Water Thicker Than Blood: A Memoir of a Post-Internment Childhood

Water Thicker Than Blood is a memoir by poet and professor George Uba that chronicles his life as a Japanese American born in the late 1940s, a period of insidious anti-Japanese racism. It explores how he grappled with dislocation and trauma while seeking acceptance and belonging and the lasting damage caused by post-internment ideologies of "being accepted" and "fitting in inconspicuously."

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: Temple University Press,U.S.

In Water Thicker Than Blood, poet and professor George Uba delves into the intricate tapestry of his life, revealing the profound impact of anti-Japanese racism during the late 1940s. His captivating memoir unfolds as he navigates the challenges of displacement and trauma, seeking solace and a sense of belonging amidst a shifting racial landscape in America. Uba's personal journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, as he grapples with the violent educational practices of the midcentury, the toll of family health crises, and the pervasive bullying he faced. Through vivid vignettes, he paints a poignant portrait of boy scouts and yogore, highlighting the blurred boundaries and the shared experiences of injury that these youth groups endured under the same ideological pressures.

Water Thicker Than Blood departs from conventional narratives of recovery or family reconciliation, instead offering an intimate exploration of the lasting damage caused by post-internment ideologies of "being accepted" and "fitting in inconspicuously." This book serves as a powerful testament to the broader Sansei post-internment experience, shedding light on the profound impact of displacement, trauma, and the search for identity in a society grappling with the legacies of prejudice.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781439922576