Ken Adachi
Encyclopedia
Ken Adachi was a Canadian
writer and literary critic, who was associated with the Toronto Star
' s literary section from 1976 until his death.
Born to Japan
ese immigrants in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Adachi was interned
with his family at Slocan
during World War II
. Following the end of the war, Adachi became editor of the New Canadian, a Japanese Canadian newspaper formerly edited by Tommy Shoyama, and studied English literature
at the University of Toronto
. He subsequently taught at the University of Toronto from 1958 to 1971, and at the University of Maryland
from 1964 to 1968.
He then joined the Toronto Star in 1972 as a copy editor, rising to become editor of the books section in 1976. That same year, he also published the book The Enemy That Never Was, a history of the Japanese Canadian community which was later hailed by Robert Fulford as the definitive book on Japanese history in Canada.
Adachi was fired from his position with the Star in 1981 after a plagiarism
accusation, although he was soon rehired as a book reviewer and literary columnist. He remained associated with the Star until 1989, when he committed suicide
after a second accusation that he had plagiarized three paragraphs from a 1982 book review in TIME
.
His widow, Mary Adachi, remains active in Canadian literature as a book editor.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer and literary critic, who was associated with the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
Born to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese immigrants in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Adachi was interned
Japanese Canadian internment
Japanese Canadian internment refers to confinement of Japanese Canadians in British Columbia during World War II. The internment began in December 1941, following the attack by carrier-borne forces of Imperial Japan on American naval and army facilities at Pearl Harbor...
with his family at Slocan
Slocan, British Columbia
The Village of Slocan, commonly known as Slocan City, is a village in the Slocan Valley of the West Kootenay region of the southeastern Interior of British Columbia, Canada...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Following the end of the war, Adachi became editor of the New Canadian, a Japanese Canadian newspaper formerly edited by Tommy Shoyama, and studied English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He subsequently taught at the University of Toronto from 1958 to 1971, and at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 1964 to 1968.
He then joined the Toronto Star in 1972 as a copy editor, rising to become editor of the books section in 1976. That same year, he also published the book The Enemy That Never Was, a history of the Japanese Canadian community which was later hailed by Robert Fulford as the definitive book on Japanese history in Canada.
Adachi was fired from his position with the Star in 1981 after a plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
accusation, although he was soon rehired as a book reviewer and literary columnist. He remained associated with the Star until 1989, when he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
after a second accusation that he had plagiarized three paragraphs from a 1982 book review in TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
.
His widow, Mary Adachi, remains active in Canadian literature as a book editor.
Select works
- Adachi, Ken. (1976). The Enemy that Never was: A History of the Japanese Canadians. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. 10-ISBN 0-771-00723-X; 13-ISBN 978-0-771-00723-1