They Called Us Enemy is a beautiful memoir by George Takei and focuses on the unlawful internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War. The internment of the Japanese Americans during WWII is a lesser-known historical event that I wanted to know more off. In general, I love memoirs and non-fiction graphic novels. Difficult yet important stories come to life on the page and maybe easier to resonate with compared to just a novel. Some panels can also tell you more than any book could.

The story of George Takei's family and other Japanese Americans was especially interesting to me since Takei was only a child when he and his family were moved there. His parents tried to protect him and his siblings from the harsh truth that the United States does not always protect its own citizens as it should. I cannot imagine, of course, how hard that must have been for his parents. Takei also shows the aftermath the internment had and that did not always understand why his parents did what they did which is an understanding way of thinking as a teenager.

Needless, to say I learnt a lot about George Takei and his family's life during World War Two and a bit of his life afterwards. I never knew he had a husband or that he was an actor on Broadway. I only (vaguely) knew that he is an actor in Star Trek, a show that I have not watched but I am interested in.

I definitely would recommend They Called Us Enemy if you either want to learn more about this lesser-known historical event or if you have enjoyed graphic novels memoirs like Maus, Persepolis, and March.