John Okada: The Life And Rediscovered Work Of The Author Of No-No Boy

Edited by Frank Abe, Greg Robinson, and Floyd Cheung. No-No Boy, John Okada's only published novel, centers on a Japanese American who refuses to fight for the country that incarcerated him and his people in World War II and, upon release from federal prison after the war, is cast out by his divided community. In 1957, the novel faced a similar rejection until it was rediscovered and reissued in 1976 to become a celebrated classic of American literature. As a result of Okada's untimely death at age forty-seven, the author's life and other works have remained obscure. This compelling collection offers an in depth examination of Okada's development as an artist, as well as illuminating Okada's early life in Seattle, military service, and careers as a public librarian and a technical writer in the aerospace industry. Paper: 376 pp.