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No-No Boy

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description No-No Boy Overview

No-No Boy is a 1957 novel by Japanese American writer John Okada, not an autobiography. Set after the Second World War, it follows Ichiro Yamada, a Japanese American man returning to Seattle after imprisonment for refusing the government's loyalty questions and military service during the incarceration era. Through his conflicts with family, veterans, and the wider community, the novel examines alienation, divided loyalties, racism, guilt, and the difficult process of rebuilding a life.

help No-No Boy FAQ

Who wrote the book No-No Boy?

No-No Boy was written by Japanese American writer John Okada and published in 1957. Despite being a novel, it is often grouped with autobiographies due to its realistic, deeply personal tone.

What is the main plot of the novel No-No Boy?

The novel follows a Japanese American man named Ichiro Yamada returning to Seattle after the Second World War. He returns from prison after refusing the government's loyalty questions and military service during the war.

What does the historical term 'No-No Boy' actually mean?

The term refers to Japanese American men who, while incarcerated in internment camps, answered 'no' to two controversial loyalty questionnaire questions. These questions asked if they were willing to serve in the US military and swear unqualified allegiance to the United States.

When was No-No Boy published and what is its legacy?

The novel was published in 1957 and initially received little attention. It was rediscovered in the 1970s and is now widely considered a foundational text in Asian American literature.

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