Another novel from the author of When the Emperor Was Divine

[ReneeTLC]

When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka is a popular choice for college and community reads as well as AP Lit. She writes about the Japanese camps during World War II in that novel and about the so-called “picture brides” in her second one, The Buddha in the Attic. The Swimmers, her third novel, was published earlier this month – and it’s a much more personal story based on her own mother’s dementia. I found it compelling, though its sadness might not be as appealing to high school kids. It’s been featured in a number of publications, including Lit Hub – and here’s an interview I did with Julie a few weeks ago for World Literature Today.