by Fujiye Kamikura

Fujiye takes us on a very personal journey through time and life, starting in Japan in 1909. She tells about immigration to Canada, her marriage and family, "internment" during the war, and "starting again." Fujiye tells her story with great dignity. Life is never easy, but her pride and spirit come through strongly in her words and pictures.

Fujiye worked on a seed farm, in a hospital, in a rooming house and she did alterations for a dry cleaning store, before she retired at the age of 65. The death of her husband brought new changes. She had to depend on a daughter for everything and "that was no good." At over 70 years old, she went back to school. She wanted to talk to her grandchildren, who speak only English. "That's why I want to learn. Now I have time," she says.

Fujiye's words and feelings are enriched by twelve of her personal photographs. The design, print and spacing make the booklet even more attractive to pick up. Even though the text is line broken and divided into eight short chapters, beginner readers would probably need someone to read the book with them.

The story flows well and is always interesting. It is a good resource for learning about Japanese-Canadian history and culture from an immigrant woman's perspective. It could also be useful in group discussion to counter some of the stereotypes that still find their way into "popular culture."

A review by Nancy Miller, Toronto, Ontario