanese American background."--Pacific Reader
"A good source for first-hand testimony on a number of issues affecting Japanese Americans ranging from the exploitation of the new immigrants to working in the fields to prejudice to picture brides.... This book is an excellent place to start exploring the Japanese American experience."--VOYA
"Captures the broad sweep of the Japanese American experience.... The subjects of the photos...invite readers into their lives and share with them their fears and hopes as they settle into their new land."--School Library Journal
"A personal and moving documentary."--Children's Bookwatch
"A combination photo album and family chronicle. Fascinating stories emerge."--Booklist

"A treasure trove of information, pictures, and history of Japanese Americans in the United States.... A book that anyone could look at and read with delight and satisfaction. It is a wonderfully painless way of learning a great deal about the Japanese American background."--Pacific Reader
"A good source for first-hand testimony on a number of issues affecting Japanese Americans ranging from the exploitation of the new immigrants to working in the fields to prejudice to picture brides.... This book is an excellent place to start exploring the Japanese American experience."--VOYA
"Captures the broad sweep of the Japanese American experience.... The subjects of the photos...invite readers into their lives and share with them their fears and hopes as they settle into their new land."--School Library Journal
"A personal and moving documentary."--Children's Bookwatch
"A combination photo album and family chronicle. Fascinating stories emerge."--Booklist

"A treasure trove of information, pictures, and history of Japanese Americans in the United States.... A book that anyone could look at and read with delight and satisfaction. It is a wonderfully painless way of learning a great deal about the Japanese American background."--Pacific Reader
"A good source for first-hand testimony on a number of issues affecting Japanese Americans ranging from the exploitation of the new immigrants to working in the fields to prejudice to picture brides.... This book is an excellent place to start exploring the Japanese American experience."--VOYA
"Captures the broad sweep of the Japanese American experience.... The subjects of the photos...invite readers into their lives and share with them their fears and hopes as they settle into their new land."--School Library Journal
"A personal and moving documentary."--Children's Bookwatch
"A combination photo album and family chronicle. Fascinating stories emerge."--Booklist

"A treasure trove of information, pictures, and history of Japanese Americans in the United States.... A book that anyone could look at and read with delight and satisfaction. It is a wonderfully painless way of learning a great deal about the Japanese American background."--Pacific Reader

"A good source for first-hand testimony on a number of issues affecting Japanese Americans ranging from the exploitation of the new immigrants to working in the fields to prejudice to picture brides.... This book is an excellent place to start exploring the Japanese American experience."--VOYA

"Captures the broad sweep of the Japanese American experience.... The subjects of the photos...invite readers into their lives and share with them their fears and hopes as they settle into their new land."--School Library Journal

"A personal and moving documentary."--Children's Bookwatch

"A combination photo album and family chronicle. Fascinating stories emerge."--Booklist

"A personal and moving documentary."--Children's Bookwatch

"A combination photo album and family chronicle. Fascinating stories emerge."--Booklist

About the Author

Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler have published more than 50 books for children and adults. Their works have been honored by the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the Society of School Librarians International. They live in New York City.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (May 28, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195124235
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195124231
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 - 17 years
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.25 x 0.33 x 10.75 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #5,354,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #185 in Teen & Young Adult Asian History
- #393 in Teen & Young Adult 19th Century United States History
- #807 in Teen & Young Adult 20th Century United States History

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Issei Takechi

Some corrections

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2004

I do not want this to be a case of one-upmanship but I cannot resist pointing out that the authors' descriptions of Toru Matsumoto on pages 12, 43, and 97 are factually incorrect.
The authors say on page 12 that Toru Matsumoto emigrated to the U.S. in the 1920s. However, it was in 1935 that Toru Matsumoto first visited the United States. Moreover, he did not emigrate to the U.S. then but just visited the country to attend the 2nd U.S.- Japaese Students Conference.
On page 43, the authors state that Toru landed in San Francisco. It is incorrect; he landed in Seattle. And it was his brother Tsuyoshi, not a friend, that arranged for him to meet Jay and Mary.
On page 97, the authors write that Toru Matsumoto was living in New York city with his American wife Emma. Emma was not an American but a Japanese citizen then.
Lastly, Toru Matsumoto was never an American citizen throughout his life. He came back to Japan in the wake of WWII and remained in Japan until his untimely death in 1979.
For further details, please consult my Between Two Worlds: Matsumoto Toru and His Age (M.A. Thesis: Zimmerman Library, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM).
Otherwise, the book is a good introduction to the subject.

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