As part of the King County Library’s annual Lake Forest Park/Shoreline/Richmond Beach Reads program, Third Place Books welcomes celebrated local author Daniel James Brown for a virtual presentation of his latest work of historical nonfiction, Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War II, now available in paperback. Brown will be in conversation with Tom Ikeda, the executive director of Densho.
Facing the Mountain will be 20% off in our stores during the months of June and July. Extra copies are available at the Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, and Richmond Beach Libraries. The event is co-sponsored by the City of Lake Forest Park’s Library Advisory Committee; Friends of the Shoreline, Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries; and Third Place Books.
This event will be broadcast live on Zoom. Registering will provide you with a unique access link in an email. During the event, you can ask questions using the Q&A feature, or chat with fellow attendees. A recording of the event will be made available and emailed to all who register.
This author talk is free! You can sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book.
for this virtual event
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boys in the Boat, a gripping World War II saga of patriotism and courage that tells the story of the special Japanese American Army unit that overcame brutal odds in Europe; their families, incarcerated back home; and a young man who refused to surrender his constitutional rights, even if it meant imprisonment.
They came from across the continent and Hawaii. Their parents taught them to embrace both their Japanese heritage and the ways of America. They faced bigotry, yet they believed in their bright futures as American citizens. But within days of Pearl Harbor, the FBI was ransacking their houses and locking up their fathers. And within months many would themselves be living behind barbed wire.
Facing the Mountain is an unforgettable chronicle of war-time America and the battlefields of Europe. Based on Daniel James Brown's extensive interviews with the families of the protagonists as well as deep archival research, it portrays the kaleidoscopic journey of four Japanese-American families and their sons, who volunteered for 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were deployed to France, Germany, and Italy, where they were asked to do the near impossible.
But this is more than a war story. Brown also tells the story of these soldiers' parents, immigrants who were forced to shutter the businesses, surrender their homes, and submit to life in concentration camps on U.S. soil. Woven throughout is the chronicle of a brave young man, one of a cadre of patriotic resisters who stood up against their government in defense of their own rights. Whether fighting on battlefields or in courtrooms, these were Americans under unprecedented strain, doing what Americans do best--striving, resisting, pushing back, rising up, standing on principle, laying down their lives, and enduring.
"The story of the fearless men of the 442nd Regiment feels especially relevant, with Asian Americans once again under attack."
—New York Post
“Facing the Mountain is more than just the story of a group of young men whose valor helped save a country that spurned them, it's a fascinating, expertly written look at selfless heroes who emerged from one of the darkest periods of American history — soldiers the likes of which this country may never see again.”
—NPR.org
“Masterly… An epic story of four Japanese-American families and their sons who volunteered for military service and displayed uncommon heroism and grit to serve their country... propulsive and gripping read… it’s a page-turner—a testament to Mr. Brown’s storytelling gifts.”
—Wall Street Journal
Daniel James Brown is the author of The Boys in the Boat, The Indifferent Stars Above, and Under a Flaming Sky. He lives outside of Seattle.
Tom Ikeda is the executive director of Densho, a Seattle-based non-profit dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing Japanese American history and promoting social justice and equity.
Third Place Books Events Code of Conduct: Third Place Books is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of event attendees and guest authors, during both online and in-store events. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to refrain from engaging in inappropriate behavior and harassment of any kind throughout the course of this event (i.e. racial slurs, profanity, hate speech, spam comments, etc.). Please note that any participants who engage in inappropriate behavior or harassment of any kind will be immediately ejected from this event.
