Brandon Shimoda

nonfiction - poetic (and very scattered) ruminations about author's grandfather (who was confined in an incarceration camp for "higher risk" males during WWII) and grandmother, a "picture bride" emigrant from Japan. Since the grandparents are no longer around to ask about their experiences, the author is left to explore in his own time, in his own way. The result is, in the author's words, a "fragmented" biography of the grandfather, among other things. There is some good historical background included, but the reader will have to wade through the rest to get there, as much of the book flits from one topic to another without a strong narrative arc.

abandoned after reading pp 1-20 (first chapter--wasn't a huge fan of the scattered writing style), 139-153 (about that curious photo of the grandfather, more of a narrative to follow here but not a lot of answers about his time spent in the Missoula incarceration camp since he's not alive to ask).… (mer)