Reviews with content warning for Death - They Called Us Enemy - Expanded Edition

Reviews tagging 'Death'

They Called Us Enemy - Expanded Edition by Steven Scott, George Takei, Justin Eisinger

20 reviews

redhairedashreads's review against another edition

5.0

This was a very emotional and impactful graphic novel. I have been meaning to read this for a while now and was glad that I could read about this piece of history that was not included in the history books I had to read during school.

This is the story of George Takei’s childhood in Japanese internment camps during World War II. While he was a child during this, he also pulls upon his parents and other adults perspectives and provides us with multiple perspectives to what happened. He takes us through the whole experience before, during, and after the camps and how the experience affected his family and other Japanese families.

I am really glad I read this story because it gave me new information about what Executive Order 9066 was and how it affected Japanese people. As an American, I was never taught about this piece of history because our textbooks frequently ignore the negative parts of our history. This is one of the reasons why I have spent a lot of my adult life trying to educate myself about history that is not taught, especially when it comes to BIPOC.

One of the best takeaways from this graphic was George’s urging Americans to learn about all sides of a story, not just the one that is being heavily pushed by politics. You need both sides of a story to create the best outcome for the future, not just one.

This graphic memoir is definitely one that I think should be required reading in U.S. history courses and I highly recommend it.

TW: Depictions of anti-Japanese sentiment (Japanophobia), concentration camps, death of a child (briefly mentioned), death of relatives from atomic bombs and the war, grief, threat of deportation;

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magpienicky's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

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pacifickat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

"Justice grows out of recognition of ourselves in each other, [...] that my liberty depends on you being free, too;[...] that history can't be a sword to justify injustice or shield against progress, [...] but must he a manual for how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past."
- Pres. Barack Obama, They Called Us Enemy p. 203

This book should be a national treasure. One of the best historical memoirs I have ever read. The messages it contains are even more vital and pressing today than ever before.

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mrsduke89's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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lidia7's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective

5.0

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charliereadsalot's review against another edition

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4.25

4.25 STARS

CW: xenophobia, racism, war, mention of death (including of loved ones)

This was a very informative and eye-opening read. As a German we get taught a lot about WWII but usually not about what happened in the States. To be perfectly honest, up until this semester at uni I had never really wondered about repercussions for immigrants from Japan living in the US during the war and after Pearl Harbor, so I also did not know about the internment camps and forced relocations.

I really liked the format of the graphic novel, it made the information and account of what happened much more accessible and memorable. It is important to be aware of history such as this and this book is an easy and quick way for people to educate themelves.

One key aspect that elevated the graphic novel in my opinion is the connection between what happened to Japanese Americans in the 40s and what continues to happen to immigrants and people of various descents to this day in the US.

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