Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of a Japanese American Family

by Lauren Kessler Narrated by Christine Williams

Overview

Stubborn Twig is the true story of immigrants making their way in a new land, a moving saga about the promise and perils of becoming an American.

Masuo Yasui arrived in America in 1903 with big dreams and empty pockets. He worked on the railroads, in a cannery, and as a houseboy before settling in Oregon to open a store, raise a large family, and become one of the area's most successful orchardists. As Masuo broke the color barrier in the local business community, his American-born children did the same in school, scouts, and sports.

But their lives changed forever following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when they were forced from their homes into vast inland camps. Although shamed and broken, the Yasui family would yet endure to claim their place as Americans.

A Blackstone Audio production.

Editorial Reviews

APRIL 2009 - AudioFile

STUBBORN TWIG is "narrative nonfiction" in need of a compelling personal narrative. The premise is promising. Kessler follows three generations of Japanese immigrants, beginning with the arrival of Masuao Yasui in Oregon in 1903. Using personal narratives to elucidate history is a compelling and popular format. Yet Yasui's story never feels personal, but rather a framework over which to hang historical facts and demographic research. Narrator Christine Williams reads rather than performs. Her narration lacks emotional suspense and drama, although this is in part due to their absence in the text itself. Lauren Kessler's work will be best appreciated by a select group of academics, students, and historians. J.T. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169782882
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	09/29/2008
Edition description:	Unabridged

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