Description

Gaikokujin – the Story II by Takuan Amaru

This is a spiritual rags to riches adventure. I have been blessed to live a ‘storybook life’ but not in any glamorous way. Writing this book has allowed me to examine my role as a person of color–which I refer to as ‘melanin-rich’–in a society which has proven itself to be hostile toward non-Caucasian people. Because this is part memoir, part historical treatise, and part survivor’s guide, it is my intention to stretch the parameters of a conventional novel.

In Japanese, the word Gai-koku-jin, literally meaning outside-country-person; i.e., foreigner, is traditionally written as「外国人」. I, however, am coining terminology by replacing the middle character with「黒」, which is pronounced identically but means ‘black’ instead of country. Not only does this symbolize my own cultural perspective, but it also represents a set of circumstances which is not limited to any race or country.

In Book I, subtitled Making of a Soldier, we follow Takuan on his journey into basic training. Still black-and-blue from the fight with his father, his ‘get over’ mentality is instantly put to the test when he meets his new, government-issued father—a U.S. Army Drill Sergeant. In such a stressful environment, Tak’s depression from being away from Asia begins to mount. Does he have what it takes to become a soldier?