By Laura Gentry and Elisa Murray
NAP Contributors
This spring, The Seattle Public Library (SPL) invites the community to take part in One Book, One Coast, a shared reading inittiative connecting more than 140 library systems across California, Oregon, and Washington. This is the West Coast’s largest book club which includes more than 20 in Washington State alone.
Led by Los Angeles County Library, One Book, One Coast will encourage millions of library readers to read and discuss the graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger; and illustrated by Harmony Becker. They Called Us Enemy tells the story of actor/author/activist Takei’s imprisonment as a child within American concentration camps during World War II. Through this shared reading experience, communities are invited to explore themes of identity, patriotism, family, loyalty, and resilience while strengthening connections through dialogue and learning. “The Seattle Public Library is grateful to participate in this exceptional effort to read and explore Takei’s powerful story with readers all around the West Coast,” said SPL’s Chief Librarian Tom Fay, “Shared stories can bring us together, teach us about silenced histories, and deepen our humanity.”
Find out more about SPL’s participation in One Book, One Coast at: www.spl.org/OBOC.
Other Western Washington libraries participating in One Book, One Coast include Everett Public Library, King County Library System, Pierce County Library System, and Tacoma Public Library. A full list of participating library systems can be viewed at: LACountyLibrary.org/oboc. SPL’s One Book, One Coast program is supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation.
Book cover of They Called Us Enemy by George Takei.
How to Find a Copy of They Called Us Enemy
SPL cardholders can access Takei’s book in several ways. SPL is offering unlimited digital copies of They Called Us Enemy through Hoopla at: https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3428183.
You can place holds or see where physical copies of the book are located in our catalogue at: https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3606683.
E-book copies can be accessed through OverDrive and Libby at: https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3505499. At a later date, SPL will also make unlimited digital copies of the e-book version in English and Spanish through OverDrive.
One Book, One Coast Programs at SPL
SPL will host several programs highlighting Seattle-area authors who have written about Japanese American incarceration and resistance.
On April 8, writer and historian Frank Abe, author of We Hereby Refuse and former guest curator at SPL, will speak about The Literature of the Japanese American Incarceration.
On May 5, Tacoma creative nonfiction writer Tamiko Nimura will discuss A Place for What We Lose: A Daughter Returns to Tule Lake, her forthcoming memoir to be published on April 28, 2026. Both events are at the Central Library, Level 1 Microsoft Auditorium. They are free and open to the public but pre-registration is required.
“I’m proud to live in Seattle, home to writers like John Okada and others working then. Now through literature and graphic art, to share the story of the forced removal of Japanese Americans from the West Coast,” said Abe. “Through graphic novels like our own We Hereby Refuse from Chin Music Press and Mr. Takei’s book, we can unite as ‘One Coast’. [It will] help readers understand this essential history so that we can avoid repeating it.”
SPL is planning additional One Book, One Coast programming, to be announced at a later date. SPL will also participate in a West Coast livestream event with George Takei on Sunday, May 31 that closes the One Book, One Coast program. See: https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/15930131. More information will be shared in the coming months. One Book, One Coast is similar in concept to Seattle Reads, SPL’s annual citywide book group, which started in 1998 and has been replicated around the world. The SPL is planning to celebrate Seattle Reads in the fall of 2026.
About They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Published in 2019, They Called Us Enemy is a New York Times bestselling graphic memoir. It reflects on civil liberties, democracy, and what it means to be American—both historically and today. George Hosato Takei was born on April 20, 1937. He is an American actor and author, best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the television series Star Trek. Takei is also a proponent of gay rights, and active in state and local politics apart from his continued acting career. He has won several awards and recognition in his work on human rights and Japanese American relations including his work with the Japanese American National Museum.
About The Seattle Public Library
The SPL believes that the power of knowledge improves people’s lives. We promote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and empower community. Contact the library’s Ask Us service by telephone at: 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at: spl.org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information. Find out more about our future plans at: www.spl.org/StrategicPlan.
