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The Little Exile
After Pearl Harbor, little Marie Mitsui’s typical life of school and playing with friends in San Francisco is upended. Her family and thousands of others of Japanese heritage are under suspicion and forcibly relocated to internment camps far from home. Living conditions in the camps are harsh, but in the end Marie finds freedom and hope for the future. Told from a child’s perspective, The Little Exile deftly conveys Marie’s innocence, wonder, fear, and outrage. This work of autobiographical fiction is based on the author’s own experience as a wartime internee. Jeanette Arakawa was born in San Francisco in 1932 and was interned in the 1940s at the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas.
248 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 28, 2017
Jeanette Arakawa's autiobiographical novel is a solid addition to the canon of work addressing the Japanese internment in the US during WWII. Little Marie Mitsui takes us from a child in San Francisco to Stockton, CA, to Arkansas then Denver and back to the city of her birth. The journey is told with child's fresh point of view--making friends at home and in the stark, enclosed camps; her fears and triumphs and embarrassments. We learn about the impact of all the upheaval and prejudice on her family as well as herself. But in a poignant postscript, the author speaks to a feeling that haunted her for over 50 years: "I was personally responsible for Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. I was nine years old at the time...At least that's how it felt all my life."
August 1, 2017
Some readers may not be aware of it, but following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the loyalty of Japanese-Americans instantly came under suspicion. Shortly thereafter, they were rounded up and sent to internment camps, mostly for the duration of the war. This is the story of Jeanette "Marie" Arakawa, who was 9 years old and living in San Francisco at the time. She ended up at Rohwer Relocation Center in Arkansas.
Although written by a woman now well into her mid-80s, this memoir is surprisingly vivid. There is a large amount of dialog, which the author explains is included as she remembered it. Much of it sounds rather 'adult,' and I often found it distracting, but it helps to humanize the story (although the dialog and some experiences seem fictionalized, it is 'as the author remembers it' and I consider the book the be a non-fiction memoir). But the perspective of a child during this important part of history is interesting, and it is fortunate Mrs. Arakawa has written her recollections. And it was sometimes heart-breaking. While Marie still had a number of 'normal' experiences, I personally was saddened at how often she ended up having to move and the temporary nature of nearly all her friendships. A short(ish) and easy read.
Although written by a woman now well into her mid-80s, this memoir is surprisingly vivid. There is a large amount of dialog, which the author explains is included as she remembered it. Much of it sounds rather 'adult,' and I often found it distracting, but it helps to humanize the story (although the dialog and some experiences seem fictionalized, it is 'as the author remembers it' and I consider the book the be a non-fiction memoir). But the perspective of a child during this important part of history is interesting, and it is fortunate Mrs. Arakawa has written her recollections. And it was sometimes heart-breaking. While Marie still had a number of 'normal' experiences, I personally was saddened at how often she ended up having to move and the temporary nature of nearly all her friendships. A short(ish) and easy read.
July 3, 2017
Advance review copy courtesy Stone Bridge Press via Amazon Vine program
A Manzanita Among Sequoias
Jeanette Arakawa was 9 when the post-dawn bombing runs on Pearl Harbor changed her life. Three-quarters of a century later, she revisits the impact of an extraordinary act on ordinary lives -- hers and those of her family members.
Although others have written memoirs of what it was like to be "othered" during wartime, Arakawa explores these long-ago days from the vantage point of seeking commonalities rather than highlighting differences. In this process, she neither minimizes nor sugar-coats. Rather, she wraps herself in the fading memories of long ago, and evokes what the myriad details of a half-understood wartime diaspora looked and felt like to a child swept up in it.
Arakawa uses the framework of actual events to craft a work that, strictly speaking, is a blend of memoir and historical fiction. And yet, as you read of the lacks, the changes, the uncertainties, and the heartaches, the essence that shines through is pure and authentic.
Arakawa, or Marie as she names herself in this book, is a young person with both challenging and endearing traits. She is not kewpie-cute, nor is she perfect. Instead, she is intriguing and approachable -- and thus is likely to attract and retain the attention of young readers who are reading of events that likely seem like ancient history to them.
This is a book any child could read, and that any adult would savor. I am grateful that Jeanette Arakawa has trusted the public with her family's story.
A Manzanita Among Sequoias
Jeanette Arakawa was 9 when the post-dawn bombing runs on Pearl Harbor changed her life. Three-quarters of a century later, she revisits the impact of an extraordinary act on ordinary lives -- hers and those of her family members.
Although others have written memoirs of what it was like to be "othered" during wartime, Arakawa explores these long-ago days from the vantage point of seeking commonalities rather than highlighting differences. In this process, she neither minimizes nor sugar-coats. Rather, she wraps herself in the fading memories of long ago, and evokes what the myriad details of a half-understood wartime diaspora looked and felt like to a child swept up in it.
Arakawa uses the framework of actual events to craft a work that, strictly speaking, is a blend of memoir and historical fiction. And yet, as you read of the lacks, the changes, the uncertainties, and the heartaches, the essence that shines through is pure and authentic.
Arakawa, or Marie as she names herself in this book, is a young person with both challenging and endearing traits. She is not kewpie-cute, nor is she perfect. Instead, she is intriguing and approachable -- and thus is likely to attract and retain the attention of young readers who are reading of events that likely seem like ancient history to them.
This is a book any child could read, and that any adult would savor. I am grateful that Jeanette Arakawa has trusted the public with her family's story.
June 23, 2018
Recalling a 9 year old's memories is the basis for this book......about the author who ended up in the same concentration camp as one of my family members.......and then shortly living in Denver before returning to California. Small world - in her acknowledgements I recognize more family member names. A good read for anyone interested in the WW2 Japanese American experience.
July 4, 2017
https://101booksjapan.blogspot.ca/
I’ve always known the broad story of Japanese internment during the Second World War, both at home in Canada and next door in the United States.
The Little Exile by Jeanette Arakawa brings this tragic time to life through a unique novel that carries a lot of reality in its pages.
The Little Exile traces aftermath of this shift from normal child to prisoner through various camps and ultimately a return to freedom. It’s an illuminating glimpse inside a stolen life.
The book collects short vignettes from the life of Marie Mitsui and her family. Each of these stories — whether it’s making a new friend, seeing an old one move away, or buying a coat — pile up into an incredible story that closely mirrors the author’s own life.
One big idea The Little Exile hits home with incredible power is a simple one — the shock of how someone growing up American and considering themselves just like every other kid in the neighbourhood is suddenly an enemy. I’d never considered that perspective before.
It’s an eye opener - and well worth investigating.
Note: Stone Bridge Press provided me a review copy.
I’ve always known the broad story of Japanese internment during the Second World War, both at home in Canada and next door in the United States.
The Little Exile by Jeanette Arakawa brings this tragic time to life through a unique novel that carries a lot of reality in its pages.
The Little Exile traces aftermath of this shift from normal child to prisoner through various camps and ultimately a return to freedom. It’s an illuminating glimpse inside a stolen life.
The book collects short vignettes from the life of Marie Mitsui and her family. Each of these stories — whether it’s making a new friend, seeing an old one move away, or buying a coat — pile up into an incredible story that closely mirrors the author’s own life.
One big idea The Little Exile hits home with incredible power is a simple one — the shock of how someone growing up American and considering themselves just like every other kid in the neighbourhood is suddenly an enemy. I’d never considered that perspective before.
It’s an eye opener - and well worth investigating.
Note: Stone Bridge Press provided me a review copy.
July 27, 2017
The Little Exile, a novel by Jeanette S. Arakawa is a fictionalized account of the life of Marie Mitsui, Arakawa’s alter ego, a Japanese American youngster around World War II.
I want to thank the author for having the courage to chronicle the events of her life during a painful time when many that had gone through it are reticent to talk about it even 75 years later. I thank her for using this story to open the eyes of those that are still unaware that the United States of America incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II.
This is an easy-to-read story told through the eyes of an adolescent girl; an American citizen born to Japanese parents. The parable progresses through Marie’s life from San Francisco in late 1930s; to the bombing of Pearl Harbor; her family’s evacuation to an internment camp in Arkansas; and their return to San Francisco after the end of the war.
This book is historical fiction based on facts from the author’s personal experiences. While it lacks the intense tension in many dramatic historical fiction stories, this one is compelling because the author does a very good job of providing vivid, colorful, and detailed descriptions of the characters and settings. I found the characters likeable and realistic. Their relationships were touching but not mushy. The tension comes from Marie’s encounters with bullies and bigots; her alcoholic father; the stress of loneliness; living behind barbed wires around soldiers with rifles and bayonets. Some of her scrapes are “normal” for a sometimes mischievous kid; others came about because she was a Japanese American and in an internment camp. I felt the mix added to the “roundness” of Marie’s character. She was a normal girl trying to live a normal life under extraordinary circumstances.
I am a “third-generation” (sansei) Japanese American. While I was growing up, I had heard some stories from friends and relatives about life in camp but most that lived through it refused to talk about it. So some of the events and feelings the author describes in this book are familiar but I am glad that she has made her experiences available in print for everyone to read.
I found a few minor editing errors which is my pet peeve when books are produced through a publishing house with professional editors. There were also a few spots where the transitions (story flow) and character introductions could have been smoother.
The author’s meticulous attention to the detailed descriptions used throughout the book leads me to believe that she benefited greatly from her continuing education creative writing class.
I want to thank the author for having the courage to chronicle the events of her life during a painful time when many that had gone through it are reticent to talk about it even 75 years later. I thank her for using this story to open the eyes of those that are still unaware that the United States of America incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II.
This is an easy-to-read story told through the eyes of an adolescent girl; an American citizen born to Japanese parents. The parable progresses through Marie’s life from San Francisco in late 1930s; to the bombing of Pearl Harbor; her family’s evacuation to an internment camp in Arkansas; and their return to San Francisco after the end of the war.
This book is historical fiction based on facts from the author’s personal experiences. While it lacks the intense tension in many dramatic historical fiction stories, this one is compelling because the author does a very good job of providing vivid, colorful, and detailed descriptions of the characters and settings. I found the characters likeable and realistic. Their relationships were touching but not mushy. The tension comes from Marie’s encounters with bullies and bigots; her alcoholic father; the stress of loneliness; living behind barbed wires around soldiers with rifles and bayonets. Some of her scrapes are “normal” for a sometimes mischievous kid; others came about because she was a Japanese American and in an internment camp. I felt the mix added to the “roundness” of Marie’s character. She was a normal girl trying to live a normal life under extraordinary circumstances.
I am a “third-generation” (sansei) Japanese American. While I was growing up, I had heard some stories from friends and relatives about life in camp but most that lived through it refused to talk about it. So some of the events and feelings the author describes in this book are familiar but I am glad that she has made her experiences available in print for everyone to read.
I found a few minor editing errors which is my pet peeve when books are produced through a publishing house with professional editors. There were also a few spots where the transitions (story flow) and character introductions could have been smoother.
The author’s meticulous attention to the detailed descriptions used throughout the book leads me to believe that she benefited greatly from her continuing education creative writing class.
June 17, 2017
The Little Exile is a wonderfully written memoir about what happened to Jeanette Arakawa's family after Pearl Harbor was bombed. While the book is being categorized as fiction, it is actually nonfiction, and suitable for both adults and teenagers. When I first started reading it, many things in Mrs. Arakawa's story seemed strangely familiar. Finally, it dawned on me that she must be the younger sister of George Omi, who wrote American Yellow. Sure enough, that's who she is; so, if you want to read her brother's perspective of that time period, do read his book, too.
Mr. Omi's memoir is categorized as nonfiction, and is more suitable for adults and older teens; because his story concentrates more on his father, and his relationship with his father. Mrs. Arakawa concentrates more on the whole family in general; and what it was like to be a young girl having to leave a happy home and friends behind to go live in a camp, complete with barb wire and armed soldiers. Her storytelling is truly wonderful, and, at the end of her long journey, when she once again feels the cool air from the San Francisco Bay and hears the foghorns, it's hard not to shed some tears of happiness. Because she is finally back home where she belonged, a home she never should have been forced to leave in the first place.
Mr. Omi's memoir is categorized as nonfiction, and is more suitable for adults and older teens; because his story concentrates more on his father, and his relationship with his father. Mrs. Arakawa concentrates more on the whole family in general; and what it was like to be a young girl having to leave a happy home and friends behind to go live in a camp, complete with barb wire and armed soldiers. Her storytelling is truly wonderful, and, at the end of her long journey, when she once again feels the cool air from the San Francisco Bay and hears the foghorns, it's hard not to shed some tears of happiness. Because she is finally back home where she belonged, a home she never should have been forced to leave in the first place.
July 31, 2017
"The Little Exile" is autobiographical fiction describing the author's life around the time of WWII. It reminded me of reading "Little House on the Prairie." We get stories about interesting things that happened in her life, but it also shows how they were treated. It's written from the viewpoint of a child rather than an adult looking back to when she was a child. She started by describing her life in San Francisco leading up to WWII, then how they were treated after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many people remained friendly with her family, but the FBI sent some people to check out her father and they had to give up their radio. Then they had to move inland. Then they had to go to a temporary internment camp, then take a long train ride to Arkansas, then stay at this new internment/relocation camp for several years. We also learn how her father found a job in Denver, and they left the camp and moved there until they could finally "go home" to San Francisco.
She described how they were treated, both the good and the bad. The internment camps certainly weren't pleasant or fair, but they were actually better than I'd thought. They could watch movies, get jobs at the camp to earn a little money, and order things and correspond through the mail. They had a school of a sorts and a hospital. Well, read the book to learn what it was like. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting book.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
She described how they were treated, both the good and the bad. The internment camps certainly weren't pleasant or fair, but they were actually better than I'd thought. They could watch movies, get jobs at the camp to earn a little money, and order things and correspond through the mail. They had a school of a sorts and a hospital. Well, read the book to learn what it was like. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting book.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.
October 2, 2022
Jeanette Arakawa, born in San Francisco of Japanese parents, is one of many deported to camps during World War II. Her family travels to Stockton, California to join relatives, then are sent to a refurbished fairground. On her 10th birthday, they arrive in Arkansas and spend nearly three years in the Rohwer Camp. After the War they move to Denver and finally, when she is almost 14, return to their home town. Although based on fact, Arakawa writes this as fiction, with herself as Marie. The book is mostly memoir, however, with short segments and little analysis. I was often left wanting more. I've read other stories and biographies on this topic, and the part that interested me the most was Arakawa's short stay in Denver. Friendless and alone in 8th grade, she suffers from severe anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. Fortunately things perk up. However, Arakawa's lack of introspection and the very brief afterward (what happened next?) was a disappointment.
August 6, 2021
This novel introduced the theme of Japanese-Americans living in America during World War II. The perspective was fresh and I loved how it was written from the eyes of a small child. We saw her form friendships and how many Japanese-Americans felt during this time. It consisted of many small moments of fear, however, the novel did not elaborate extensively about how they were treated. It was instead more about the loss of identity, a home, and freedom. However, showed how even during the toughest moments, the author was still able to find small sparks of joy.
October 19, 2017
Written as a fictional memoir, Jeanette retells her personal history through the character of Marie. Starting life in San Fransico then forced to internment camps during WWII, Marie recounts U.S. history powerfully through the eyes of a young girl trying to find her way under difficult circumstances. This novel would make a good addition to high school reading lists.
May 1, 2020
I read this book because my mother in law and her family experienced similar circumstances to this author. Both grew up in CA and were incarcerated at Rowher in Arkansas when war was declared on Japan. I have read several other books on this subject that were more informative and give a clearer picture of the injustices done to Japanese Americans. This author tells a simplistic story.
March 20, 2018
I won a copy of this novel from goodreads, in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were so many emotions wrapped into one. I had a difficult time putting this book down.
May 29, 2017
A truly phenomenal book! I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is especially pertinent in today's world. A must read for all.
January 18, 2018
Really interesting perspective on life before camp, in camp, and after camp. Highly recommend to anyone interested in the Japanese American Incarceration.
July 19, 2018
This book should be required reading in every history class in the United States. So many people are unaware of this shameful part of our history. Jeanette brings to life the desperation and sadness and despair of the people who were forced into internment camps during World War II. I'm from Arkansas, so I grew up with an awareness of this history. I've toured a few of the internment camps, including the one where Jeanette was sent. Loved this book.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2018
Although most Americans are aware of the shameful event in our history of the incarceration of Japanese American citizens, during WWII, it was an interesting read through the eyes and heart of a young child's experience. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, but always honest and sincere in her recollections of this shocking part of our history in America. We learn what the families had to endure day to day for several years, and the aftermath of piecing their lives back together once they're allowed to go back to being free Americans again. It doesn't seem like they were afforded any compensation or help for all that was taken from them. Families and businesses had been ripped apart only to be left to put them back together by their own wits and hard work after the war, having to live in the worst of conditions, scraping and struggling for every penny to make a new life again. Where was our government then? Had they no shame? No compassion? Did they not have the same civil rights as the rest of us?
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews