Picture Bride

by Yoshiko Uchida

Carrying a photograph of the man she is to marry but has yet to meet, young Hana Omiya arrives in San Francisco, California, in 1917, one of several hundred Japanese "picture brides" whose arranged marriages brought them to America in the early 1900s.

Her story is intertwined with her husband, Taro Takeda, an Oakland shopkeeper; Kiku and her husband Henry, who reject demeaning city work to become farmers; Dr. Kaneda, a respected community leader who is destroyed by the adopted land he loves. All are caught up in the cruel turmoil of World War II, when West Coast Japanese Americans are uprooted from their homes and imprisoned in desert detention camps. Although tragedy strikes each of them, the same strength that brought her to America enable Hana to survive.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Japan, Asian American, Read For School, Asia, Book Club

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Yoshiko, born on November 24, 1921, was the second daughter of Japanese immigrant parents Takashi and Iku. Her father worked as a businessman for Mitsui and Company in San Francisco, and Iku wrote poetry, passing along her love of literature to her girls. Though the Great Depression raged, the Uchida family enjoyed comforts because of Takashi's well-paying job and their own frugality. Yoshiko loved to write, and her stories played out on pieces of brown wrapping paper. She also kept a journal to record her thoughts and events.

Enveloped in love and tradition at home, Yoshiko weathered the prejudice she sometimes faced. Many white students at University High School in Oakland didn't invite her to their parties and wouldn't socialize with her, deeming her a foreigner. Even while attending the University of California at Berkley, Yoshiko often faced the same dilemma of being ostracized. She found friendships with other Japanese American students and was preparing to graduate when Pearl Harbor was bombed, changing her life.

The United States government rounded up 120,000 people of Japanese descent and put them into camps. The Uchida family first resided in a horse stall at a racetrack in California, surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Though difficult to endure, the next move was worse. Almost 8,000 Japanese were sent to a relocation concentration camp called Topaz in the Utah desert. The detainees suffered from violent dust storms, scorpions, snakes, and exceedingly poor living conditions. Yoshiko taught second grade children there until she received a fellowship from Smith College to earn a master's degree in education.

Yoshiko and her sister both left the camp in May of 1943, with their parents gaining release later that year. Teaching for several years in a Quaker school outside of Philadelphia, Yoshiko decided to quit teaching and find work that allowed more time for writing. She moved to New York City and began as a secretary, penning stories in the evenings. Asked to contribute to a book about Japanese folk tales, Yoshiko discovered that though the book didn't come to be, with time she could create a full collection of folk tales. Writing a few pieces for adults, Yoshiko realized she was better suited for children's books.

A Ford Foundation fellowship sent her to Japan to research the culture and their stories. Spending two years, Yoshiko found her time to be healing as she learned about her own ancestry. The pain of the concentration camps lessened, and she began writing about the experiences in fictional books such as Journey to Topaz and Journey Home. Her career as an author soared as people regarded her as a pioneer in Japanese American children's literature. The author of almost forty works, including Japanese folk tales and stories of Japanese American children making their way in the world, Yoshiko traveled extensively, lectured, and wrote. After suffering from a stroke, Yoshiko passed away on June 25, 1992, in Berkeley, California.

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some of the negative reviews of this book and I wonder if the reason for the negative reviews is just that the reviewers aren't Japanese. It seems that their criticisms are mainly based on the fact that the characters didn't "talk" or react the way they thought they should. It seemed like they didn't relate to the characters due to cultural differences, so they thought them to be unrealistic and/or the writing to be poor.

I am Japanese-American and my grandmother was a picture bride. This story, the way it was told, the emotions portrayed and the dialogue as written felt so familiar to me. It immediately made me think of my grandparents. I cried several times as sections would remind me of the various stories of my grandparents; their marriage arrangement, my grandmother's journey from Japan, their first meeting, their early struggles, their internment.

I thought this was an excellent book and one that I will keep in my library to remind me of my grandparents and the beginnings of my family.

[D. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kinda wanted to give this two stars because I think the subject matter could be interesting, BUT (HUGE HUGE HUGE BUT) this is one of the most poorly written novels I have read in a long time.

It was bland. Uchida loves herself some adverbs. The dialog was laughable. The characters one-dimensional. The setting is vague.(Seriously, if it is 1918 and I can't feel that, see it, know it...understand the almost century difference? That's a problem.)

Marrying a man you don't love? Internment camps?? This is EXCELLENT fodder for a truly emotional journey. Instead everything plods along - covering the life of a woman from 21 to her 50s in less than 200 pages...huge milestones given pages of time? Plus, it switches viewpoints? Taro has ONE scene where it is from his point of view...but she doesn't do that again for the rest of the novel?

I found myself editing this novel. THAT is how bad it was.

When a character is worried about her mom dying, the author writes this:

<"They say if she has another attack she could..." Sumiko could not go on. >

I thought Sumiko could bury her head in her hands or turn away from the group or explode into tears...but the whole book is like this. The characters don't actually do anything or feel anything. They just say things "anxiously" or "wearily" a lot. They are anxious and weary most of the book, but I don't know what that looks like at all. Does Taro sweat when he's anxious? Does Hana shuffle her feet? Look at the ground? The whole SHOW don't TELL thing kinda goes out the window...

Come on. I'm not being too picky. I don't ask for much...but I ask for my writers not to be lazy. You can write a badly written book with a great plot and I'll forgive you - plot can save you. Or an incredibly written book with a weak plot and I can still savor your language. No plot and it's badly written AND you had some great material to start with? Unforgiveable.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so I read this book for a paper, thinking it can't be that bad... I had low expectations and just hoped to get through it...

The book is crap... it starts out okay, but about 50 pages in I realized that this book was crap... here's a quote
"'I know you have feelings for Kiyoshi Yamaka that you do not have for me.'

'Oh no!' Hana cried out. Seeing the pain in his face, she felt a remorse that overwhelmed her."

"OH NO!" That's all you have to say when your husband admits he sees that you are attracted to another man? "OH NO!!" That's pretty much where I wanted to stop reading...

There are many other bothersome things about the book, including the husband and wife having a casual conversation, where the husband informs his wife on "The Gentleman's Agreement". The wife then responds with "...that doesn't seem a very gentlemanly thing for such a big country to do to a small country like Japan..."

Come on, that's just laughable!

One thing though, I must applaud the book for at least being about subject matter that never seems to be covered in fictional books. Picture Brides were a large part of Asian American society in the late 19th century, early 20th century. And the book at least attempts to deal with these issues of "The Gentleman's Agreement", but it does it poorly...

[Amy Thao · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book I’m reading is call Picture Bride and the novel by Yoshiko Uchida. In this book it tells a story of Hana, a Japanese young woman who comes to the United States California, San Francisco to marry a man name Taro. Hana has never met Taro in person and they have only send mails and pictures to each other when Hana was still in Japan. In this book it focuses on Hana's relationship with Taro and on her friendship with Kiku. When she first came to the Unites States, Kuju and Hana remain as friends throughout their lives. Mrs. Davis is a white nice and intelligent woman who employs Hana as a maid, she also became her close friend and champion. It also deals with Hana's relationship with her daughter Mary, who rejects her identity as an Japanese American.
Overall I think this was a heartbreaking story because a Japanese immigrant had to come to America with an arranged marriage and had struggled through running a business, systemic racism, and eventually being sent to WW2 internment camps, Topaz Relocation Center. All I can do is feel sorry for them because they have put up with the unfair treatments they have received at United States. Even though they worked so hard to achieve something they can’t get, and are forced to live in the horse stalls. If anyone likes these types of books, this book is an historical background as American being racism and related to World War 2.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed several of Yoshiko Uchida’s books for children (as a child, and again as an adult), and was intrigued to see her name on an adult novel at a library sale.

This is a work of historical fiction, following the life of a young Japanese woman from the late 19-teens, when she comes to America as a “picture bride,” through the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. I knew of the latter, again, mainly from Uchida’s children’s books (Journey to Topaz), but hadn’t properly come to terms with how terribly wrong this was. The camps certainly pale in comparison with Nazi death camps - and I’m ashamed I’ve drawn some comfort from this. A little evil is still evil.

I appreciate that this book feels slightly alien to a 21st century American reader, as good historical fiction should. Uchida and her family lived through much of what she writes; I’m intrigued to read (reread?) her memoirs.

[June Guymon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that drags you into the plot and then tells you to keep reading.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not listen to all the bad reviews, give this book a chance and make the decision yourself! With the reviews for this book being lower than I expected, I have to respectfully disagree which such a low rating. I read this book within a little under two days and couldn't put it down the entire time. This novel was not only educational about Japanese Internment Camps, an aspect of United States History that is often neglected from the curriculum, but, it served as an overall enjoyable read. And while people could say that the first five chapters are a little "dry", it rapidly picks up by the sixth chapter making the rest of the novel is so worth it. Uchida's writing had me hooked on the plot and the development of the characters. I found myself engulfed in the story line and again, I honestly could not put the novel down. I am currently student teaching and my 8th graders are reading this novel, which is why I was presented the task of reading it in the first place. However, I've recommended it to so many people because of the lessons that can be taught throughout the book and because of the quality of the story being told. Lessons that are highlighted include themes of prejudice and discrimination which is an aspect that is so prevalent in the United States. As an Asian American, I appreciated all of the aspects incorporated into the story of finding the middle ground of being Asian and American, somewhat holding a dual identity. Like all great works of literature I found myself laughing, crying, and contemplating about things that were brought up throughout the novel. Please give the novel a chance because the only thing I was disappointed about was when I had finished the novel and had no more to read.

[PaNhia Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture Bride by Yoshiko Uchida. Twenty one year old Hana Omiya, a Japanese women who went to the Untied States as a picture bride. She is heading towards Taro Takeda, whom she promised to marry even though she never met him. Taro Takeda lives in Oakland. He loves her and treats her right, but something happened between Hana and Taro's friend Yamaka. Hana then later on have trouble relating to her daughter who is American because she doesn't speak the same language. Taro, Hana and Mary go on vacation and Hana tries to learn English, but gives up. As Mary get's older, her relationship between Hana become distant. My favorite part of the book is when Hana actually agrees to marry a stranger she doesn't even know. An evidence from that would be, she held a photo of him when she was still in Japan. Also, how they feel comfortable with each other and has come so far. At first she regretted marrying him, but now she realizes that he wasn't so bad. So, she spends the rest of her life with him. You'll like this book because this book will make you want to read more. It gives you emotions when your reading it and you can picture every scene in your head. So, I recommend this book to everyone who loves Fiction books.

[Mancy Yang]

What would you do if you married someone you have never met and someone who is so far away? Hana is a Japanese girl who travel by herself all the way to America just to marry a man she never met before. She saw pictures of him and they wrote letters to each other back and forth, but what if he is not what you expected when you meet him? My favorite part in the book was how Taro really cared about Hana. I thought It was really sweet how he talks to Hana. I would recommend this book if you like to read about other cultures and want to know what happened to Hana after she came to America. Would she marry Taro after she saw him or no?

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. It tells the story of Hana, a Japanese woman who comes to the United States to marry Taro, a man she has never met in person. They have only exchanged photographs (hence the title--duh). The novel focuses on Hana's relationship with Taro, but also on her friendship with Kiku, another picture bride who she meets when she first comes to the States and who remains her friend throughout their lives. It also deals with Hana's relationship with her daughter Mary, who rejects her identity as a Japanese American and assimilates completely into American society, and with Mrs. Davis, a white woman who employs her as a maid but becomes her close friend and champion.

I learned a lot from this book about the Japanese-American experience in the United States. I was almost totally ignorant of what happened to them during World War II. The most shocking thing I learned was that although Japanese Americans were not allowed to become U.S. citizens, while they were in the camps they were expected to sign a statement renouncing all allegiance to Japan. As one of the characters says, that left them without a country. I was really shocked by the whole situation. This book definitely made me more aware and made me think about what it must be like to be an immigrant to this country.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uchida's tender novel about a young Japanese picture bride who travels alone across the Pacific to marry a man she has never met in 1920 reveals how powerful fiction can be. She told a similar story -- the true one about her mother -- in an earlier nonfiction book, Desert Exile. Both the novel and the memoir trace the lives of Japanese women in America through the anti-Asian laws of the 1920s, the Depression, and finally the internment during World War II. They are both valuable. But Picture Bride offers a much more detailed look at the interior landscape of one woman's life - taking us through surprising twists (a romantic attraction to her husband's best friend, the heartache of a rebellious daughter, her loyalty to a husband who has not treated her well), and allowing us to get a valuable sense of what many "picture brides" were feeling as they endured (and somehow flourished during) a life made difficult by racism, poverty, and male domination. Powerful descriptions of life inside the dusty, cold, barren desert concentration camp in Utah, with the completely unsuitably beneficent name of Topaz.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for book club, finished it in time, but I was feeling icky so I didn't go.

I was actually pretty disappointed in this book. There is so much she could have done with this book, so much material she could have worked with to make an amazing story- but it just fell flat. She tried to cram too many years into one small story and it just didn't work. She switches points-of-view way too often, but randomly so it didn't really make much sense. And the characters really show no emotion, and she doesn't even really describe what they are feeling. Oh, your mom died? That must make her feel bad. And that was about it.

Still, there were some interesting things that I did not know. The facts are interesting and worth retelling; but it seemed like I was reading more of a history book than a novel. (not that I don't enjoy reading a history book, but that's another story.)

216 pages; 2010 total: 13873

[DaNette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel about a young Japenese picture bride coming to San Fransico to marry a man she has never met. The story tells about the sacrifices of the Japenese-Americans specifically during WWI. The book ends just after the internment of these citizens in camps such as Topaz found in UT.
I enjoyed reading about the cultural differences between our two countries and the sacrifices these people made to fit in in a new culture and community. They had such dreams for themselves which were mostly only realized by their children after their own deaths.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic plot: Japanese woman comes to America to be a wife to a man who already has emigrated to the USA from Japan but wants a Japanese wife. They go through a lot of crap, including internment in a camp in the USA during WWII.

I remember this book as being a decent read that brought me a lot of insight into the Japanese internment camps in America. It's one of the more forgettable books I've taught, though.

[Dishary Hossain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally read this book for a class in undergrand and re-read it to jog some fond memories. In general, this started off as a beautiful story. The pacing is off, though. I felt that towards the end it was quite rushed. Mary's story made me wince in discomfort. I don't ever regret reading and re-reading this story as it fleshes out an important part of American history. Details sacrifice well. I just think the delivery could've been better.

[Mica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

love love love this book. its educational and has a very smooth emotional build. it was a real page turn until the very end. the ending was very surprising as well!

[DoHyun Cho · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book describes the life of early Asian immigrants in the early 1900s very well. The story starts off with Hana's background life, where she was living in a very wealthy Japanese family. However, with Hana being rebellious, she decides to move to the United States through the introduction of a Japanese immigrant husband, waiting for a wife in Japan to travel to the United States. With expectations of a very fruitful life, she was met with a reality of Asian lives in the United States. She came to realize that all the fantasies in the letters that were written by her going-to-be husband and the stories that she has heard were very exaggerated and at most times, not true. Hana accepts this reality and decides to adapt to the poor American life, suffering the repercussions. While she is finally getting used to American life, developing a family, and successfully helping her husband financially, World War II breaks out. As many of us know, one of the major events of World War II is the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in which the Japanese were heavily involved. This caused the Asian immigrants in the United States to be heavily discriminated against, especially the Japanese immigrants. This caused Hana's life in the United States to collapse in an instant, all she had built up and all the other connections she had made with the American society. Hana and the Japanese immigrant community were forced to give up their property and move to concentration camps, where they suffered many casualties and deaths, living in the poor conditions that were provided by the camps. The story ends on a sour note, with Hana's husband, Taro, getting shot and dying. Again, I believe this is a great novel that was published to share the stories of the Asian immigrants in the early 1900s in the United States. I think this book is good for readers who are interested in war history, immigrants, and discrimination in the United States. One thing I wish the author would have added is how life was after the war, and what changed.

[Elena Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picture Bride is a book about Hana's journey moving from Japan, to a different country, the United States. Hana's family found a Japanese man in the United States and they want her to marry and move with him. With only an old picture and some of his letters and not knowing more than that about him, she decides to move there and marry him. Hana thought moving to the United States and marrying him would change her life in order to make it easier and better. But when she comes to the new country, she discovers that an old picture and some letters, are not enough to get to know someone. She has to face reality and soon she finds herself doing the same she would've be doing if she had stayed in Japan. During the book, there are lots of different events that made me want to keep reading, there are sad, happy, and even funny events in the book.
I really liked this book because it is easy to read. The writing style was my favourite while I was reading this book because it gives you a lot of details, which make me feel part of the story. The book is written in third person narrator, but it is so well written that it made me feel really connected to the characters. Something I really liked about this book is the fact that it is real, all the events are well explained and it makes sense to the timing and the situation. This book has a lot of surprises and nothing happens as you were expecting, which I really enjoyed, because it is real and even though it can be sad, the story makes more sense.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something new, something that they are not used to. Anyone who wants to read a real story, full of drama, sadness and lots of tears!

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m almost positive that all the negative reviews came from non japanese americans. as a yonsei (4th gen japanese american), this story touched my heart for the patchwork quilt-like web it wove of a family and their lifelong friends. i could see my grandma and ancestors in some of these characters, but especially in hana, the main character. each character carried pains of their own and suffered, but they also found ways to persevere and find joy in smaller moments.

the traditions hana brought from japan struck me as familiar and nostalgic, from a time of the past not yet gone. the old ways and proverbs came to mind. especially as she grows older, i find that hana’s ways can be summed in one of my favorite sayings: 花より団子, or valuing practicality over aesthetics. in the beginning, she clings to the material objects as they comfort her and remind her of home. but as she ages, and out of necessity, she sheds them for the unbreakable friendships she forges.

finally, the resilience we find in the japanese american women resonated with me and is a reminder to keep living with grace despite hardship. and finally, the unbreakable bond of hana and kiku’s friendship. it reminds me deeply of my own bonds and relationships, especially within the community.

[jaiben Zhen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a young and beautiful Japanese lady named Hana, who crossed the Pacific Ocean to marry Taro, a hard-working and humble men. The book talks about how Hana and Taro met. Taro lives in America. Hana and Taro had never met before, with only have written just a few letters and have only seen each other through pictures, Hana takes the big decision to move to America and marry him. She decides to marry Taro because she wants to be a free women. Hana faces the challenges of moving away from her lovely country (Japan) to marry Taro.
After a few years their baby is welcomed to the world, and they named her Mary. However, I really love this book because it contains, drama, history, romance, and a little bit of humour. I know that I might sound too dramatic but in many occasions this book has brought me tears. Tears of many kind but not the bad kind. If I had cried that means that this book has touched my heart. This book is appropriate for every age. I recommend this book to kids, teenagers and adults.

[emmie is reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok I finally finished a book after five million years

n e wayz, this wasn't horrible. I just feel like this could've had a stronger plot with better writing. in two pages, the author would skip like ten years. in one chapter. there were a lot of things that just seemed poorly written to me, like when hana found out that her husband knew she had feelings for another man, she simply said "oh no!"

like, what? your husband just found out you cheated on him, is pretty calm about it as well, but you just say "oh no!"

I don't think that was realistic.

another thing I feel like was a problem was the whole "show don't tell" rule with writing. a LOT of this was just told, and sometimes things were described. plus I hated the ending. the author went through a long portion of this woman's life, but ended it like that. seriously? I feel like it could've been extended to at least after the war. like c'mon.

[Linda Spear · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1970s I read Journey to Topaz, a children's book by this author, and it opened my eyes to the Japanese internment from a child's point of view. I did not think at the time to check on other books by Uchida and perhaps there were none then anyway. In the meantime we read Buddha in the Attic for book group several years ago....about "picture brides" who came from Japan to marry men they had never met but of whom they held pictures. Recently when I came across THIS title at some book sale, I was reminded of Uchida's writing as well as about these brave Japanese women who crossed an ocean to an unknown man and life. The rest is history. The fact that I now want to read Yochida's autobiography and 3 of her children's books should tell you, the reader of this review, that she is well worth a look.

[Mikaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered how it feels like to love or marry someone that you have never met in your life? Picture bride is about the life of Hana after she made a decision and left her home country. She went to United states to marry someone she has never met. She has seen pictures and read letters from him and that's all the she knows about him. The first thing that i liked in this book is its key concept. It helps me understand the story even more plus i don't need to pause reading and get to my phone to search for the meaning of the word. Next is the authors style, i like how he gives a detailed description of the characters and their actions. It makes me feel connected to the story. In this way it makes me exit the real world and enter the world in the story. The story is very realistic, everything is not written in the way how you wanted to end but in the way how it's supposed to end. This book is captivating and I would recommend this to young people, teens and even adults.

[Max Ostrovsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I entirely missed the point of this book.
It starts off about a strong young Japanese woman leaving her homeland to come to America to become the wife of a lonely friend of her uncle.
She was strong. She was opinionated. She spoke her mind. There was infidelity.

That was only the beginning.
Then the rest of the book, she becomes weak and meek and does everything she can to become the perfect suppressed Japanese wife.

I know that makes it more historically and culturally accurate. And if it were a memoir, I might have enjoyed it more. But reading about a woman who completely degrades herself and completely loses the identify of the young woman she was was not enjoyable to me.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel of a young woman who comes to America to marry a man who previously immigrated from Japan was excellent. Hana has only an old photo of her future husband as embarks on the long sea voyage to San Francisco. She has learned how to be a submissive Japanese wife, but her nature is to be strong & independent. These two ideas war in her as she learns about American ways, faces prejudice & bigotry, and tries to make a marriage with a stranger. It's an interesting tale full of detail that makes the reader envision the time & place, plus the character of Hana is someone you root for as her life becomes more & more difficult.

[Izzybelle M Nuñez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is not often that I am consumed whole by a book, it started from the first paragraph to the very last word.
I am terrified of flying. I usually let screentime to distract me from an impending doom but this time I allowed Yoshiko Uchida to aid me. It was quite successful. In my 4-hour plane ride I managed to consume half of the book and forgot all about the steal bird I was riding on.
If you like fiction historical pieces based on real life this book is right up your alley.
The writing is superb. This book contains palpable characters, and I did cry in more than one instance.
Do yourself a favor and give it a chance.

[Monse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved this book and it shows a great representation of how life was in America for those who migrated there for a better life. This story takes place during WWII so if you like stories that involve war I really recommend it. Although the says picture bride the story doesn't show a cliche romance between the bride and her future husband. All in all this book was really interesting and had a surprising ending to it so I hope you read it to find out what it is.

[Kylie Mossman Seitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Picture Bride, as I have read other novels about the internment of Japanese Americans across the west coast during the war. Sometimes the story was really slow and I had to force myself to keep going, but there were also many events that engaged me. Hana and Taro, like many others, loved and honored America, but never lived to see citizenship. Picture Bride tells a sad but true story of what life was like for many Japanese immigrants.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to see this side of the discrimination of Japanese-Americans and the concentration camps in WWII (Although it only touches briefly on that part of the main character's life). I loved to get to know that character and it was hard to see their struggles. It makes me glad I didn't have an arranged marriage though. I think I would have liked this book more if I hadn't been forced to read it for a class but I still thought it was very good.

[Anusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. Beautifully depicted how women trapped into marriages make the most of it and find joy, the experiences of diaspora migrant communities and intergenerational relationships with cultural gaps. The writing was simple but beautiful and hard-hitting at times, really went well along with this book. At first glance it seems like a light read but dives into so much more than it promises.