The Japanese Texans

by Thomas K. Walls

The Japanese Texans (TEXIANS AND THE TEXANS) by Thomas K. Walls.

Genres: American History

254 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1987

Reviews

[Missy LeBlanc Ivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strangely enough, I really enjoyed this little bit of Japanese history, and I'm not even Japanese. Their plight here in the U.S. after they bombed Pearl Harbor is definitely something I never knew about before. The author, Thomas K. Walls, is Japanese, and therefore provides a lot of insight into the Japanese culture and mentality as he writes, and he tells personal stories of quite a few Japanese families, along with their photos. That's what makes this book unique, and not just another dry history book. Information seems to be gathered from research into the census records and other local records, and other exclusive records, as well as interviews from members of the families. By the end of the book, you will have a clear idea of what brought the Japanese to America, mainly focusing on the Japanese in Texas, and what the climate was like in the U.S., in the 1920's, even before they bombed Pearl Harbor, as far as racism was concerned. Then, you will know how Texans handled the Japanese after Pearl Harbor. The Kishi Colony that settled here in Terry, Orange County, Texas, just up the road from where I live is mentioned on pages 83-96.

I've always loved the Japanese and learning about their culture, but now I have so much more respect for their hard work and integrity. Against all odds, the American Japanese seemed to always find a way through the hardships.

[Leasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because I've seen this book mentioned in the bibliographies of several others, I was expecting something scholarly and comprehensive, or perhaps uniquely insightful. While I can't speak to the author's intentions regarding the depth of insight, it clearly isn't attempting to be comprehensive.
Beginning with the earliest census records of those Texans identified as Japanese, he proceeds in chronological order with (representative?) vignettes from each decade or so. The archival research must have been extensive, but the book seems to rely mostly on sources like census records, newspapers, obituaries, and other un-detailed like documents.
It reads like reporting; the families and individuals aren't traced or followed through the years. They appear briefly when relevant and disappear again into the archives. Since it was neither personal nor in-depth, I find myself disappointed more than anything else; I still want to know more.