Leslie Yamaguchi
@lyamaguchiLeslie Yamaguchi is a High School English teacher in Southern California. She is a volunteer for the Japanese American National Museum where she writes articles for the Museum Store Online and helps out with book sales at public programs.
Updated November 2007
Stories from This Author
China Dolls by Lisa See
Jan. 15, 2015 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Fans of best-selling author Lisa See will not be surprised by her diverse background, the source of the unique perspective readers inevitably find in each of her novels. Born in Paris but raised and residing in Los Angeles for most of her life, she is part Chinese. Her great-great-grandfather came to the United States to work on the building of the transcontinental railroad, and her great-grandfather was the “godfather” or “patriarch” of Los Angeles’ Chinatown. About 400 members of her …
Naomi Hirahara’s Murder on Bamboo Lane
Aug. 19, 2014 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Devoted readers of the Naomi Hirahara’s mystery novels might be dismayed to learn that her recently published book, Murder on Bamboo Lane, is not another installation of the Mas Arai series. However, despite their fondness for their beloved curmudgeon and reluctant detective, readers will find themselves quickly won over by Ellie Rush, the heroine of Murder on Bamboo Lane. Fear not, faithful readers. Naomi Hirahara’s latest book will satisfy the inner detective in all of you. The protagonist of Murder …
"Today’s Thought" by Norman H. Osumi
Jan. 28, 2014 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Imagine the overwhelming task of writing a book about your personal hero, mentor—and father. Imagine wanting to write this book despite having no previous writing experience. While this goal may seem impossible to most, Norman H. Osumi’s book, Today’s Thought: Rev. Paul Osumi: The Man and His Message, is the product of just such a dream. Reverend Paul Osumi touched countless lives through “Today’s Thought,” his daily words of inspiration that appeared in The Honolulu Advertiser and Hawaii Hochi for …
Gone to the Forest - Katie Kitamura
Aug. 13, 2013 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Three years after the release of her first novel, The Longshot, Katie Kitamura is drawing praise once again for her second novel, Gone to the Forest. Although a relatively new name in the literary world, the author has garnered acclaim from an eclectic group of reviewers. Both of her books were finalists for the New York Public Library’s Young Lions Fiction Award. Salman Rushdie writes of the writer’s latest work: “One thinks at times of both Coetzee and Gordimer, but …
Naomi Hirahara – Strawberry Yellow
March 8, 2013 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Fans of Naomi Hirahara should prepare to turn off their cell phones and curl up in their favorite reading chair. Their most beloved detective, Mas Arai, will put his investigative skills to work once again in Hirahara’s newest novel, Strawberry Yellow. Upon learning of his second cousin Shug’s sudden death, Mas returns to Watsonville, a small town in Northern California. Mas’ plan to make a brief appearance in his hometown to attend the funeral is quickly thwarted when Minnie, Shug’s …
Kapoho: Memoir of a Modern Pompeii - Frances H. Kakugawa
Sept. 3, 2012 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Mount Vesuvius, Krakatoa, Mount St. Helens—these are the names that come to mind when most of us think of volcanoes. In her most recent book, Kapoho, Memoir of a Modern Pompeii, Frances Kakugawa makes readers outside of Hawaii aware of another volcano—Kilauea—and shares her recollections of Kapoho, Hawaii, the place of her birth and the town ultimately destroyed by Kilauea. Through her writing, Ms. Kakugawa succeeds in keeping alive the most important thing that could be salvaged from the destructive …
Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
May 2, 2012 • Leslie Yamaguchi
In her second published novel, Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, Kristina McMorris displays her incredible talents as both a writer and historian. The author introduces readers to Maddie Kern, an accomplished violinist with aspirations of studying at Julliard. When Maddie falls in love with and eventually marries Lane Moritomo, a Japanese American and her brother’s best friend since childhood, their relationship is tested by the disapproval of their families, friends, and society in general. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese …
How to Be an American Housewife
Jan. 30, 2012 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Readers may not know what to expect from a novel titled How to Be an American Housewife. Is it actually a novel or a guidebook for American homemakers? By glancing through “20 Random Things” on author Margaret Dilloway’s website, curious readers will find that the author has a degree in art, severe allergic reactions to grasses, dust, and pollen, and an aversion to handling bacon. She grew up in San Diego, California, the daughter of a Japanese mother and an …
Hanafuda Hawaii: Helen Nakano Brings Generations Together
Oct. 26, 2011 • Leslie Yamaguchi
One look at the website, HanafudaHawaii.com, makes it evident that Helen Nakano is an ambassador with a grand vision in mind. “The mission of Hanafuda Hawaii is to bring generations a little closer.” During plantation times, she explained, families throughout the islands played Hanafuda. Today, however, ways for the young and old to connect are far fewer. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii of Issei parents from Hiroshima, Japan, Nakano has seen a great deal of the world. Married to a now …
Maneki Neko: The Tale of the Beckoning Cat
Dec. 7, 2010 • Leslie Yamaguchi
Anyone who has been in a Japanese gift store has probably seen the adorable beckoning cat called Maneki Neko with its wide eyes and raised, waving paw. Many look upon these statues as loveable collectibles without ever being aware of the legend behind the iconic cats and why they are known for the good fortune they bring. Susan Lendroth, author of Maneki Neko: The Tale of the Beckoning Cat, presents her own version of the folk tale without tampering with …
