Book Review: Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones

Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fixture of American pop culture during the 1970s and 1980s, Jim Henson worked in all mediums. Author Brian Jay Jones emphasizes the manic creativity of Henson, always working on multiple projects at once and pushing himself to the limits. As a High School student he begin performing puppet shows on local Washington D.C. television. Advertisers utilized his talents to sell their products, most notably Wilkins Coffee. At the same time he made experimental films and even started a psychedelic night club in New York. He was a pioneer in the early days of Sesame Street, creating vibrant entertainment for children like Bert and Ernie. By 1979, Henson had one of the highest rated TV shows (The Muppet Show), a hit movie (The Muppet Movie), and a top 10 record album. Always wanting to be seen as more than the "Muppet" guy, Henson branched out in the 1980s with mixed results. His two films, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, both failed at the Box Office, while various forays into television never panned out, the exception being Fraggle Rock on HBO. His untimely passing in 1990 at age 53 was a huge loss, leaving a hole in pop culture that's never been filled. Henson's playful humor and alter ego characters were original and inspiring. The book also reminds us Henson was much more than the Muppets, but affectionately recalls the great joy Kermit and the rest of his gang brought to the world and will make you want to seek out old Muppet Shows. The last third of the book gets bogged down in some dull details on his dealings with Disney (which sucks up everything these days), but overall I would highly recommend it!


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Book Review: Infamy: The Shocking Story of the Japanese American Internment in World War II by Richard Reeves

In the months following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, over 120,000 Japanese-Americans were uprooted from their homes and forced to lived in concentration camps throughout the American west. Richard Reeves provides a comprehensive history of how and why this happened. In his introduction Reeves wrote of how the escalating rhetoric towards immigrants escalated this past decade, echoing rhetoric used against Japanese-Americans during the war, impelled to write the book.

Few come out unscathed in this history, figures that are usually highly regarded do not come off well. Starting at the top with President Franklin Roosevelt signing Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942 to set up military zones to incarcerate American citizens with links to the Axis countries. Although Germans and Italians were subject to being interned, the overwhelming majority were Japanese-Americans. Others such as California Governor Earl Warren, Secretary of War Henry Stinson, columnist Walter Lippman all voiced support for internment. Even the ACLU failed to live up to their ideals, because they were closely allied with Roosevelt administration. 

Those who favored the internments used two main justifications. The first was to prevent a fifth column of Japanese-Americans who would sabotage on behalf of their native country. Throughout 1942 rumors of Japanese subs off the California coast in preparation for an invasion were everywhere. The other less persuasive reason was to protect Japanese citizens from angry white Americans. There was literally no evidence of disloyalty among the Japanese population of California, it was without any doubt fear and racism behind the policy.

Reeves focuses on the disruption and trauma these actons brought to the Japanese community. They were literally rounded up in their homes, bank accounts were frozen, civil rights were stripped away. Constitutional concerns were tossed aside in the initial paranoia. Conditions at the assembly areas were unorganized and lacking in basic resources, sickness and hunger were common. Life at the camps settled into something of a routine, but tensions often hit breaking points. Living life with soldiers in watchtowers ready to shoot were a constant reminder. Reeves used letters and newspapers to show just much vitriol was aimed at the Japanese, often from so called pillars of the community. 

At the same time resistance increased among the internees as well as a push back from public officials who knew it was a gross violation of the Constitution. As the need for manpower grew, the military began to accept Japanese-Americans into the armed services, while many of those of college age were allowed to return attend college in the East. But the camps kept operating until the end of the conflict with Japan. With almost four years of their lives taken away, many returned back to hostile communities, having to start all over again while still dealing with bigotry.

Reeves also shares stories of Japanese-Americans who served with distinction for a country that had labeled them an enemy. Many of these stories of bravery are quite moving. It wasn't until the 1970s when many began to speak openly about their experiences, usually at the behest of their children who were appalled at how the country had treated their families. Some of the those who oversaw the policies later recanted, Earl Warren broke down in tears when confronted with his complicity and admitted he was wrong.

An important lesson from Infamy is how deeply ingrained racism was and continues to linger in America. Phony rumors and shaky justifications were used to trample over the rights of American citizens. President Harry Truman even admitted there was much of the Nazi impulse in America after reading accounts of racism that persisted in California after the war. Another lesson is that many did push back and speak out against the policy. Yet many of those responsible never had to answer for their disregard of the Constitution. It is a part of American history that needs to be retold because we live in a time when the forces of intolerance once again feel emboldened.