Book Club: When the Emperor Was Divine

NOTE: Registration is required and a copy of the book will be provided to all 15 participants. Books will be placed on hold at the library's main desk after you register and can be checked out with your Blugold ID.

Julie Otsuka’s debut novel, When the Emperor Was Divine, follows an unnamed Japanese American family as they navigate the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Told in five parts, each from a family member’s perspective, the novel paints a picture of the Japanese American experience during WWII. Using this novel, this book club seeks to have an open discussion about this moment in US history, as well as its relevance in contemporary conversations.

This book club is in collaboration with The Small and Mighty: Chippewa Valley, an exhibit in UWEC’s McIntyre Library centering on Heart Mountain, one of the sites used to incarcerate Japanese Americans.

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