Julie Otsuka

Julie Otsuka

Julie Otsuka (born May 15, 1962) is a Japanese-American author. She is known for drawing from her personal life to write autoethnographical historical novels about the life of Japanese Americans. In 2002 she published her first novel, When the Emperor was Divine, which is about the Japanese-American internment camps that took place in 1942-45 during World War II. The story begins in California, where she was born and raised, and it is based on Otsuka's grandfather who was arrested as a suspected spy for Japan the day after Pearl Harbor. Her novel, in 2003, received an award from the Asian American Literary Award and American Library Association Alex Award. Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in 14 different languages on Wikipedia. Julie Otsuka is the 6,798th most popular writer, the 14,250th most popular biography from United States and the 1,012th most popular American Writer.

Julie Otsuka is most famous for her novels that explore themes of Japanese American identity and the immigrant experience, particularly her acclaimed works "When the Emperor Was Divine" and "The Buddha in the Attic." Her writing often blends lyrical prose with historical narratives, highlighting the struggles and resilience of her characters.