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Secret Harvests

A Hidden Story of Separation, Silence, Shame, and the Resilience of a Family Farm
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( 164 ratings, 28 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Secret Harvests by David Mas Masumoto is a compelling memoir that explores themes of identity and rediscovery. It delves into the untold story of the author's own family, revealing hidden histories and lost connections. Through the process, Masumoto weaves a heartfelt narrative of familial bonds and the significance of uncovering one's roots.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in family histories and uncovering long-kept secrets. It offers a deeply personal narrative that delves into identity, cultural heritage, and the unexpected discoveries that can change one's understanding of the past. This memoir promises emotional depth and reflective storytelling that appeals to those who appreciate poignant, real-life journeys.

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A family separated by racism against Japanese Americans and the discrimination of people with developmental disabilities-reunited seventy years later, returning to their roots on a farm and bound by family secrets.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

I discover a lost aunt, separated from our family due to racism and discrimination against the disabled. She had a mental disability due to childhood meningitis. She was taken away in 1942 when all Japanese Americans were considered the enemy and imprisoned. She then became a "ward" of the state.

We believed she had died, but 70 years later found her alive and living a few miles from our family farm. How did she survive? Why was she kept hidden? How did both shame and resilience empower my family to forge forward in a land that did not want them?

I am haunted and driven to explore my identity and the meaning of familyβ€”especially as farmers tied to the land. I uncover family secrets that bind us to a sense of history buried in the earth that we work and a sense of place that defines us.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Secret Harvests by David Mas Masumoto is praised for its elegant and poignant exploration of family secrets and historical injustices. Critics commend Masumoto's reflection on his family's past, particularly the discovery of his aunt, who was separated from her family during the WWII internment of Japanese Americans. The narrative delves deep into themes of resilience, shame, and pride, underscoring the emotional impact of war on personal histories.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781636280776

Publisher: Red Hen Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 June 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Red Hen Press

Illustration: Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Patricia Miye Wakida
  • Illustrated by Patricia Miye Wakida

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 228.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 232

About the Author

David Mas Masumoto is an organic farmer, author, and activist. His book Epitaph for a Peach won the Julia Child Cookbook award and was a finalist for a James Beard award. His writing has been awarded a Commonwealth Club of California silver medal and the Independent Publisher Books bronze medal. He has been honored by Rodale Institute as an "Organic Pioneer." He has served on the boards of the James Irvine Foundation, Public Policy Institute of California, Cal Humanities, and the National Council on the Arts with nomination by President Obama. He farms with his wife Marcy and two adult children, Nikiko and Koro. They reside in a hundred-year-old farmhouse surrounded by their eighty-acre organic peach, nectarine, apricot, and raisin farm outside of Fresno, California. Linoleum block and letterpress artist Patricia Miye Wakida grew up in Fresno, California. In addition to maintaining her own linoleum block and letterpress studio under the wasabi press imprint, she frequently writes about Japanese American history and culture. She is a Yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese American), whose parents were incarcerated as children in the Jerome (Arkansas) and Gila River (Arizona) World War II Japanese American concentration camps. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband and son, cats, and chickens. Her website: www.wasabipress.com

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    I discover a lost aunt, separated from our family due to racism and discrimination against the disabled. She had a mental disability due to childhood meningitis. She was taken away in 1942 when all Japanese Americans were considered the enemy and imprisoned. She then became a "ward" of the state. We believed she had died, but 70 years later found...
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