I have a hard time rating books like this because I think the information and stories in them are so important and the value they have deserves many stars. But I wish more non-fiction was written with strong narrative prose. This one wasn't terrible, but dense and sometimes convoluted. Still fascinating to see three generations of growing family become so different from where it started. Also always glad to see honest depictions of the US internment camps and what they did to people's lives, not just during but after.

Very worthy and informative, this was the Oregon Reads book in 2009 in conjunction with the state's 150th anniversary. The difficult subject matter of racism and the Japanese American internment generated interesting discussion throughout the state. ( )

This well-written book kept me fascinated throughout the story of Masuo Yasui, who came from Japan in the early 20th century to settle in the fertile Hood River Valley of Oregon, the woman he sent for from Japan to become his wife, and the large family they raised in Hood River. As one of the few English speakers in the growing Japanese community, Yasui became an indispensible facilitator and contributor to the life of Hood River, where his general store was a center of community activity and the only nearby source for necessities imported from the homeland. Yasui was also a successful orchardist and real estate broker--he contributed his time and talents abundantly to the Japanese people of Hood River while earning the admiration of many in the white community. All this changed with World War II and the book recounts the tragedy of Yasui, his wife, and many of his offspring being detained in federal camps for the war's duration. It is ugly to see how whites, once friendly, became hateful to their Japanese neighbors, and how the effects of this bad treatment changed the course of the Yasuis' lives. By following the generations of Yasuis up to today, Lauren Kessler presents a thorough and compelling portrait of a family that has survived with dignity even in the face of terrible injustice. ( )

Well written book about 3 generations of a Japanese family and its troubles during the first 80 years in the US