Old-Fashioned Book Report II

 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by James Ford

I love sharing these Old Fashioned Book Reports with you all.  I am an avid reader and I get great recommendations.  It makes reading these wonderful books more special when I get to then encourage others to read them as well.  My latest book was especially good.  I think anyone and everyone should give it a read.  And I have to do a quick shout-out to Rev. Diane Harvey, my mentor and friend, who was the one to share this book with me.

The book's main character is Henry, a Chinese American.  The book takes place during two crucial points in Henry's life.  It begins in 1985, just a couple of months after his wife's death from debilitating cancer.  During the first chapter, Henry is walking through the streets of his home, Seattle, when he comes across a crowd gathered outside an old, bordered up hotel located in what was once Japantown.  The new owner had discovered the basement was filled with old suitcases and belongings, sealed in since the hotel closed in the 1940s.  Henry watches in amazement as the new owner displays an old Japanese parasol, one that Henry recognizes from many, many years ago.

The reader then travels with Henry into his memory of "the war years," beginning in 1942.  Living in Seattle and being of Asian descent after the bombing of Pearl Harbor was very difficult.  Henry was sent to an all white school, forced to wear a button that read "I am Chinese".  Despite this rather ineffective level of protection, Henry was still mercilessly bullied.  He was on a scholarship to the school, which meant he was required to do labor.  He helped to serve lunch and cleaned up after classes.  He was the only outsider until one day a new person met him in the school cafeteria, another scholarship student who had to earn her keep by serving the white children their food.  Her name was Keiko, a Japanese American girl.

The book is about Henry and Keiko's relationship.  The book is also about the relationship between Henry and his father and later Henry and his son.  The book moves easily between the two time lines, and each transition brings new depth and meaning to the characters.  The story also has a great historical context, one which taught me about a period in US history I did not know much about, and helped me to reflect on the events of today.

I had learned in high school history, as I am sure most of you have, of the Japanese internment camps during WWII.  However, my understanding was rather vague.  I knew it happened, I knew it was not good, but I did not know much else.  Reading this book really opened my eyes to that point in our history.  So much so, I did some of my own research to learn more.  I want to be careful not to give away any of the plot, but I encourage you to go to the following website after you have read the book:
Children of the Camps. 

We currently live in a world gripped with fear.  Fear of another terrorist attack.  Fear of getting on an airplane.  Fear.  And a society which lives in fear will attempt to establish a sense of control in order to bring a semblance of order into the unknown.  We have done it before and I fear we will do it again.

Please read this book.  You can click on the image above to find the author's website.  The site includes reader's guides, etc.  Read the book and consider our history.  And consider how we can make sure such an ugly time in our country is not repeated.

Thanks for coming back to read my latest Old Fashioned Book Report.  I received in the mail today 2 (TWO!!!) new books that I cannot wait to begin reading.  I have a feeling I will inhale both, so the next installment of the Old Fashioned Book Report will be back soon.  Join me again tomorrow as I reflect on my ordination into ministry.  Do I know anything now that I didn't know before?  Probably not, but it has led me to consider my next Life Experiment, which I will be revealing!