The book's title stares the troubling question that has weighed on the mind of a man born into the experience of two previous generations. They too were wrenched from their homeland and shipped to internment in the worst of conditions and circumstances.
The book relates his family's calamity over the last century and then bursts with vivid, personal detail about the life struggle of a once promising student who had his dreams abruptly quashed and forced to live out a nightmare that has never entirely ended.
The moment you open this book, you will be taken into the world of one family as each generation reacts to the political unrest of its time. Nations, institutions, cultures and customs all receive critical, personal comment. As the story weaves its way through the twentieth century, Eugene reveals his own vision and values for a better world, that have helped him endure the worst of his times.
His razor-sharp recall and flare for careful detail are the result of an artist emerging to interpret the world around him. Intended not to offend but to inform, the book's historical merit lies in its brutal honesty. These compelling details come to life not just in words but also through the drawings in an innocent style he created while in captivity.
You will be moved by the story he shares.