The Buddha in the Attic

• Genre: Fiction; historical
• Originally Published: 2011
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 810L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 8 chapters; approximately 144 pages; approximately 3 hours, 52 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: This historical novel focuses on the experiences of Japanese picture brides who immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. The novel is narrated collectively by a group of these women, and it chronicles their journey from Japan to America, their struggles as they adjust to a new culture, and their lives as they build families and communities. The story explores the immigrant experience, identity, love, and the human spirit.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Immigration; racism; discrimination; gender disparity; sexual content

Julie Otsuka, Author

• Bio: Born 1962; American author of Japanese descent known for her award-winning novels; studied art at Yale University and pursued painting; later earned an MFA in writing from Columbia University; wrote When the Emperor Was Divine, a novel assigned as required freshman reading at many universities and in many community reading programs
• Other Works: When the Emperor Was Divine (2002); The Swimmers (2021)
• Awards: Langum Prize for American Historical Fiction (2011); National Book Award (finalist; 2011); PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction (2012); Prix Femina Étranger (2012)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide: