Rebecca Taniguchi of St. Charles/Cammpton Hills has been chosen as one of three finalists in the soon-to-be-famous Illinois author project competition for her novel “Hiro’s War.”
“I am thrilled to be honored by the Soon to Be Famous project for writing ‘Hiro’s War,’ which tells the little-known story of Japanese Americans who fought valiantly for their country as their friends and family families were sitting in American concentration camps, rounded up and thrown into armed prisons because of their race,” she commented.
In its narrative, “Hiro’s War” explores how Chicago became a beacon of hope for many of these citizens and their relatives, providing acceptance, jobs, and services to help them restart their lives during and after the war.
Indeed, Chicago was the nation’s largest resettlement site as it assisted tens of thousands of Japanese Americans and their relatives.
As Taniguchi said, “Written at a time when other groups and individuals are shunned as outsiders, Hiro’s story teaches that American ideals of justice and equality for all require hard work and constant vigilance, compassion and resilience.”
The other two finalists are Skokie’s Len Joy for her “American Past Time” and Alina Rubin of Niles for her “A Girl with a Knife.”
The winner will be announced in November.
“Hiro’s War” also received the Midwest Independent Publishers Association Silver Award and the Montaigne Silver Medal from the Eric Hoffer Book Awards.
Learn more at hiroswar.com.
