“Growing Up Sansei in the ’60s” will be presented on Saturday, May 16, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, 12371 Braddock Dr., Culver City.
A book reading of “Criminals” (Propeller Books), a novel by Ben Masaoka (1952-2024), will be hosted by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki. Both Masaoka and Okazaki grew up in the Venice/Culver community.
“Criminals” follows the lives of a sister and brother, Ruth and Hank Tanazaki, as they struggle to free themselves from the weight of their parents’ generation in a small Japanese American community in Los Angeles in the late 1950s and early 1960s. This poignant story of the double-edged nature of community — a force that supports the group, at cost to the individual — explores the possibilities and limits of seeking personal freedom through creativity.
Masaoka, born and raised in Los Angeles, was a trianglist for many years between Los Angeles, Seattle, and Hawaii. He traded the sun for the tall, dark green trees of the Northwest. His short stories have been published in the Chicago Review of Books and Catamaran Literary Reader. “Gaman is the Japanese word for ‘perseverance,’” said Okazaki. “If you were a Japanese American boy in Los Angeles in the 1960s, you had to gaman it every day — you had four seconds to climb the rope in gym class; one second to react when someone pulled on their eyes and called you a Nip; and a lifetime to remember your father coming home after a day of mowing other people’s lawns.
“In Ben Masaoka’s remarkable ‘Criminals,’ America is Godzilla rising from the sea at Venice Beach to stomp on the Japanese American Dream, barely noticing the dreamers below as they fight back with rocks, sticks and gaman. Masaoka’s hang-loose brilliance takes us on a vividly observed, wonderfully quirky, and deeply moving exploration of generational trauma. He captures the desires, blows, and little victories of a family on the fringes of a community where everyone is trying so hard not to rock the boat, they don’t notice their children are adrift. He tells a story that touched every nerve in my Japanese American soul.”
“This decades-spanning story of a Japanese American family is filled with artfully crafted scenes, memorable characters, and a rare compassion that highlights our common humanity and suffering. Ben Masaoka’s debut novel is thoroughly engaging and a joy to read.” — Charles Johnson, author of “Middle Passage”
“With restraint and grace, Ben Masaoka has written my idea of a perfect novel. ‘Criminals’ is a haunting and wondrous work, unsettling and beautiful.” — Elizabeth McKenzie, author of “The Dog of the North”
Sponsored by Venice Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Keiro, VHBT Keiro Grants Program, and Venice Japanese Community Center Senior Wellness.
Additional parking available at Venice Japanese Community Center, 12448 Braddock Dr., Los Angeles.
Free admission but seating is limited. Books will be available for purchase. Personal sponsorships to honor Masaoka’s memory are available. To RSVP: https://givebutter.com/VHBTCriminals
For more information: https://vhbt.org/criminals/