Betty MacDonald and Nisei Daughter

Betty MacDonald fan club fans,

Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Monica Sone ( Kimi in Betty MacDonald's The Plague and I )  is the author of Nisei Daughter. 

Monica Sone and her family had run a hotel in Seattle before Executive Order 9066 sent all West Coast Japanese Americans into exile.

With charm, humor, and deep understanding, a Japanese American woman tells how it was to grow up on Seattle's waterfront in the 1930s and to be subjected to "relocation" dring World War II. Along with some 120,000 other persons of Japanese ancestry-77,000 of whom were U.S. citizens-she and her family were uprooted from their home and imprisoned in a camp. 

In this book, first published in 1953, she provides a unique personal account of these experiences.

"Monica Sone's account of life in the relocation camps is both fair and unsparing. It is also deeply touching, and occasionally hilarious."-New York Herald Tribune

"The deepest impression that this unaffected, honest little story made on me was of smiling courage."-San Francisco Chronicle

Wolfgang Hampel, Monica Sone's friend -  author of Betty MacDonald biography and winner of first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award - wrote:

Copyright 2011 by Wolfgang Hampel

Dearest Monica,

I was rereading your book Nisei Daughter and I have to tell you that I agree with your many international fans. I wished I could read many more books written by great author and unique personality Monica Sone.

I also agree with the New York Herald Tribune review of Nisei Daughter: Monica Sone's account of life in the relocation camps is both fair and unsparing. It is also deeply touching, and occasionally hilarious.

Yes, that's it! Deeply touching, also occassionally hilarious! When I'm reading your great book ( Nisei Daughter belong to the VERY few books I'm reading over and over again ) I'm really deeply touched. I'm with you and your great family. I adore your outstanding book and even much more I adore your unique personality. You are a genius but very human and warm with a deep understanding and a golden heart.

The first time I heard your very warm voice I was lost. To me it's the most beautiful voice in the whole world. Voice and personality fit together in just a perfect way.

Thanks a million for your friendship.

Although we are far away you and your family are always in our thoughts. 

All our love,

Wolfgang


Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Monica Sone will be included in Wolfgang Hampel's new project 'Vita Magica'. 

Yours,

Martine

Vita Magica

Betty MacDonald fan club

Betty MacDonald forum  

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) 

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )

Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )

Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English ) 

Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University 

Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel 

Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
  
Betty MacDonald fan club items 

Betty MacDonald fan club items  - comments

Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund 


                Roses for Monica Sone

Betty MacDonald and Nisei Daughter

 


Betty MacDonald fan club fans,

i'm rereading the outstanding book Nisei Daughter by late Monica Sone, described as Kimi in Betty MacDonald's The Plague and I.

To me it's quiete a shock to learn the depressing facts of internment of Japanese, Japanese Americans, European and European Americans in a democratic society.

Over 31.000 people were kept interned until July 1948 - more than three years after the war in Europe had ended.

I hope we can learn from the past and we are willing to.

Betty MacDonald Fan Club honor member Monica Sone was furious at the blatant disregard of her civil rights.

Monica Sone said to  Betty MacDonald Memorial Award winner Wolfgang Hampel:
I didn't move from Seattle - they moved me away and I never came back. ( only for family visits )

Of course everybody can understand Monica Sone's feelings.
A democratic society has to protect the civil rights of their people. Otherwise it's no longer a democratic society. A simple fact.

In the camps, internees were seen more as prisoners of war than as civilians.

Just imagine the loss of property, the personal insults, the barbed wire, armed guards, the dust storms, horrible food, unfinished barracks, barren land, shared huts, inadequate washing and toilet facilities, green uniforms, military work details, snapping to attention at an officer's approach.

Therefore Monica Sone's Nisei Daughter is a very important book.

Betty MacDonald Fan Club founder, author, poet and Monica Sone's very good friend Wolfgang Hampel told us that Nisei Daughter belonged to the very few books he was rereading. 

I know many of us do the very same.

Betty MacDonald encouraged her friend Monica Sone in publishing her book 'Nisei Daughter'.

Betty MacDonald said: 

'Nisei Daughter ' is a very remarkable book, humorous and delightfully readable, that takes you into the heart of a Japanese-American family and into the mind of the sensitive, perceptive eldest daughter.
The internment of the American born Japanese during World War II is handled with honesty and rare dispassion. It is certainly to Monica Sone's credit that she she still sings God bless America. 
 
Betty MacDonald was right. Having Monica Sone's experiences I'm not sure I would.

I agree with John Heitman "In a world where there are lots of smoke screens and J. Edgar Hoovers, an individual can really be hurt."


We are sending all our love to Linde Lund and her little daughter.

Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Monica Sone will included in Wolfgang Hampel's new project 'Vita Magica'. 


Wolfgang Hampel's stories and satirical poems will be published in Betty MacDonald fan club newsletter August and future newsletters.

Bettty MacDonald fan club honor member Mr. Tigerli is  in Athens because he is crazy about his new very beautiful girl friend.

Come on and let's have a new breakfast with Brad and Nick. 


Take care,

Lasse




Vita Magica 


Betty MacDonald fan club 
 

Betty MacDonald forum 

Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel

Betty MacDonald fan club items 

Betty MacDonald fan club items  - comments

Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund