Silver Like Dust Audiobook By Kimi Cunningham Grant cover art

Silver Like Dust

One Family's Story of America's Japanese Internment

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Silver Like Dust

By: Kimi Cunningham Grant
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.12

Buy for $17.12

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Kimi’s Obaachan, her grandmother, had always been a silent presence throughout her youth. Sipping tea by the fire, preparing sushi for the family, or indulgently listening to Ojichan’s (grandfather’s) stories for the thousandth time, Obaachan was a missing link to Kimi’s Japanese heritage, something she had had a mixed relationship with all her life. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, all Kimi ever wanted to do was fit in, spurning traditional Japanese cuisine and her grandfather’s attempts to teach her the language. But there was one part of Obaachan’s life that fascinated and haunted Kimi ever since the age of eleven—her gentle yet proud Obaachan was once a prisoner, along with 112,000 Japanese Americans, for more than five years of her life. Obaachan never spoke of those years, and Kimi’s own mother only spoke of it in whispers. It was a source of haji, or shame. But what really happened to Obaachan, then a young woman, and the thousands of other men, women, and children like her? Obaachan would meet her husband in the camps and watch her mother die there, too. From the turmoil, racism, and paranoia that sprang up after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the terrifying train ride to Heart Mountain, to the false promise of V-J day, Silver Like Dust captures a vital chapter of the Japanese-American experience through the journey of one remarkable woman. Her story is one of thousands, yet is powerful a testament to the enduring bonds of family and an unusual look at the American dream.

©2011 Kimi Cunningham Grant (P)2011 AudioGO
Asian American Studies Cultural & Regional Women World War II Military Heartfelt Dream War
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: 10 Audiobooks to Listen to on the Day of Remembrance


In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, mandating the removal of Japanese Americans from their homes. Nearly 120,000 Japanese immigrants and native born Japanese Americans were imprisoned in concentration camps for the duration of World War II. We need to bear witness to the atrocities committed by the United States government and the pain our leadership caused innocent men, women, and children of Japanese heritage.

What listeners say about Silver Like Dust

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    230
  • 4 Stars
    111
  • 3 Stars
    45
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    202
  • 4 Stars
    78
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    13
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    216
  • 4 Stars
    91
  • 3 Stars
    39
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

enlightening indeed...

As caucasian, I enjoyed a perspective my inlaws wouldn't discuss. Learned much. Nice narration too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Awesome, great story about the Japanese people who were in camps. I never knew about these camps in US .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Narration errrrrgh!

I did not care for the narration at all. Especially I didn’t like the voice of the grandma/ obachan. The idea of this story was good, but this story reads more like a history book. Lots of facts listed with a weak story like. I finished this book because I have Japanese heritage, but the narration and history book writing was hard to get through.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Can't believe this happened in America

Listened for free via the Audible Plus catalog but would have been worth a credit in the end. Hard to believe that internment happened in this country. Hopefully it never happens again. Also, wasn't expecting to hear the line "...when Three 6 Mafia started performing 'It's hard out there for a pimp'" in this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

WW2 Japanese family story

This story was interesting and one not usually heard in history. I enjoyed the perspective of the granddaughter learning about US Japanese internment camps from her grandmother. It is a sensitive topic and depth of pain or abuse is not discussed much, but the imagination can dig into that if desired. We cannot forget this history as Americans and know freedom is a gift we should cherish.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

This book is so well written. A joyous read. Very informative and not depressing. Such an enjoyable and easy way to learn more about a hard chapter in American history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Wow! I learned a lot. Good story.

I have always been interested in WW2 history. I have read many books and learned a lot about it. I have never read a story or history from the perspective of Japanese Americans in the USA during the war. Very interesting. i learned a lot. It is subjective from the perspective of the author/grand daughter and her assumptions, but overall great story. The narrator did a good job.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye-Opening Awareness

I live near Heart Mountain & this personal account brought a new awareness & empathy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The grandmother's voice made me stop listening.

not convincing; annoying, in fact. too bad. the story was interesting. narration of girl's voice perfect.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story almost quit listening

The story is good and captivating.

I almost stopped listening due to the voicing (especially the grandmother’s) and mispronunciation of Japanese words.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!