5 comments about From Pow to Blue Angel: The Story of Commander Dusty Rhodes.

1. Dusty Rhodes was a gifted and dignified man who lived an extraordinary life of adventure and sacrifice. As one of those intrepid few who sailed outnumbered to fight the Japanese in the remote South Pacific in the tough first year of America's entry into World War II, he was shot down during the Battle of Santa Cruz and endured three years of torture, starvation and loneliness as a POW. His father died while he was in captivity and he basically lost his first marriage because of the separation. But he returned to become an early leader of the navy's Blue Angels and to fly and fight in the Korean War. Dusty's life is a testament to courage, will and innovation, both on the ground and in the air. He was not only a war survivor who made good, but a naval aviation pioneer. Jim Armstrong tells Dusty's story with distinction and subtly. Anyone interested in aviation, the Blue Angels, World War II and the kinds of men who made up the Greatest Generation will find this book thoughtful and enlightening.



2. From POW to Blue Angel is the story of Commander (CDR) Dusty Rhodes, one of the first commanders of the Blue Angels. Mr. Armstrong tells us of CDR Rhodes exploits in the US Navy. Critical to the story is his time in WWII and the time between WWII and the Korean War. Unfortunately for CDR Rhodes most of his WWII time was spent as a POW of the Japanese (Dusty was shot down on his first combat mission and captured during the Battle of Santa Cruz). Most of the book focus's on his time as a POW. His treatment seemed to depend on the guards and camp he was in. This is the true high point of the book as Mr. Armstrong, while being distant in his telling does justice to Dusty's situation. His time as a POW is followed by his return the US forces and to the US (a good story on how he got back to the US). Once back in the US, Dusty decides to stay in the Navy and relearns how to be a pilot. This is followed up by him being accepted into the Blue Angels and eventually becoming the leader. I will spoil one little bit, while leading the Blue Angels he took them from F8F Bearcats (propeller driven) to F9F Panthers (jets).
   
   This book is a solid 4 star book. I preferred the front half of the book when Dusty was a POW. The story was sharper and more interesting. His observations of the Japanese and of his situation were insightful on something most people don't being to understand. In the later half, things seemed to drag a little. While it was interesting what he did as a Blue Angel, I felt that there was more struggle with writing it than the earlier section. My other reason for only 4 stars (really, the front part was a strong 4.5 stars) was the writers style. There were to many times when his style just killed the chapter for me. While no Chuck Yeager, From POW to Blue Angel is a good story to read!



3. The statistics for the first combat patrol of a fighter pilot are not good. No matter how much training they have, no matter how mentally ready they are, getting into combat for the first time is simply different than anything training can teach.
   
   Then again, at the beginning of the War the Americans were flying the F4F Wildcat. Up against the Japanese zero it was slower in both climbing and level flight. It didn't turn as sharply so was outmatched when it came to dog fighting.
   
   Finally at the beginning of the war the Japanese pilots were the best trained with the most hours, the most experience in the world.
   
   October 26, 1942 was the date of Dusty Rhodes first combat patrol. They ran into zeros and Dusty Rhodes was shot down. From the book it appears that he never saw the plane that got him. It fits right in with the statistics.
   
   From there it was a series of Japanese prisoner of war camps until the end of the war. Surprisingly his stories of life in the camps are not nearly as bad as many of the stories that have been published. His life was by no means good, but by no means as horrible as say the Bataan Death March.
   
   After the war, it also seems that he had less troubles than many. Divorce, yes, but he handled this easily - to short a marriage, to much had happened. He was soon back on flight status. Soon after that he commanded the Blue Angels. He went on to flying a fighter in Korea, and a reasonable career after that.
   
   This book covers from basically getting shot down to his return from Korea. It is largely based on his memories, but exhaustively researched to back up what he said. It is well written and an joy to read. You have to respect these members of what Tom Brokaw correctly called 'The Greatest Generation.'



4. Raleigh E. 'Dusty' Rhodes helped develop the Blue Angels, the world's most famous military aerobatic team - and was only the third fighter pilot to become its leader. Interviews, Dusty's scrapbooks and flight logs form the foundations of a survey which is part biography, part aviation history, and always interesting: fans of military history and aviation will find it a top pick. Mark Matthews' SMOKE JUMPING ON THE WESTERN FIRE LINE: CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS DURING WORLD WAR II offers a fascinating and rare probe into a little-researched aspect of World War II history: the story of deeply religious young men whose beliefs led them to reject military service. Instead, some of them were paid a minimum wage to volunteer for the Civilian Public Service as U.S. Forest Service smoke jumpers based in Montana: this is their story, and uses extensive interviews with World War II conscientious objectors and original documents to recreate their stories.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. I am distantly related to Dusty Rhodes, which is why I bought the book. However, it's not the reason I couldn't put it down - it's just an amazing story, and very well-told. I expected a dry explanation of war battles and air flights. This book is anything but dry. It is touching, funny, heart-warming and truly inspiring. It's very readable, even for someone who would normally never pick up a "war book". Dusty's story is one of courage, hope, determination, a love for his country, and a love of life.

1 comments about East Wind Melts the Ice: A Memoir through the Seasons.

1. I have been looking for a written chronicle of the Asian Monthly Ordinances since I first read a reference to this calendar in Liza Dalby's other book 'The Tale Of Murasaki' (which I might add, is also an excellent read). As an artist whose work is greatly influenced by Asian art, I find the aesthetics of this Farmer's Almanac style calender very inspirational and Liza Dalby's explanation and interpretation of the individual calendar entries weaves a virtual tapestry of beautiful imagery and ceremony along with historical references that help to understand the Asian culture more thoroughly. When I first heard of this book, I ordered it from the Public Library but within the first few pages, realized that borrowing it would not do, I had to buy a copy to add to my own personal library of art and reference books.

No comments about Conversations with Kazuo Ishiguro (Literary Conversations Series).

4 comments about Fading Victory: The Diary of Admiral Matome Ugaki, 1941-1945.

1. The central issue in an autobiography is the character of its author. Ugaki's is replete with what he calls "Navy fighting spirit." He's sentimental, about family, lost friends and Nature. He's positive, in the worst circumstances. He's the quintissential naval officer; but, like Halsey, his strengths are also weaknesses. He understands his enemy, but underestimates him. He attacks when he should consolidate or retreat. He divides forces in the face of an enemy of unknown strength. He always "takes the bait." He never questions the logic of serving a government that has no more steering than a barge. Because his book reveals what he knew and when he knew it, it corrects misappreciations on both sides. It also exculpates Truman for dropping the Bomb, as it describes Japan's reserves hoarded against invasion and records fanatical desire to use them to the last man. Why did Ugaki commit suicide?--to take responsibility, obliged to atone for failing. He says his death will help keep alive naval spirit until Japan can rise again. Like other fascists, he blames men, not their ideology, for defeat, while looking forward to the next war. Despite his penchant for poetry, Ugaki is not a complicated man. He deserves the respect due to all those who live by a code not of their own making. His book is a study of one such man. I found it difficult to read, because of the form imposed on it as a diary and the ubiquitous feeling that Ugaki is writing for History. Read this book after you've read others about the Pacific War; it pulls missing pieces together--for example, that the Japanese were reading Allied codes, too. For a first-hand look at the consequences of decisions Ugaki made in abstraction, read Tamaichi Hara's "Japanese Destroyer Captain."



2. Though I am a Japanese American born after WWII, I wanted to know what was going through the minds of the Japanese in Japan who decided to bomb Pearl Harbor and get involved in the conflict. This book got me about as close as I could get to talking to someone high up and powerful in the Japanese naval command. The highs, the lows, the delusions, the misconceptions, the hopes, aspirations - they are all clearly laid out. The account of Yamamoto's death and Ugaki's survival is better than an Indiana Jones-tale. The main thing you come away with is this man's patriotism and devotion to a misguided cause. Ugaki and Japan seriously misjudged their strength versus the power and resources of the United States and their allies.



3. Anyone who calls themselves a true historian of the Pacific War should read this book. There are a variety of things that make this "Fading Victory" unique and important. First and foremost, Ugaki was one of Japan's leading military men and he was privy to the Japanese planning of much of the Pacific War. His mistakes, conceptions of the wartime situation, and commentary on the Allied victories and defeats create a new dimension to the Pacific War that standard histories do not provide. Furthermore, the account, unlike other wartime accounts, was not doctored or recalled years after the event. This means that what Ugaki wrote in, say June 4, 1942, is how Ugaki perceived the situation as it happened. Finally, "Fading Victories" also details the gradual defeat of Japan and how a Japanese patriot perceived it. It is almost sad to hear Ugaki in 1945 speak of countering raids by hundreds of American planes with a mere handful of Jpanese aircraft. If this were not enough, Ugaki also writes extremely well and the editors did a fantastic job of correcting him and presenting what really happened. The net result is that Ugaki's own biases become readily apparent. Do not pass this one up!



4. I wondered whether this was going to be a boring self-serving narrative, but once I started reading it, it was so interesting that I couldn't stop. Ugaki details his day to day activities and lets you know his opinions and insights as he goes along. You get to like the guy, even though you know, in some cases, he's trying to fool himself about who's going to win the war. He is involved in just about everything in the Pacific War, and he narrates nicely. One of the best parts that you look forward to is where he and Yamamoto are shot down by U.S. planes. (Yamamoto is killed, but Chief of Staff Ugagki survives miraculously.) - The editor of this book every now and then corrects Ugaki (in italics) when Ugaki makes claims, such as ships sunk and planes shot down. This is extremely helpful, else you might think like Ugaki. This way you can sort of analyze Ugaki and where he's coming from. - Ugaki, the consumate samurai ends the book by demanding a kamakazi plane so he can die gloriously by sinking an enemy ship. He is unsuccessful. In the end, you sort of like and admire the guy. Very good reading if you are into the Japanese version of the Pacific War.

2 comments about Japanese Army Air Force Units and Their Aces: 1931-1945.

1. The careful translation of the original text into a more nicely-flowing English; the influence of the master historian, Chris Shores; the decision to publish by the renowned Grub Street Press: this should be a much better book than the volume detailing the naval fighter units of Japan by the same authors.

   But it's not.

   If you spend the better part of forty dollars hoping for a book that is more like Mr. Shores' "Bloody Shambles", Mr. Ford's "Flying Tigers", or even Mr. Bergerud's "Fire in the Sky", then you'll be sorry.




2. This handsome, detailed book lifts the curtain on the Japanese army units that fought in China, Southeast Asia, and the home islands during World War II. It's based on a Japanese-language text by a noted historian and an aviation buff, and rendered into workable English by the British historian Christopher Shores. The result is a much more accessible book than the earlier one by the same Japanese authors about the larger Japanese navy air force. There are many photos, side-views of JAAF fighters, accounts of the major campaigns, biographies of the aces (happily arranged in alphabetical order so you can quickly look them up), and an appendix listing every major air combat and every JAAF pilot lost in 15 years of war. A solid book that belongs in the library of every serious student of the Pacific War. -- Dan Ford

3 comments about The Secret Camera: A Marine's Story: Four Years as a POW.

1. As someone with a deep interest in photography, cameras and World War II, I must say I was most disappointed.
   
   With a title like "The Secret Camera" I expected more about his photographic adventures.
   
   Yet, in a book with close to 250 pages, the camera does not make an appearance until 2/3 of the book had elapsed.
   
   Even then, the photography 'story' seemed incidental.
   
   Of course I sympathize with the author for his ordeal. And, it has strengthened my anti-Japanese resolve. (Until the Japs say sorry for the atrocities of WW2, I refuse to visit that country. Learn their language or eat their food.)
   
   What let me down was the title - The Secret Camera. For me, it cheapened the whole book. I mean, if it had been titled "My exploits as a Japanese prisoner", the book would have been much better, I feel.
   
   For me, I bought the book because I thought it would be largely about his attempts to build the camera, process the film etc. To find out that something promised in the title fills less than 10% of the book is very disappointing.
   
   That said, I think it was brave of the writer to fly in the face of what he had signed and publish the book/pictures.



2. Just a brief update: According to an Associated Press story dated May 12, 2006, the author died on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at the age of 89, apparently after a heart attack. In light of the present controversy surrounding the treatment of prisoners in Iraq, Cuba and elsewhere by the U.S., understanding some of the history of how wartime prisoners have been treated in the past is of particular relevance today. From Fukuoko to Abu Graib...



3. Most of us remember December 7th, 1941 as Pearl Harbor Day. To Terence Kirk, it is more memorable as the day that he (and 202 other China Marines) were captured by the Japanese. They were to remain prisoners for 1,355 days, the entire length of time the U.S. was at war with Japan.
   
   American Marines in Japanese prisoner of war camps were 17.5 times more likely to die from the treatment in those camps than they were to die in combat. Mr. Kirk survived. and as of the time of writing this book there were 31 survivors of the 202 China Marines.
   
   Unique to Mr. Kirk, so far as is known he was the only one to have built a camera while in the POW camp and taken pictures. This is his story and some of the pictures.
   
   Mr. Kirk ends this book: 'If not for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki , we would have met certain death.' I think he's right.

5 comments about No Surrender: My Thirty-Year War (Bluejacket Books).

1. An interesting look at one mans war. This book tells of its authors survival and his thoughts as he lived in the jungle, and fought a war that had ended 30 years ago. He explains why he didn't believe that the war had ended, and how he survived, and evaded capture for so long.



2. I had an opportunity to visit Corregidor Island (Philippines)a few months ago and got quite interested in the history of WWII.
   
   When I found out that the last Japanese soldier didn't surrender for nearly 30-years after the war was over I couldn't believe it. Then I found out that he had written a book about his life and specifically his time as a soldier.
   
   A very interesting read. This may be hard to believe, but it explains why he never gave up during those 29+ years on Lubang Island. Gave the book to a friend of mine and they enjoyed it as well.



3. I just finished reading "NO SURRENDER; My Thirty Year War" by, Hiroo Onoda.
   An amazing story to say the least, and...a true one! Here is a real story that would shame any of modern televisions' "Lost" series.
   
   Onoda is a Japanese soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army that is sent to the island of Lubang (in the Philippines), to conduct jungle warfare against the American and allied forces in 1944. The main elements of the Japanese army are retreating, as Onoda and others are left behind to continue the fight until..."Japan returns". Onoda remains on Lubang with a few others to continue "the cause" not 5 years, or 10, or even 20 but...thirty years! Onoda finally turns over his sword in 1974! Here is the real story of the "last Samurai."
   
   I was in Subic Bay in 1968 as part of the naval forces that were stationed in Viet Nam. Just a few miles away from where I stood, Hiroo Onoda was still fighting "my father's war" under the flag of the Rising Sun!
   
   Despite his heroic efforts and on-going pledge to duty, I find it impossible to believe that Onoda did not know the war had actually ended. During his tenure on the island he would have noticed the on-going changes of technology, and...as early as 1965 he and his small group came into possession of a transister short-wave radio. Onoda and the others listened extensively to radio Peking, radio Japan, and even the BBC. Like most people who live their life as a "mission," anything can be justified. In fact, Onoda latter concedes to this very point.
   
   I only wish this book contained an updated section to reveal what ever happened to Onoda after he returned to Japan. I wonder if, Onoda finally died or, if like all old soldiers... "just faded away."
   
   History buffs or, serious military historians should have at least one copy of this book on their shelf.



4. I can't believe that this monster still generates interest and fascination to this day. What Onoda doesn't include in his writings but which has been revealed in personal stories and interviews is that as early as 1950 he was fully aware that the war was over but loved killing too much. He has revealed that since the war was over civilians would be less wary and would become easy targets. And indeed, they were. He would sneak into a village at night and cut the throats of sleeping children.
   
   He also would take pot shots of mothers hanging their clothes on clothes lines or feeding their chickens.
   
   He calls himself the ultimate soldier and yet he killed the defenseless over and over. And when he finally tired of having to kill his own food (more often than not he would steal it from the mouths of needy children) he went home to a hero's applause. Why Japan would accept him and laud his "heroic" efforts instead of turning him over to Phillipine authorities as a not only a war criminal but more accurately a serial killer is simply unexplainable.
   
   This clearly demonstrates Japan's unwillingness to accept their responsibility for atrocities during the war, WHICH THEY STARTED with the Rape of Nanking in 1931 in which unborn children were ripped from the wombs of their mothers by the "bold and brave" soldiers of Japan. It is no wonder then that an inhuman cowardly monster like Hiroo Onoda would be the poster child of heroism for the Japanese.
   
   We must wonder why we think such an individual merits such attention.



5. It was not mentioned in the book, that Mr. Onada was forgiven for 29 Filipino deaths caused by him. It is difficult for me to beleve he could have been so naive and ignorant.

5 comments about Dear Miss Breed.

1. I absolutely loved this book. It is a child's view of the Japanese internment camps.



2. Can we stand firm for JUSTICE in wartime? HOW CAN WE NOT??
   
   Clara Breed had a passion for children. She could not be silent when witnessing unjust actions taken by our government following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941). In the Foreword for this 2006 book, Elizabeth Kikuchi Yamada wrote "I am appalled I did not realize that I was a prisoner of my own government." (Read her moving poem on page 265).
   
   The first children's librarian in San Diego, Miss Breed had become well-acquainted and friends with many children of first generation immigrants from Japan. As a child I learned from a sermon the Japanese numbers *ichi* - *ni* - *san* - *shi* - *go* ~~ On page 17 the author explains that "sei" is translated "generation" and is the key to the words *issei* - *nisei* - *sansei* - *yonsei*. ALL persons of Japanese ancestry in America are called "Nikkei" - - *kei* meaning thread or lineage.
   
   When families were forced to leave for internment camps (the U.S. govt. says "internment" is not the correct title), the librarian's compassion was not 'switched off'. The children must have hung on desperately to their parents' stoic optimism to get them through the shock of being so ill-treated by the nation in which they were born, and other cruel ironies. Joanne Oppenheim's research and story-telling turned up pictures and letters of those young people & gathered them into a book well worth its "heft"!
   
   It is easy to believe that Joanne Oppenheim was *destined* to tell this story. While 'tracking down' members of her own graduating class in upstate New York, she used her detecting skills to locate Ellen Yukawa who had been a classmate in 1945-1946 after release from internment. This is a poignant story in itself. Involvement in the extensive research in finding Miss Breed's other young friends seemed inevitable for Oppenheim.
   
   It is disheartening to read that persons who later gained significant prominence (i.e., Chief Justice Earl Warren & cartoonist-author "Dr. Seuss") allowed their prejudices to surface publicly. (See the cartoon on page 40). Racism dictated laws which fed the greed of many who bought up confiscated land. Politicians who foisted their prejudices on the public deliberately fed the wildfires of Fear. This happened despite the efforts of *First Lady* Eleanor Roosevelt, and many respected clergy & Quakers.
   
   Reviewer mcHAIKU deeply respects Clara Breed for being a positive influence in the lives of children who suffered greatly from the traumas of that war. Readers must ensure that Joanne Oppenheim's work stays visible in libraries and classrooms to remind teachers & students that all of us must be careful to respect the victims of any conflict.
   
   *Believing that JUSTICE must be our standard, we shall act with compassion.*



3. I was assigned the topic of Japanese Americans and the internment camps for my final paper. First of all, I think this book accounts for my great grade. The book is full of information and photographs. Ms. Oppenheim also makes the story of what happened so clear. I am ashamed that my country did such a thing to their own citizens. It's scary really. It's also weird that not that many people my age even know about it. This should be taught more.



4. In many ways, "Dear Miss Breed" may be the best way to share the JA WW II experience with middle and high school students as the letters leave a personal touch to the story; yet there are plenty of accurate historical references about WW II events that affected the JA community. Even if you have read every book about life in Camps for JAs, Miss Breed's story just may move up the list and become your favorite book on this topic...everyone should read "Dear Miss Breed."



5. _Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference_ by Joanne Oppenheim is the remarkable story of one woman who "fought injustice through the power of words and small, but constant, acts of kindness."
   
   In 1942 Clara Breed was the first children's librarian at the San Diego Public Library. She loved children, and she loved books. Most of all, she loved connecting the two.
   
   On April 1, 1942, Americans of Japanese ancestry, considered a threat to the security of the United States, were given one week to prepare for evacuation to an unknown site. They could take with them only what they could carry. They had to store, sell, or abandon the rest of their possessions.
   
   As Miss Breed said good-bye to her young patrons at the railroad station, she gave them stamped postcards addressed to herself so that they could write her when they reached their new home. Thus began correspondences that would see families through their short-term "home" (horse stalls at the Santa Anita racetrack) and their home for several years (the relocation camp in Poston, Arizona). Over the years Miss Breed sent the children books, Christmas and birthday gifts, treats, and requested items. Even more important, she showed the children and their families that she cared for them. She wrote articles about their treatment for _Library Journal_ and _Horn Book Magazine_, awakening teachers and other librarians to their plight.
   
   _Dear Miss Breed_ contains excerpts from the 200+ letters that Miss Breed received from the children between 1942 and 1945. Sadly, only one of the letters she had written could be found. However, the content of her letters can often be inferred from the children's letters.
   
   Oppenheim introduces the children with photographs and brief biographies. Then she begins an account that is basically chronological. Through primary sources such as drawings, cartoons, official notices, articles, and letters to the editor, she reveals the attitudes of that time. Through their letters the children present first-hand accounts of their experiences in the detention camps. The families inspire us with the optimism they demonstrate in the face of oppression. Excerpts from Oppenheim's interviews with the correspondents decades later and excerpts from testimony during CWRIC (Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians) hearings held in cities across the United States in 1981 provide the perspective that is possible only after time has elapsed.
   
   _Dear Miss Breed_ is masterfully told. The story is especially important as we find ourselves in the midst of another war when questions of detention and freedom are again an issue.
   
   Recommended for sixth grade and older, including adults.

4 comments about The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths.

1. This is an excellent book for the novice and high-end collector alike. If you own, study or are interested in the Japanese Sword, then you must add this volume to your library. This is about the lives and work of 20 top swordsmiths of Japan, their craft, methods,insights and open discussions about shinsakuto, the modern day Japanese Sword, forged only in the rigid standards of the old school smiths.



2. This book interviews twenty blade smiths and also has interviews with polishers, too!
   
   The reader will be enriched by the thoughts and experiences of these craftsmen and gain a greater appreciation for their craft.
   
   This is a great reference book for anyone studying or even remotely interested in modern Nihon-to and classical Nihon-to.



3. This book is going to be one of those books that will become legendary in the nihonto world. A very facinating look into todays up and coming smiths, their work, and where they see the future of the sword is going. An absolute must for the library, and an excellent resource for nihonto collectors!



4. An excellant companion book to any study of mondern Nihon-to and classical Nihon-to. Detailed descriptions of swords, and great biographical material on the smiths. The son of Yoshihara Yohindo, who wrote "The Craft of the Japanese Sword", is among those interviewed. He has become a respected & licensed smith since his father's book was published in 1985.

   I own this book. One of the 1st bought when i started my studies of Nihon-to.

5 comments about Bento Box in the Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America.

1. This was an incredible journey for me as I lived two blocks from the Furiyas until 1977 when my family moved from Versailles, Indiana. I remember the family fondly and this book put the rest of the story to many of my childhood memories.
   
   I remember the summer Linda went to Japan and had always wondered what the trip was like. Now I know!
   
   I bought the book this morning and finished it this evening. It's a great read and I'm now looking forward to trying some of the recipes.



2. I grew up half-Japanese in a whitebread small town in Illinois during the same period author Linda Furiya lived in her small Indiana town, and I can relate to much of her story. Was that the old Star Market in Chicago that her family made special trips to just like my family did? The author paints quite a revealing portrait of her life, wanting desperately to be like the other kids and confused about where she belongs and how to merge her two cultures. The racism she encounters and must deal with on her own will pull the heartstrings of readers. Her dream trip to Japan as a ten-year-old where she discovers her roots and her family is a deeply felt learning experience and creates a bond with her somewhat distant mother. Perhaps it is a typical immigrant story where children raised in America have a difficult time understanding the ways of parents of a foreign culture. Furiya offers a no-holds-barred commentary on this difficulty as well as the frustrations and confusion she felt as an alien in the country she was born and raised in.
   
   Despite the disjointedness that often occurs in the flow between chapters, the subject of food and its meaning in her life provides a connectivity that culminates in a beautiful final chapter where Furija is able to look back on her childhood and come to a sense of understanding and peace. I quite enjoyed this book and plan on trying out some of the recipes.



3. I was so anxious to read this book- I loved the title and expected some kind of knowledge or insight to come from having read it. Unfortunately I found it to be a very humdrum account of childhood angst in the midwest. I was surprised to learn that the author was a professional journalist; the grammar and punctuation were just awful in places and the flow was practically nonexistent, with the author going back and forth in time as if to teach the reader a lesson about something, but no lesson ever came, except possibly that people of Japanese heritage are annoyingly nonconfrontational and midwestern American men are dirty old predatory geezers. I can live without that type of pigeonholing, thank you.



4. As a Japanese-American raised first in California and then in Texas, I can relate to many of the experiences that author Linda Furiya, a food columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, shares in her childhood memoir of growing up as a Nisei in a small Indiana community, in particular, the complex interdependency evident in her relationship with her Japanese-born mother. In fact, Furiya spends little time writing about her father or her brothers because of the especially symbiotic connection with her mother. Her particular back story as an atypically liberated woman in a male-dominated society lends an intriguing twist on the stereotype one usually associates with the traditional Japanese woman.
   
   Similar to Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, the book is a series of vignettes organized around selective memories of preparing and eating food reflective of the author's heritage. Whereas Esquivel opened each of her chapters with a recipe, Furiya chooses to close each chapter with one for family favorites such as Chinese Home-Style Tofu and Japanese Pot Stickers. Although the recipes make nice transitional points within her episodic structure, they actually aren't that necessary since she otherwise captures the pervasive dichotomy of having a racial identity utterly different from her surroundings in ways that are both poignant and painful. Some of the episodes felt so familiar to me that it made me wonder just how well Asian-Americans in general have assimilated into the mainstream.
   
   The book's title refers to the Japanese box lunches that her mother would meticulously prepare for her to take to elementary school where her classmates had their regulation sandwiches. Rather than face embarrassing stares and questions, she would hide in the bathroom eating her mother's homemade onigiri. That palpable sense of isolation informs many of the anecdotes Furiya shares here, as they highlight the subtle forms of racism and sexism she experienced firsthand while attempting to make sense of her place between two distinct cultures. Moreover, she makes precisely calibrated observations on the generational conflict that seemed inevitable in serving to alienate her from her heritage only to embrace it later through her love of Japanese food. Despite some heavy-handed passages, the book is a relatively light read that taps into darker themes in a most affecting manner.



5. Furiya has a voice that is warm, approachable, and intimate. Reading her work, you feel in the company of a friend who also happens to be a masterful storyteller. She weaves a tale that's both exotic and profoundly American, one that combines family and food in a way that's lyrical but never sentimental. Wherever you grew up, and whatever you mother put in your lunchbox, this is a treat to savor.