Picture Bride By: Yoshiko Uchida

Hana is the main personality in this novel. She is a bride from Japan chosen by a man in Oakland, Calf called Taro Yamaka, who was a shopkeeper. Hana was Yamaka's bride only known to him by a picture. Taro had no clue about her personality or her likes or dislikes. This novel unveils itself approximately during the 1918's in the United States.

Hana believed in Buddha, and her new husband Taro was Christian. Hana still wore her kimono. A typical breakfast for Japanese was bean soup, and rice. Hana was so happy she became pregnant, but the first born was a boy, who died. The next pregnancy was a girl the couple named Mary. In Japan male infants are regarded as a special gift to the family. The male boy can help his father in the rice fields.

Hana becomes the Treasurer of the Women's Society at the Christian Church . Her husband's store is not bringing enough income, so Hana would like a job where she can bring Mary her baby.

In the meantime, Taro and Hana move to a house in a neighborhood, where there family is the only Oriental. One day, Mrs. Johnson asks Hana if she would like to work for her two times a week. She lives a block from Hana's home. Her employer's husband is a Doctor. Mary, Hana and Taro's daughter, was a bright student and did well at the University. She became friends with the Teacher Assistant and eventually eloped with Joe in Reno, Nevada. Mary becomes pregnant, and has a baby daughter.

Next thing we read, is that Taro and Hana as Japanese, are sent to a detention camp in a desert environment that used to be a race track for horses. Taro and Hana live in a former horse's stall, which is pretty confining.

Later on, the daughter of Hana & Taro comes to visit her parents at the camp.

At the end of the novel, there was a surprise ending. Read the novel, and enjoy all the events.
LRD 2/11/08