Konnichiwa Bookworms!
Today you get a Japanese greeting because the main character in today’s book hails from Japan. I’m terribly appropriate, I know. A couple of years ago I read a book called The Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns (review) that knocked the socks right off my feet and halfway around the room. I made a mental note to check out ALL THE BOOKS by Margaret Dilloway, and in typical Katie fashion, it took me forever to do it. But do it I did! When I saw that How to Be an American Housewife
was available from my library’s audio book section, I decided to give it a shot.
How to Be an American Housewife
tells the story of Shoko, a Japanese woman who marries an American serviceman. The novel features a (fictional, thank heaven) instructional document that attempts to educate Japanese women emigrating to the US in their new country’s cultural expectations and domestic duties. It is, as you would expect, astonishingly offensive, but very telling of the time period’s social mores. Shoko is encouraged to cut ties with Japan and focus on assimilation. As is the case with most novels focusing on Asian immigrant mothers and their American born daughters, Shoko and her daughter Sue have a rather rocky relationship. As Shoko ages and her health fails, she desperately wants to make a trip back to Japan to mend fences with her brother. Because she is too frail to do so, she enlists Sue’s help to make the trip in her stead. Family secrets and heartbreak dovetail with hope and warmth making How to Be an American Housewife an enjoyable read.
I think that listening to this book was a good move, as Shoko’s English is very fragmented. I often struggle with reading heavily accented language, but listening to it is always a treat. In listening to the acknowledgements, I learned that Dilloway’s mother was, like Shoko, a Japanese immigrant married to an American GI. It’s clear that Shoko’s story was heavily influenced by her mother’s experience, which struck me as a beautiful tribute. What can I say? I’m a sucker for the mushy stuff. If you’re in the mood for a mother-daughter story with that Asian immigration twist, How to Be an American Housewife is not to be missed. Fans of Lisa See and Amy Tan, take note!
Talk to me, Bookworms! Have any of you lived in a country other than the one you were born and raised in? Did you experience culture shock?
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thatashgirl
Both of my parents were born in Europe so they had to deal with huge culture shock. Thankfully they both came to Toronto which has always been pretty diverse culturally so there are ethnic communities for every culture imaginable.
thatashgirl
Also it kills me when I have to read something written phonetically or with culture specific slang. I’m looking at you Irvine Welsh and James Joyce!
Words For Worms
Oh gosh, Joyce references are always so far above my head.
Words For Worms
I didn’t realize your parents were immigrants, that is very cool. Portugal, right? Do you speak any Portuguese? Would you be willing to teach me to bad words? (I tried to get some Polish girls in high school to teach me swears. They giggled and taught me the names of fruits instead. Probably for the best.)
ThatAshGirl
Dad was born in Portugal, mom was born in Germany. I’m an ethnic mutt! Because they speak such different languages we spoke neither around the house growing up. Then they started tossing French at me at school. I’m not fluent in any of them. But I can ask for the bathroom, say thank you, and tell someone off in all 3. And I will totally teach you!
Words For Worms
YESSSSSSSSS! ALL THE BAD WORDS! I took Spanish, so French, Portuguese, and German would be a boon. I can also yell “strawberry” in Polish very convincingly.
Megan M.
My family was in the military so I spent a chunk of my childhood living in Germany (and I was born there too!) I was so young, though, and we lived on base so it doesn’t count as culture shock. But I remember going to the candy store with my older sister and we had to communicate with gestures and then my sister would count the pfennigs we owed. And they had Kinder eggs! I still miss those. It was a hollow chocolate egg with a tiny toy inside. So fun!
Words For Worms
Kinder eggs!!! I had someone bring me some once from Europe! Those things rule. Why do we not have those?!
ThatAshGirl
Because they think American’s are stupid and the kids will try to eat the plastic toy in the middle?
They sell them in Canada….just another reason for you to come visit!
AMB
This sounds wonderful. I love it when fiction relates to the author’s life. Great review!
Words For Worms
I do too 🙂
Leah @ Books Speak Volumes
I lived in Australia when I was really little because my dad was in the Air Force, and I lived in England for four months in college!
This book sounds fantastic!
Words For Worms
Australia, oh Australia. I dream of thee….
Mysterious Bibliophile
This sounds excellent albeit infuriating. 🙂
Words For Worms
That is exactly how it was!
Jenny @ Reading the End
England’s the only other place I’ve lived long-term besides the US, and even with that relatively minor change, there was some culture shock. And when I visited India last month there was alllll the culture shock.
Words For Worms
I can only imagine! I went on a short trip to England in college and that was a bit jarring. A country where I didn’t speak the language that had so much DIFFERENT would be pretty mind blowing.
Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf
I like listening to broken English (or even a strong dialect) much better than reading it, too. Panopticon comes to mind immediately!
Words For Worms
High five, Monika. And thanks for reminding me that I want to read Panopticon still… I am rather fond of Scottish accents.
Katie @ Doing Dewey
I’m also terrible at visiting author’s backlists! I’m glad you ended up enjoying this one 🙂
Words For Worms
I need to be better about it, there are just so many books!