LA County Library, Los Angeles Public Library, The Seattle Public Library, King County Library System, Multnomah County Library, and Long Beach Public Library will join more than 140 libraries across California, Oregon, and Washington this spring for One Book, One Coast, the largest book club on the West Coast.

One Book, One Coast is a shared community reading program that celebrates literacy, learning, community, and civil discourse. All participating libraries will read and discuss They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger and illustrated by Harmony Becker. Physical copies of the book will be available to borrow as early as March 1 and unlimited digital copies of the eBook will be available from April 1 through June 6.

Key Dates

• March 1: Sign up for your local library’s newsletter and check their website to confirm participation in One Book, One Coast and to find out when copies of the book will be available for checkout.
• April 1 – June 6: Participating systems will have unlimited digital copies of They Called Us Enemy available. Details will be shared by your local library.
• May 31: One Book, One Coast will close with a special author talk featuring George Takei that will be held in-person at East Los Angeles Library with a book signing to follow. The event will also stream live on YouTube beginning at 2 pm Pacific Time, and a link to the livestream will be available on our website.

About They Called Us Enemy

They Called Us Enemy is a graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Confronting questions of patriotism, family, loyalty, and community, Takei’s work is a stunning examination of what it means to be American, both long ago and today.

By connecting readers across three states through one shared title, One Book, One Coast highlights the power of libraries in bringing people together for conversation and reflection.

“We are honored to help launch the largest book club on the West Coast,” said Dr. Skye Patrick, County Librarian and Director of LA County Library. “Through this shared reading initiative, our libraries are opening doors for communities to explore a complex chapter of our nation’s history, foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue, and deepen the connections that bring us together.”

“Our collaboration with library systems across the West Coast celebrates the remarkable author and actor George Takei,” said John F. Szabo, City Librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library. “It also underscores the important role that graphic novels like They Called Us Enemy play in connecting the past to the present, engaging diverse audiences, and fostering thoughtful, intergenerational conversations about civil liberties, civic responsibility, and the value of learning from history.”

“The Seattle Public Library is grateful to participate in LA County Library’s exceptional effort to share and explore George Takei’s powerful story with millions of readers around the West Coast, along with more than 20 other libraries just in Washington state,” said The Seattle Public Library’s Chief Librarian Tom Fay. “Stories bring us together, help us learn our shared history, and make us more deeply human.”

“One Book, One Coast is a way to connect beyond boundaries and build community across the West Coast,” said Heidi Daniel, Executive Director of King County Library System. “Reading They Called Us Enemy invites us to collectively explore history that many may not fully know, and to consider the lessons it carries for today. When we explore these stories together, we deepen understanding and empathy. Literacy is about learning together and finding community through reading.”

“One Book, One Coast is meant to spark conversations,” explains Annie Lewis, Director of Libraries for Multnomah County. “But our hope is that it achieves much more. By exploring this period in our nation’s history, together we can learn, gain a deeper understanding of one another, and discover our shared humanity.”

“Long Beach Public Library is honored and excited to partner with our West Coast library neighbors to launch One Book, One Coast,” said Cathy De Leon, Director of the Long Beach Public Library. “Now more than ever, public libraries are critical to fostering unity and empathy, and uplifting the voices of the marginalized.”

A full list of participating library systems can be viewed at LACountyLibrary.org/oboc.

Sponsorship opportunities are available through LA County Library Foundation at LACoLibraryFoundation.org.