How To Be An American Housewife is a 2010 novel by Margaret Dilloway. It is based on the experiences of Dilloway's mother who was a Japanese war bride.
The book tells the story of Shoko Morgan, a mother of two and wife to American GI Charlie. Shoko decided to contact Shoko's brother Taro, whom she last saw when she married Charlie at the end of World War II. However, she is too ill to return her country. Shoko asked her daughter Sue and granddaughter to go to Japan to find her uncle to discover her mother's life secret.
Shoko Morgan - A Japanese Woman who married American GI with whom she had 2 childrenSuiko (Sue) Morgan - Shoko's and Charlie's daughter and brother to Mike and niece to TaroCharlie Morgan - Shoko's husband and Mike's and Sue's father is an Irish-American GI who is kindhearted yet shyMike Morgan - Shoko's and Charlie's son and older brother of SueTaro - Shoko's younger brother and uncle to Sue and Mike who hates Americans, retired from being a school principalMille Morgan - Charlie's mother who become Shoko's mother in law and grandmother to Mike and SueNanny - a babysitter whom Shoko disliked as a childCraig - Sue's ex-husband and Helena's father who married her at age of 20Suki - Taro's and Shoko's sister.Ronin - an Eta whom Shoko fallen in love with, actually born to an English father and Japanese mother. He and Shoko were lovers. He was killed by TestuoTestuo - Taro's childhood friend who was engaged to Shoko until he cheated her with her friend Yuki.Toyoko - Japanese wife of African American soldierJim - Toyoko's husbandKyle Leonard - An American general who met ShokoLorraine- A neighbor of Charlie and ShokoDr Cunningham - Shoko's doctorHelena - Sue's and Craig's 13-year-old daughterDr Su : Shoko's doctor is a Chinese-American doctorToshiro : A Japanese traveler who met Sue and HelenaYasuo Takana - Suki's son is a teacher of Ukei High high school who met his cousin SueHiroshi - Yasuo's loverSumiko - Taro's granddaughter who met Sue and HelenaTaro-chan- Sumiko's four-year-old son who shared namesake with great-grandfatherThe book was a John Gardner Fiction Award Finalist in 2011.
