Oregon Reads; Lauren Kessler's Stubborn Twig

Lauren Kessler's book, Stubborn Twig surrounded by pictures of my Japanese family, including my great grandfather and great grandmother, both Nissei, my grandmother and grandfather, who were both Sansei, and my mother who is Yonsei.

Eugene author, Lauren Kessler had the honor of having her book, Stubborn Twig, picked as one of the three books Oregon Reads, for 2009. Oregon Reads, is a statewide program that will hold events at almost every library in the state to celebrate the 150 year of statehood for Oregon. In honor of the sesquicentennial, from Jan. to April, Kessler, along with other speakers, went on a statewide lecture series to discuss their books. Kessler did readings in Albany, Corvallis and Eugene amongst other stops. Although the book was originally published in 1993, it has recently gained huge popularity and seen a spike in sales since being picked for Oregon Reads.
"I see the world as a series of stories, I see people's lives as stories. I see stories everywhere I go, I have to write about them."

Kessler, who moved to Eugene from New York, has written five books including; Clever Girl, The Happy Bottom Riding Club and Full Court Press.

Kessler read an excerpt from the book which is a true account of a Japanese family trying to establish themselves before and after the strike on Pearl Harbor. The book follows three generations of the Yasui family, lead by the patriarch Masuo, who came to Hood River in 1903. Despite anti-Japanese sentiment in the early 1900's, the family was able to run a successful general store as well as several orchards until their world was turned upside down in 1941. After the attack in Hawaii, Masuo was arrested as a spy and imprisoned at an internment camp along with countless other Japanese-Americans. The story continues through the the tradgedies and losses of the next two generations that continued to struggle to establish themselves as patriotic Americans. It is a part of history that many Americans are unfamiliar with.

The book takes account many different points of view from former neighbors and friends as well as the family members. Kessler spent countless hours sifting through family documents that were salvaged from the Hood River farm. She has also formed a tight bond and friendship with several members of the Yasui family, who still run an orchard in Hood River.

Kessler is currently working on her next project Thin House, where she, her author husband and three children, are remodeling a 1930's bungalow into "a model of energy efficiency."