Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
By Jamie Ford
- Release Date: 2009-01-27
- Genre: Literary Fiction
Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An impressive, bitter, and sweet debut that explores the age-old conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to Japanese Americans in the Seattle era during World War II, and the depths and longing of deep-heart love.”—Lisa See
“A tender and satisfying novel.”—Garth Stein, bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain
In 1986, Henry Lee joins a crowd outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has discovered the belongings of Japanese families who were sent to internment camps during World War II. As the owner displays and unfurls a Japanese parasol, Henry, a Chinese American, remembers a young Japanese American girl from his childhood in the 1940s—Keiko Okabe, with whom he forged a bond of friendship and innocent love that transcended the prejudices of their Old World ancestors. After Keiko and her family were evacuated to the internment camps, she and Henry could only hope that their promise to each other would be kept. Now, forty years later, Henry explores the hotel’s basement for the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot even begin to measure. His search will take him on a journey to revisit the sacrifices he has made for family, for love, for country.
Reviews
Best Audio Book!
5By jfischer48It’s very rare that I listen to a book twice, but the Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an exception to the case. I bought the audio version when it first came out and just listened to it again. I loved it even more the second time. The author and the narrator are phenomenal! This book will not disappoint.Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
5By DieinatorAn amazing true story about a time before I was born. The sad reality of life in America during WWII. Centuries later how wonderful people can be to try to fix necessary atrocities of the past. This should be a must read in our schools like Ann Frank is.A must read!!
4By Ronald VasquezPossibly one of the best historical fiction books I have read! A great dual narrative highlighting the social issues post during Wold War II and the 2nd Sino-Japanese War, while also introducing the developing relationship of a forbidden friendship/loveA good book
5By ivanardMy teacher told me to read it for whole quarter and i start to like ithotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
5By MJ 200History as people. Beautifully written, with characters who are real, strong and affecting. Great storyGood job!
4By PhotoPhishJamie Ford does a good job of conveying emotional impact of various issues on each of the characters from each character's unique perspective. He he does this in a very nonjudgemental way. It's a thought-provoking book that easily sustained my interest.Smooth...
5By TeachfacsA mellow journey through the song that is life.Awesome read...
5By BrieWmsVery fun read. I truly enjoyed every minute of this book.Great Book
5By Grammy Vivianwonderful reading! great characters !A different time and place
5By Sparky0987I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A tale of unexpected friendships, love and loss that should be read with a perspective of the time and place in which it was set. Some reviews jump on the improbability of love at such a young age. But, the reader must keep in mind that teenagers 60-70 years ago were different from today's, especially during the war years. They were expected to grow up and help the family When these two young people, ostracized for being different, not seen as real Americans, finally form a friendship, their bond is tight. I could definitely see love forming from that.