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They Called Us Enemy

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( 50,854 ratings, 7,048 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
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei is a compelling graphic novel that recounts his childhood experiences in Japanese American internment camps during World War II. Through powerful illustrations and heartfelt narrative, the book explores themes of resilience, identity, and the impact of history on individuals and families. Takei's personal story highlights the challenges of navigating hardship and prejudice, while also celebrating the strength of the human spirit.
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Format: Hardback
$7199
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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 like this book if you are interested in exploring personal stories of resilience and hope during challenging times. This graphic novel offers a powerful and emotionally engaging account of George Takei's experiences in Japanese American internment camps during World War II, combining historical insight with a deeply personal narrative. It's ideal for those who appreciate a blend of history, biography, and compelling visual storytelling.

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"Includes 16 pages of bonus content from George Takei, new afterword, behind-the-scenes, historical documents, scripts, sketches and photos"--Product description.

The New York Times bestselling graphic memoir from actor/author/activist George Takei returns in a deluxe hardcover edition with bonus material! Experience the forces that shaped an American icon -- and America itself -- in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love.

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

Discover this award-winning masterpiece before the release of George Takei's deeply personal follow-up, It Rhymes With Takei (June 2025).

The New York Times bestselling graphic memoir from actor/author/activist George Takei returns in a deluxe hardcover edition with bonus material! Experience the forces that shaped an American iconโ€”and America itselfโ€”in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love.

Now with sixteen pages of bonus content from George Takei and his co-creatorsโ€”a new afterword plus a behind-the-scenes tour of the process of researching, writing, drawing, and promoting They Called Us Enemy, featuring historical documents, scripts, sketches, photos, and more!

George Takei has captured hearts and minds worldwide with his magnetic performances, sharp wit, and outspoken commitment to equal rights. But long before he braved new frontiers in Star Trek, he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father'sโ€”and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future.

In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten "relocation centers," hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard.

They Called Us Enemy is Takei's firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the terrors and small joys of childhood in the shadow of legalised racism, his mother's hard choices, his father's tested faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future.

What does it mean to be American? Who gets to decide? When the world is against you, what can one person do? To answer these questions, George Takei joins co-writers Justin Eisinger & Steven Scott and artist Harmony Becker for the journey of a lifetime.

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?

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei receives widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and powerful storytelling. Critics praise it as a beautifully rendered and engaging graphic memoir that explores the injustices of Japanese American incarceration during WWII. It is lauded for being moving, relevant, and a compelling must-read that holds significant lessons for contemporary society, combining nostalgia and outrage while inspiring hope and calling for fairness and dignity.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781603094702

Publisher: Top Shelf Productions

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 August 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Top Shelf Productions

Edition: Expanded Edition

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 165.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 224

About the Author

George Takei is known around the world for his founding role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise, in the acclaimed television series Star Trek. But Takei's story goes where few stories have gone before. From a childhood spent with his family wrongfully imprisoned in Japanese American internment camps during World War II, to becoming one of the country's leading figures in the fight for social justice, LGBTQ rights, and marriage equality, Mashable named Takei the #1 most-influential person on Facebook, with 10.4 million likes and 2.8 million followers on Twitter. Justin Eisinger is co-author of the New York Times Best Selling graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy, George Takei's story of childhood internment. During a career of more than a dozen years immersed in graphic storytelling, a fateful encounter with March author and Civil Rights pioneer Congressman John Lewis inspired Eisinger to turn his experience to bringing engaging non-fiction stories to readers. Born in Akron, Ohio, Eisinger lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and two dogs, and in his spare time publishes North America's only inline skating magazine. Steven Scott has worked regularly in comics since publishing his debut book in 2010, most notably as a publicist. His writing has appeared in publications by Archie Comics, Arcana Studios, and Heavy Metal magazine. As a blogger/columnist he has written for the pop culture sites Forces of Geek, Great Scott Comics, and PopMatters. Harmony Becker is an artist and illustrator. She is the creator of the comics Himawari Share, Love Potion, and Anemone and Catharus. She is a member of a multicultural family and has spent time living in South Korea and Japan. Her work often deals with the theme of the language barrier and how it shapes people and their relationships.

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