{"product_id":"okinawa-9781683961185","title":"Okinawa","description":"\u003cstrong\u003e2024 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction - Longlist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAmerican Library Association Best Comics for Adults 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e \u003cem\u003eBooklist\u003c\/em\u003e Editors' Choice: Best Graphic Novels 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e Book World Editors' Staff Pick 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/em\u003e Best Graphic Novels of 2023\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA peaceful, independent kingdom until its annexation by the Japanese Empire in the 19th century, Okinawa was the site of the most destructive land battle of the Pacific War. Today, the archipelago is Japan's poorest prefecture and unwilling host to 75% of all US military bases in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eOkinawa\u003c\/em\u003e brings together two collections of intertwined stories by the island's pre-eminent mangaka, Susumu Higa, which reflect on this difficult history and pull together traditional Okinawan spirituality, the modern-day realities of the continuing US military occupation, and the senselessness of the War. The first collection, \u003cem\u003eSword of Sand\u003c\/em\u003e, is a ground level, unflinching look at the horrors of the Battle of Okinawa. Higa then turns an observant eye to the present-day in \u003cem\u003eMabui\u003c\/em\u003e (Okinawan for \"spirit\"), where he explores how the American occupation has irreversibly changed the island prefecture, through the lens of the archipelago's indigenous spirituality and the central character of the yuta priestess.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eOkinawa\u003c\/em\u003e is a harrowing document of war, but it is also a work which addresses the dreams and the needs of a people as they go forward into an uncertain future, making it essential reading for anyone interested in World War II and its effects on our lives today, as well as anyone with an interest in the people and culture of this fascinating, complicated place. Though the work is thoroughly about one specific locale, the complex relations between Okinawan and Japanese identities and loyalties, between place and history, and between humanity and violence speak beyond borders and across shores.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease note: This book is a traditional work of manga and reads back to front and right to left.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Susumu Higa\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Fantagraphics Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/22\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 544\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.95lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.20h x 5.20w x 1.80d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781683961185\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAudience:\u003c\/b\u003e Young Adult\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/15\/2023 pg. 37\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/16\/2023 pg. 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/07\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/19\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout The Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWoodrow-Butcher, Andrew:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Woodrow-Butcher\u003c\/strong\u003e is an editor, critic, and consultant with a career specializing in comics in school and public libraries. Andrew manages graphic collection development services for renowned comics shop The Beguiling Books \u0026amp; Art, where he also built their spin-off shop Little Island Comics, at the time the world's only comic book shop just for kids. His work for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival spanned a decade and focused on programming for kids and educators, and on building international comics partnerships. He has written about a wide variety of books for venues like \u003cem\u003eXtra!, Broken Pencil, Quill \u0026amp; Quire, CBC Kid\u003c\/em\u003es, and \u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eButcher, Christopher:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eChristopher Butcher\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer, editor, and podcaster who has been working in and around comics, graphic novels, and manga for over quite a while now. He is currently co-hosting the manga podcast Mangasplaining, and publisher of the Mangasplaining Extra publishing line. He has worked with publishers including VIZ Media, UDON Entertainment, Kodansha, and Fantagraphics.\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAllen, Jocelyne:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eJocelyne Allen\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Japanese translator and interpreter who splits her time between Toronto and Tokyo.\u003cbr\u003eEt al...\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Susumu Higa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42888261599295,"sku":"9781683961185","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/0710\/5855\/files\/9781683961185.jpg?v=1770408374","url":"https:\/\/casitamanga.com\/products\/okinawa-9781683961185","provider":"Casita Manga","version":"1.0","type":"link"}