Julie Otsuka’s The Buddha in the Attic explores the Japanese-American experience from the perspective of Issei ‘picture brides’ who came to this country in the early 20th century. Their stories are beautifully interwoven and evocatively portray the experience of both cultural assimilation and ultimately Japanese internment during World War 2. The entire book is written from the perspective of “we” which makes the reading more literarily engaging although the reader has less of a relationship with a single protagonist.

Availability: SMCM Library
Review Submitted by: Tiko Mason, Class of 2013
Rating:  Highly recommended