2 comments about Prisoner of the Japanese: From Changi to Tokyo.

1. I think this was originally a self-published book (and still may be), and as someone who's fully supportive of the self-publishing industry but is also equally wary of their oft-uneven quality, I approached this one with caution. I had to do research for a book I'm writing on World War II in the Pacific and thought this book would help fill in the gaps with its on-the-ground account of the situation in Singapore after its fall to the Japanese.
   
   It turned out to be an excellent, highly-readable story of the author's experience as a POW in Changi, Korea and Japan in the years after the British surrendered Singapore to the Japanese. Wade is a gifted writer and memoirist; he relates his horrific experiences without ever detracting from the humanity of both his fellow prisoners and their captors. All -- even and including the Japanese -- leap from the page as complicated human beings caught in the mess of a bloody war. The book is a valuable asset to both professional and amateur historians alike, as it presents an eyewitness account of not only the conditions of POW camps during the war, but also of life in Singapore and China before the world exploded.
   
   MRA



2. On 15 February 1942, the Japanese captured Singapore and took 130,000 Allied prisoners of war. One of those prisoiners was Lieutenant Tom Wade. For the next three and a half years he was to suffer the indiginity and hardships of captivity and the torture and brutality of his captors, first in Changi, then in Korea and finally in Tokyo.
   This book is the story of those years in captivity. They were years of horror and despair, characterized by harsh treatment at the hands of sadistic guards who believed that a soldier who surrendered has lost all humanity. At Tokyo Headquarters in particular, Wade and his fellow POW's had to suffer the paranoid beatings and victimisation of Sergeant Matsuhiro Watanabe, who successufully avoided prosecution by the War Crimes Commission at the war's end.
   Wade's moving account of his period of captivity is characterized by the sense of determination, hope and endurance which sustained all those who share his experience from the Second World War.

2 comments about Nagasaki 1945.

1. I will start this review by establishing my background.
   
   *) I am a follower of history; I obtained a minor in history as an undergraduate and read a great deal of historical material.
   *) I am a firm believer in the thesis that the United States was correct in dropping the two atomic weapons on Japan to end the Second World War. There is no question in my mind that the unleashing of atomic energy against the people of Japan led to fewer casualties than if the Allies had invaded the home islands.
   
   Nevertheless, it is chilling to read this account of the aftermath of the bombing of Nagasaki. People argue that there were comparable or even greater casualties when the Allies used conventional bombs on Dresden and Tokyo. If you read eyewitness accounts of those attacks, the stories are superficially similar. However, there is something particularly frightening about the accounts of nuclear attacks. The slow, bloody deaths of people due to radiation poisoning, the horrific burns, where in an instant the flesh is flash cooked. The near-total destruction of everything in the blast area, leaving almost nothing for the survivors, which makes their condition hopeless without some form of massive outside aid.
   The author was a Nagasaki doctor who managed to survive the blast. This book is an account of his attempts to care for the survivors, using simple swabs to try to treat severe radiation and heat burns. He also includes short blurbs describing the political situation in Japan at the highest levels during July and the first part of August in 1945. He explains the attempted military coup led by a band of die-hard officers opposed to the surrender. Those officers still wanted to fight on, even against the prospect of additional atomic attacks and in direct opposition to the will of the Japanese Emperor. This is the most convincing evidence that the atomic attacks were the right thing to do.
   Some people believe that nuclear weapons are just more powerful instances of conventional forces. If you read accounts like this one, it is clear that that is not so. Nuclear weapons are enormously different in kind from conventional forces, destroying in ways that should convince everyone that they should never be used in warfare again.



2. There is no better way to understand the pain and suffering caused by the use of nuclear weapons than to read Tatsuichiro Akizuki's eyewitness account of the atomic bomb damage to Nagasaki. Dr. Akizuki not only describes the immediate devistation caused by the nuclear blast that hit Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945 but also chronicles his attempts as a physican to deal with the injuries of the people who survived the initial blast. It is a very compelling story.

1 comments about Surrender on Cebu: A Pow's Diary--Wwii.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It's one of the best accounts ever written about a POW's horrible life under the Japanese. It is very well written and very, very good and authentic. LTC Miner's memory about all of the people he met and knew is absolutely unbelievable. I wish you could have Spielberg in Hollywood make a movie, now that POW's are again an issue.

No comments about Lawson Fusao Inada (Boise State University Western Writers Series, No. 160).

1 comments about Hideo Date: Line, Color, and the Quest of a Japanese American Artist.

1. This survey of the art of Hideo Date is published in conjunction with the Japanese-American National Museum and presents the artist's blend of Japanese and American painting. Gorgeous color paintings by a Japanese-American artist who survived the camps makes for a striking synthesis of styles and cultures.

1 comments about Final Martyrs.

1. This is the first book by Shusaku Endo I have read in a long while, so it has been good to get back into his work. "Final Martyrs" is a collection of short stories on a variety of themes, all of them very human and very much in Endo's usual style and focus.
   
   The short stories are notable for their indebtedness to Endo's life. Many are set in French or European settings, or have elements of Endo's experienmces in Manchuria and his own parents' divorce. There is a lot of biographical content that works its way into the lives of the characters.
   
   Each of the stories deals with issues of humanity, sometimes overtly faith issues, and others deeper, more psychological. All of them are succinct and punchy, often leaving this reader feeling something has been missed in the underlying meaning. However, this has not detracted from my enjoyment of the stories.
   
   Elements of one or two of the stories are to be found in the longer novels that Endo wrote, which adds some richness for fans who might be considering adding this book to their Endo collection.
   
   I took a bit longer to "get into it" than with other Endo books, but I am glad that I persisted and read to the end. The effort was worth it, and I soon warmed to Endo's short story style. Each story has something different to offer, and they are all rewarding, thought-provoking and deep reads.
   
   In short, (pun intended, though cheap), this is an excellent book for Endo fans to increase their intake of Endo. New readers to Endo, I would advise starting with his novels, such as Silence or The Samurai (New Directions Classics). Other than that, "Final Martyrs" is a great book and one worth every effort to acquire.

No comments about One man unconquered.

5 comments about Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain.

1. I have read the other reviews written by Amazon readers and am so impressed with them. For my part, I agree with the others, and then some. I found that Morie and Kitako are elegant and honorable, much as their dogs were. As with any book one reads and thoroughly enjoys, I dreaded that the words would end and I took my time with every story. I found hardship, honesty, love, respect and great adventure within this book's pages. The children that Morie and Kitako raised are also an interesting bunch. Samarai Tiger is my favorite dog, bigger than life. I would like to meet Shiro and would have loved to know Hoku.



2. This book is a great book for a Akita owner. The author gives you lots of insight into the Akita behavior. Being a Akita owner, I found the book enlightening and a joy to read. This book is a must for any Akita owner or anyone considering a Akita.



3. I don't own an Akita, but this book caught my eye because it was a different kind of story. The subjects of sexual discrimination, poverty, wartime in Japan, and the Morie's singlemindedness in raising dogs are explored. If you love Akitas, you'll love this book. If you're not a dog person, you'll like this book, but may not go ga-ga over it. I thought the writer jumped around a bit in telling the story, and could have been better with the continuity. But all in all, I recommend this interesting look at a life far different from ours in America.



4. I bought this book for my brother, who loves dogs as much as I do. When he finished it, he sent it back, so I read it as well, and we both enjoyed it. This is a very sweet book which makes a great gift book for someone who loves dogs, someone who loves Japan and its history, and especially for someone who loves both. I would have liked to see Penguin go the extra mile for Martha Sherrill and spring for glossy pages for the many great photos in the book, but that would be my only criticism.



5. I had to leave it at the library because i wanted to leave it for my friend who i intended to send right down to check it out. It's about an eccentric in a culture not known for eccentrics. It's about his wife and family. His wife is a stoic and her relationship with her husband is like reading science fiction to a 21st century American. The dogs are great. Great. Please do not go out and buy an Akita though. This is a lot of dog. A whole lot of dog. They almost need a mountain.

No comments about Japanese Americans (Successful Americans).

No comments about Following the Brush: An American Encounter With Classical Japanese Culture.