Naomi Hirahara, the Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai series, talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her latest historical mystery novel, Clark and Division, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection.
Clark and Division tells the story of the Ito family who was detained first at Manzanar in California and then to Chicago in 1944 as Japanese Americans were moved by the government after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The oldest daughter, Rose, had gone on ahead of the family to Chicago, and they were eager to reconnect with her. But the day before the family arrives, Rose is killed in a subway accident, which is ruled a suicide. Aki doesn’t believe that about her older sister Rose, and she embarks on a quest to unravel the truth about her death.
Naomi talks to Carol about the research she did to tell this story, and how her nonfiction research on Japanese Americans inspires her fiction. She talks about her trip to Chicago, where she walked the streets of Clark and Division to absorb details shared in her writing. Clark and Division is so much different than most World War II historical novels, and they discuss how it would be perfect for book club discussions.
Book Discussed in this Episode:
Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/clark-and-division
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William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k
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Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald