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"Rebel With A Cause: The Doc Nikaido Story" is a compelling account of how Canada’s shameful treatment of Japanese-Canadians during World War II impacted one man: the rebellious Dr Harry Nikaido.
Turning his back on material things, Doc practised medicine in small-town Canada, living a bohemian lifestyle and charging no more for his services than what he absolutely needed to survive. He adopted a virtual vow of poverty in order to pay little or no income tax over his 24-year career to a Canadian Government whom he never forgave for the forcible resettlement of his family and 22,000 other Japanese-Canadians from the British Columbia coastline during World War II.
This unique man found a welcoming community and extended family in a small town on the Canadian prairies after the Canadian federal government had turned its back on him and branded him an enemy. Decades may have passed since his death, but for the residents of Bow Island and surrounding area his unique personality, generosity, and dedication will never be forgotten.
"Rebel With A Cause" author Bretton Loney, is an award-winning former Canadian journalist, columnist, and editor at both The Daily News and The Chronicle-Herald in Halifax, Canada as well as The Telegram in St John’s, Canada. A communications director with the Government of Nova Scotia, Loney is also a published fiction writer, with stories appearing in a number of Canadian literary magazines and short-story anthologies. He lives in Halifax.
Since its launch in September, "Rebel With A Cause" has been one of Friesen Press’s top Canadian sellers. Loney has held readings in two Alberta communities, including one in Lethbridge, Alberta, sponsored by the Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge, and on Canada’s East Coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Centre in Burnaby, B.C., Canada has listed "Rebel With A Cause" on its front web page and is selling the book through its book shop.
Reviews: “'Rebel With A Cause' tells the true story of a caring, maverick family doctor in Bow Island, Alberta and forcefully reminds us of a shameful period in our country’s history and the impact it had on real people like Harry Nikaido. Bretton Loney is ideally placed to tell Dr Nikaido’s story. He grew up in Bow Island and went on to a distinguished career as a journalist as well as a fiction writer. In 'Rebel,' he brings together his journalistic ability to dig deeper with his fiction writer’s sense of storytelling to find the heart of Doc’s story. The result is an entertaining, important read.” —Stephen Kimber, Author, columnist and journalism professor at the University of King’s College, Halifax, Canada.
"'Rebel With A Cause: The Doc Nikaido Story,' is a true tale about how Ottawa’s discriminatory treatment of the Japanese community forever changed a person. Of course it is also more than that… Loney’s portrait of the doctor as an odd man is a labour of love, and it shows.” – Halifax Chronicle Herald newspaper, Halifax, N.S, Canada
The book is available in Japan online at http://www.amazon.co.jp/Rebel-With-Cause-Nikaido-English-ebook/dp/B014S4AKBC. and on Rakuten at http://search.rakuten.co.jp/search/mall/OCN+ONE/200162/
It is published by FriesenPress in Canada at Friesenpress.com.
© Japan Today
4 Comments
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bicultural
A must read.
Babs Clark
Is it available in the UK? I recently read a couple of others about the internment of Japanese residents in America I guess at the same time.
I am not sure what we did in Britain with "ALIENS" those Germans living among us. But I have a feeling they too were interned. I will need to check.
PTownsend
Good on cultures like Canada that are strong enough to openly admit they made horrible mistakes and don't feel so insecure that they have to hide and distort their negative history.
Odentime
There's no need to feel insecure distort history when only a handful of people care to tell about it in the media.