The East-West House:
Noguchi's Childhood in Japan
by Christy Hale
(Lee & Low Books, 2009)
Isamu was a boy of the East and the West. Born in the United States to
a Japanese father and Scotch-Irish American mother, Isamu grew up in Japan. From his earliest years he felt the tug of his biracial heritage, never quite fitting in or thinking he belonged. Pleasure came, however, from the natural world. Color, light, and shadow. Earth, wood, and stone. Working with these forms of nature, Isamu found a way to blend his cultural divide. It was an exploration that became the cornerstone and spirit of his lifelong creative journey.
     With lyrical text and luminous artwork, Christy Hale tells the story of the boy who grew up to be the multi-faceted artist Isamu Noguchi. Guided by his desire to enrich everyday life with art while bringing together Eastern and Western influences, Noguchi created a vast array of innovative sculptures, stage sets, furniture, and public spaces. The East-West House
is a testament to the artistic beginnings of this pioneering modern sculptor and designer.