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The Book That Plunges You Into Messy American History
In her new novel, Karen Tei Yamashita challenges readers to join her in deciphering a shameful moment from the nation’s past.
TL;DR
- The novel "Questions 27 & 28" by Karen Tei Yamashita examines the loyalty questionnaire administered to Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII internment.
- Yamashita combines archival documents with fictional narratives to explore the complex experiences and decisions of internees regarding the loyalty questions.
- The book critiques the "damned questionnaire" and its consequences, while not taking sides in the internees' debates about how to answer.
- Yamashita employs an experimental narrative style, mixing various literary forms and historical materials, to immerse readers in the research and interpretation process.
- The novel emphasizes that answering the loyalty questions, whether 'yes' or 'no,' had significant and often harsh consequences for individuals and families.