[ebooks] Colors of Confinement: Rare Kodachrome Photographs of Japanese American Incarceration in World War II (H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series) by From The University of North Carolina Press at Arts-Photography

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful. Superb photos. superb bookBy FredericI just received my copy from today. so I havent had a chance to read all of the essays yet. From what Ive seen thus far. though. I think the text is going to do justice to the images. And thats saying something. The book is high-quality coated paper throughout. with excellent printing and binding as one expects from the UNC Press. The images are beautifully presented. nearly full-page in size in most cases.This is a collection of vivid full-color Kodachrome images taken by a young Japanese-American man who was interned at the Heart Mountain. Wyoming. camp during World War II. He captured everyday life in the camp. and its environs. and these color images bring it to life amazingly. Ive read many books and seen many images - photographic and drawn/painted - by internees. as well as accounts by anthropologists in some of the camps. but these are real eye-openers.As those who lived and experienced the events of the Second World War are leaving us. it is especially important to preserve and present to new audiences the documents of those experiences. This book is an outstanding contribution to that effort.8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Captivating Images of the Japanese-American Internment ExperienceBy Steve VranaWhen I teach "A Separate Peace" to my sophomore English students. I make every effort to immerse them into the culture of World War II on the home front. We watch "Casabalanca." Walt Disneys "Der Fuehrers Face." the Andrews Sisters singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Abbott and Costellos classic "Whos on First" routine. I show clips of Ken Burns "The War" that talk about rationing. war bond drives. and Pearl Harbor.Perhaps the most poignant scene is Daniel Inouyes first-hand account of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This. of course. leads to a discussion of the Japanese-American internment camps.Detractors would say that this book sugar coats the experiences of more than 100.000 Japanese-Americans who were placed in these relocation centers for much of the war. Granted. the photos do little to show the hardship and isolation of life in the camps. Even living conditions--cramped quarters. communal latrines--are not the intent of this book.What it does show is the spirit and determination of the incarcerated to provide a sense of normalcy to their daily lives. With more than 70 photos--all but a handful in color and most of them full-page--Bill Manbos images are a testament to the ability to retain humanity under inhumane conditions. Manbo and his family were sent to the camp at Heart Mountain in Wyoming in 1942 where these photos were taken.Sure. there are pictures of guard towers (p. 45). the starkness of the barracks and the landscape (p. 26). and a moving image of the photographers son clutching a barbed-wire fence at the edge of the camp.However. most of the scenes are much more cheerful: dancers in traditional attire. parades. ice skating. residents wrestling in the sumo ring. family outings...and lots of family photos.In addition to the photos. there are three essays: "A Youngsters Life Behind Barbed Wire." "Camera in Camp" and "Unexpected Views of the Internment." Each essay is about ten pages.If you think you know everything about the Japanese-American internment experience. this book will shine a light in corners you havent seen before. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Incredible exceptionally rare color photos insight into the WWII Japanese-American internment camps! All I can say is WOW!By Gregory C. BrownIncredible and exceptionally rare color photos and insight into the WWII Japanese-American internment camps! All I can say is WOW!