“Crown City” cured my laziness, at least for a day.
I don’t often make the effort to attend book events. I read reviews, talk to friends, and then read the books that catch my attention on a given day.
But this past weekend, I overcame my loafing ways and attended an event at the Fountain Valley Library for Crown City, the latest book by award-winning author Naomi Hirahara.
I have to admit that I had a bit of extra motivation. I interviewed Hirahara earlier this year for a story about Crown City for Discover Nikkei, so having the chance to meet her in person at an event at my hometown library was too good to pass up!
A full house — there weren’t enough chairs for everyone in the back!
Crown City Book Event
Nearly 50 people crowded into the small event room at the library. Hirahara, sporting a stylish pink hairstyle, welcomed everyone and started her talk with how her love for her hometown, Pasadena, served as inspiration for writing Crown City.
Set in 1903, the story follows Ryui Wada, the orphaned son of a master carpenter who emigrates from Yokohama to Pasadena. As he tries to settle into his new life, he meets an assortment of characters — both real-life people and fictional — and finds himself trying to solve the mystery of a stolen painting, unearthing other crimes along the way.
Hirahara mentioned that she chose the name “Wada” because it was a short. In fact, she said she often chooses short Japanese surnames for her characters. For example, the main character of her Mas Arai series has the same surname as a childhood friend who happened to be in the audience!
After a round of birthday wishes and applause for her 90-year-old mother who sat in the front row, she continued her talk with a reading from her book — a passage describing Ryui’s sea journey from Yokohama to California in 1903. During the Q&A that followed, she answered a range of questions from her writing process for Crown City (drawing inspiration from what she knows) to what she had in the works for the Japantown Mystery series (an upcoming new book!).
It was so cool to meet Naomi in person and have her sign my copy!
Third Book in the Japantown Mystery Series
Crown City is the third book in Hirahara’s Japantown Mystery series, books that chronicle the experiences of Japanese Americans in the 20th century. The first book in the series, “Clark and Division”, is set in 1944 Chicago and follows the Japanese American Ito family after their release from the Manzanar concentration camp. “Evergreen”, the second book, is set in 1946 Los Angeles and chronicles the Ito family’s return to California from Chicago.
I really enjoyed reading Crown City. Although billed as a mystery, I thought the well-researched historical details about Japanese Americans in turn-of-the-century Pasadena were especially compelling. Thanks to this book, I was inspired to learn more about early Japanese emigration to California and the real-life people who paved the way for future generations.
Other Japanese Emigrant Stories
Farewell to Manzanar: link to my story about the book
Brazil Maru by Karen Tei Yamashita: Hirahara recommended this book to an audience member interested in stories about Japanese Brazilians
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