From the Bookshelf of Diversity in All Forms!…

They Called Us Enemy

George Takei,

Justin Eisinger

Start date: October 1, 2019

Finish date: October 30, 2019

Discussion: Monthly Group Reads

Why we're reading this: The diversity topic we cover in October is race/ethnicity.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
[close] The diversity topic we cover in October is race/ethnicity.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

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What Members Thought

Sep 29, 2019 Richard Derus rated it it was amazing

Shelves: quiltbag, returned, borrowed

A graphic memoir? Me? And give it five stars?!? Never. Will not happen.

Yet here we are:

The horror of interning United States citizens based solely on the color of their skins!

Oh wait...we do that now..."interning" being synonymous with "incarcerating"...well, anyway, it's appalling and abominable. The Takei family is rousted out of their Los Angeles home by Executive Order 9066. They're shipped as far away from the Pacific Ocean as they can get: The Great State of Arkansas! *shudder* A swampy bi ...more

106 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2019 Shomeret rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memoir, graphic-books

I've read a number of novels dealing with Japanese American internment during WWII. I certainly never expected that there would be a graphic memoir dealing with the WWII experiences of a Japanese American. Leave it to George Takei to show us how that's done in an era when his story has a new urgency.

There were so many moments in this memoir that provoked thoughts for me. After telling us about his experiences, Takei argues against the current internments of refugees seeking asylum. Racism is th ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Nov 13, 2019 Chris Blocker rated it really liked it

I'm curious why an autobiographical graphic novel needs three authors. Even if George Takei isn't the best writer—which I find a little doubtful—why does this story need two additional authors? It's not that complex. This isn't meant to be a critique of this novel, I'm just curious...

Anyway, They Called Us Enemy is a great recounting of Takei's experience as a child being relocated to concentration camps during World War II. It gives a very full picture of the events, locally and globally, that ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Jan 11, 2020 Kris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: five-star-books

So fantastic. Takei is making a difference in knowledge about this whole stain upon our American consciousness. At a time when we should have been the heroes, and sometimes were, we were also pretty damn terrible. This captures a nuanced and realistic look at the internment camp experience, mostly from Takei's perspective as a child, but also with the benefit of time and understanding about his parents and why they did what they did. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2020 Lindsay rated it really liked it

This was a very necessary story that needed to be told. In talking to a lot of my coworkers and friends, not a lot know about the Japanese Internment Camps. This is a huge part of history that should never be forgotten.

Like · see review