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Farewell to Manzanar  By  cover art

Farewell to Manzanar

By: Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, James D. Houston
Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
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Publisher's summary

During World War II a community called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose was to house thousands of Japanese-American internees. One of the first families to arrive was the Wakatsukis, who were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take with them only the belongings they could carry. For Jeanne Wakatsuki, a seven-year-old child, Manzanar became a way of life in which she struggled and adapted, observed and grew. For her father it was essentially the end of his life.

At age 37, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was. She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and great resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances. Written with her husband, Jeanne delivers a powerful first-person account that reveals her search for the meaning of Manzanar.

Farewell to Manzanar has become a staple of curriculum in schools and on campuses across the country. Last year the San Francisco Chronicle named it one of the 20th century’s 100 best nonfiction books from west of the Rockies.

©1973 James D. Houston. Afterword © 2002 by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers
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In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, mandating the removal of Japanese Americans from their homes. Nearly 120,000 Japanese immigrants and native born Japanese Americans were imprisoned in concentration camps for the duration of World War II. We need to bear witness to the atrocities committed by the United States government and the pain our leadership caused innocent men, women, and children of Japanese heritage.

What listeners say about Farewell to Manzanar

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I could not believe this happened

This is one of the best written stories I have ever heard.
very heartwarming
highly suggest this book

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Amazing

Amazing book, very educational and interesting. I recommend this book if you want to learn more on what happens to the Japanese-Americans in the camps

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Excellent story!

We’ve visited the museum at Manzanar. This story really puts life into the camp at Manzanar. Now we want to return to Lone Pine and Manzanar. Thank you!

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Read and remember to stop it from repeating

Entire generations of immigrants and their recent descendants are still living with fear of FBI showing up at their door. “Farewell to Manzanar” is a reminder of why that is not acceptable and should not be tolerated toward any people.

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Powerful story

It seems to be a modern story that hits modern times issues like the unrest seen today.

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4 people found this helpful