The Nail That Sticks Out: Reflections on the Postwar Japanese Canadian Community

by Suzanne Elki Yoko Hartmann

When the North American dream meets traditional Japanese conformity, two cultures collide.

Does the past define who we are, who we become?

In April 1942, Suzanne's mother was an eight-month-old baby when her family was torn from their home in Victoria, B.C. Arriving at Vancouver’s Hastings Park, her family bunked in horse stalls for months before being removed to an incarceration camp in the Slocan Valley. After the Second World War, forced resettlement scattered Japanese families across Canada leading to high intermarriage rates and an erosion of ethnicity. Loss of heritage language impeded the sharing of stories, contributing to strained generational relationships and a conflict between eastern and western values.

This hybrid memoir and fourth-generation narrative of the Japanese Canadian experience bridges the individual and collective to celebrate family, places, and traditions. Steeped in history and cultural arts, it shows us how a community triumphed over adversity to rebuild their lives and make lasting contributions to the Toronto landscape.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

296 pages, Paperback

Published November 26, 2024

Reviews

[Bonnie Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important chronicle from a fourth generation Japanese Canadian documenting the historical and personal experience of Japanese Canadians, from the horrible (the incarceration during WW2), to the impressive (the institutions that the community has built and sustained across Canada), and the beautiful (the community's traditions of dance, art and dress). Hartmann has offered a gift to readers who enjoy memoirs that reflect particular moments in Canadian history and family stories.

[Druxilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Japanese Canadian I found this book very interesting. The content is well researched with personal stories and reflections on what it was like to grow up as a fourth generation Japanese Canadian in Toronto. While I related to many of the personal stories, some of the more historical sections felt bogged down by two many random names or family trees. The best parts of this book our her personal stories, describing old Toronto and reflecting on how a biracial identity has many complex layers. An important read.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully done!

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have lived this experience from the opposite position. I am an Irish Canadian woman married to a sansei man and live in Toronto. My two daughters were members of Ayame Kai between 1990 and about 2005. I think what I would take away from this book is the Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage.
I recognized many of the events described in this recount but I found some of the reflections too self indulgent.

[Sophie Panton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot but I’m not sure I liked the way it was written. The best moments for me were in the personal stories and histories the author wrote about her own families experience and Japanese Canadians. However as soon as that narrative storytelling was broken up by historical tidbits that were written in an almost essay-like format I started to lose the plot a bit.

[Emily Onizuka · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was amazing being able to read about my own community's history. I got to visit many familiar places and some I only vaguely remember from when I was small. It was nice to be able to hear about events I have been a part of such as Natsu Matsuri through the perspective of someone who remembers it from longer ago before my time. I am glad our stories are recorded here and can continue on.