TheLittleMerman wrote:
TheSequelofDisney wrote:
For our Honors 8 Grade English class, at my school, the students were required to read Farewell to Manzanar. I haven't read it since I'm in regular 8 Grade English, but the book sounded good. Is it good LittleMerman?
I find it ...
interesting. I'm in an English I Honors class (or, for Freshman) and some people find it the best little piece of literature they've ever laid their eyes on, yet others such as myself find it mediocre. Many parts are interesting, but nothing so far is earth-shattering. Currently I'm at the home stretch -- so to speak -- of the book, and I'm not incredibly impressed.
Disappointing is the fact that that Jeanne's story is so interesting - yet, the way she writes it down is not. I suppose it is all in the reader's opinion, however.
*tlm
The thing about Farewell To Manzanar is that it's practically the only high profile novel (i.e. that's taught on the national level) that deals with the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II, so there's not much else to choose from. However, a book that is slowly taking its place, at least at the university level, is
When the Emperor Was Divine, by Julie Otsuka, published in 2002. I reviewed it for my high school paper (good times) and it's a wonderful little book. The major difference is that this was published under the adult fiction moniker, while
Farewell To Manzanar is usually published as children's literature, even though both feature young girls in similar situations. Anyway, I recommend the Otsuka text for anyone who doesn't like the former book. Otsuka's novel is very brief, but also very quiet and slow, and requires lots of meditation.
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Seriously though, it is a bit gratuitous at times - well, most of the time - but is pretty well-written for a first novel. Probably worth a look before the film, as I understand a number of changes have been made.
