JOHN OKADA

The Life and Rediscovered Work of the Author of No-no Boy

Frank Abe (Editor), Greg Robinson (Editor) Floyd Cheung (Editor), University of Washington Press (JULY) Softcover $29.95 (376pp) 978-0-295-74351-6

John Okada’s 1957 novel No-no Boy was the first novel by a Japanese American to grapple with the aftermath of internment during World War II. John

Okada examines the rest of Okada’s story. The book begins with a detailed biography of Okada, including his family’s stint in a Washington state internment camp, his time in the U.S. military as a Japanese translator, and his postwar balancing of writing and pay-thebills work.

The narrative is supported by context-providing quotes from Okada, his family, and his friends. Other essays discuss the importance of

No-no Boy, analyze the novel and Okada’s short fiction from a critical perspective, or look at the generational difference between born-in-america nisei like Okada and the earlier generation of immigrants.

Okada’s included short stories demonstrate his writing style and sensibility. “The Silver Lunchbox” features a young boy about to win an award for perfect attendance at school, only to be waylaid in a magic-realism twist. “Without Solace” is the heartbreaking story of a father failing to process the death of his young daughter. “When in Japan” is a one-act play, a clever comedy mocking the official bureaucracy of the military-industrial complex.

These and other stories familiarize newcomers to Okada and his work, and provide those who know only No-no Boy insight into the author’s full ability. This is a strong compilation, mixing Okada’s writing with copious analysis of it, and telling a story of his life that both echoes and informs his best-known work.