◆ “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei.

By Melissa Soelter
Library Assistant, Lincoln County Library

My favorite format to enjoy reading is graphic novels, which are becoming increasingly popular. They appeal to a wide audience and depict any story, both fiction and non-fiction. I have also gained an appreciation for non-fiction, and find memoirs about real people’s lives fascinating. That is why “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei was the perfect read for me.

In this stunning graphic novel, Takei relates his experiences in American concentration camps during World War II. He begins his account from the night his family is forced to leave their home. Takei describes the journey his family made to the camps, their experiences within the barracks they called home for several years, as well as the struggles they faced afterwards.

After reading several historical fiction novels about the Japanese relocation camps, this graphic novel helped fill in the missing gaps of what the camps’ living conditions were like. Harmony Becker’s beautiful illustrations depict the physical surroundings of the barracks, mess hall, and guard towers, as well as the feelings evoked by these living conditions.

I enjoyed how Takei is the visual narrator throughout the book which adds details that his four year old self wouldn’t have known. The novel ties his past experiences together to show how he became the amazing person that we all know.

“They Called Us Enemy” was a perfect read for me because it combined several interests of mine into one novel. I encourage everyone to read this book. “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei is available throughout the Lincoln County Library System, as well as in ebook format through OverDrive.