A Dictionary Of Mutual Understanding
12 journalers for this copy...
Amaterasu Takahashi has spent her life grieving for her
daughter Yuko and grandson Hideo, who were victims of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in1945-
Now a widow living in America, she believes that one man was responsible for her loss: a local doctor who caused an irreparable rift between mother and daughter.
When a man claiming to be Hideo arrives on her doorstep, she is forced to revisit the past: the hurt and humiliation of her early life, the intoxication of a first romance and the realisation that if she had loved her daughter in a different way, she might still be alive today.
I read a copy in French and ordered one in English for the 2020 Roundabout.
Order :
Icila France
Paulanni Finland
grovalskii Germany
Fifna Netherlands
Dark-Draco UK
Cross-Patch UK
Earthcaroleanne UK
Poodlesister UK
greenbadger UK
Math-Girl40 Canada
Mcsar Canada
Valpete USA. Please don’t send it back to me.
Journal Entry
2 by
Icila at
Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Released 3 yrs ago (12/30/2020 UTC) at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to Paulanni. Enjoy !
Journal Entry
3 by
Paulanni at
Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Wednesday, January 13, 2021
The book has arrived. Thank you, Icila!
Journal Entry
4 by
Paulanni at
Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Thursday, January 28, 2021
I enjoyed reading the novel. The story - all those family secrets - kept me hooked, and in places, it was touching. I also learned a lot about the history of Japan and its people during the WW2 and after.
Every chapter was preceded by a short excerpt of a book, An English Dictionary of Japanese Culture, and I had mixed feelings about them. While I love to read about Japan and its culture, those bits, though interesting, came between me and the story. I was eager to know what was going to happen to a person or family in next chapter, and then a bit of a cultural explanation made me sidetrack. The cultural bits were linked to the topics in the chapters, but sometimes not so obviously, and I just did not want to stop long enough to capture the connection! All in all, an interesting and enjoyable read, and I had a tear in my eye over the last page or two.
Journal Entry
5 by
Paulanni at
Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Thursday, January 28, 2021
Released 3 yrs ago (1/29/2021 UTC) at Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book is on the way to grovalskii next.
Journal Entry
6 by
grovalskii at
Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Thursday, February 4, 2021
Just received book 2 in the 2020 roundabout. This one sounds really interesting. Looking forward to reading it.
Journal Entry
7 by
grovalskii at
Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Sunday, February 21, 2021
The book did not disappoint! Really enjoyed how the story unfolded and developed. Good ending, too.
Off to Fifna within the next few days.
Journal Entry
8 by
Fifna at
Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, March 4, 2021
It has arrived here, thanks grovalskii!
Journal Entry
9 by
Fifna at
Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, April 12, 2021
This was a good story, against a backdrop of a terrible event. The human cost of war is horrible. But ultimately this story is one of not just tragedy and fallibility, but also hope and love. I for one did like the bits at the beginning explaining Japanese concepts relevant to the following chapter. Good choice for the roundabout, thanks for sharing!
Journal Entry
10 by
Fifna at
Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Monday, April 12, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (4/12/2021 UTC) at Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to dark-draco.
Journal Entry
11 by
dark-draco at
Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, April 29, 2021
Received... thank you.
Journal Entry
12 by
dark-draco at
Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Wow! Those chapters dealing with the atom bomb landing on Nagasaki - difficult to read and yet so beautifully done. I've never read anything else dealing with this part of WWII history, and it made me wonder why. The author does an amazing job of showing the horror and shock as the bomb dropped and in the years that followed.
Sadly, after this event, I struggled a bit with the story. I did enjoy it and I loved the author's style. She does a great job of swapping back and forth between timelines and different characters, but after being knocked for six by the previous chapters, I was left a tad disappointed that this just became another story of family secrets, lies and misunderstandings. There wasn't much originality or surprise in Amaterasu's past - just another sad story.
The last couple of chapters did redeem it a lot, and yes, I had a tear in my eye during the last few pages.
So, overall, mixed feelings about this one. Would definitely read more by this author though.
Journal Entry
13 by
dark-draco at
-- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Thursday, June 3, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (6/3/2021 UTC) at -- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Off to the next reader in the roundabout
Journal Entry
14 by
Cross-patch at
Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Just arrived - I have read a chapter already, and am enjoying it.
Journal Entry
15 by
Cross-patch at
Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, June 21, 2021
This book made me think - about the realities of what happens when a tragic event in the grand scale hits a community, about the confusion in the immediate aftermath and about the long term consequences. I also enjoyed learning a little, in the opening sentences of each chapter, of Japanese culture and mores. I found it to be a jolly good read. Thank you.
Journal Entry
16 by
Cross-patch at
-- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Monday, June 21, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (6/21/2021 UTC) at -- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way again
Journal Entry
17 by
earthcaroleanne at
Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, June 26, 2021
Thank you, this arrived today. I'm really sorry but I'm still holding books up but hopefully it will increase during the summer.
Journal Entry
18 by
earthcaroleanne at
Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 1, 2021
The problem with being a little down list in the roundabout is everyone has said something along the lines of what I want to – and have probably said it better than I could.
Therefore, I’ve got to agree with Paulannin that the extracts got in the way and I stopped reading them about half way through the book. I both agree and disagree with dark-draco regarding the chapters dealing with the bomb but rather than struggling with the rest of the story it got better for me, and it is beautifully written. However I didn’t quite get a tear in my eye over the last page or two but it was close. Still wondering a little about Hideo’s heritage.
This is a great roundabout choice.
Journal Entry
19 by
earthcaroleanne at
Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (9/4/2021 UTC) at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
I'll be passing this to Poodlesister on her visit to Edinburgh.
Journal Entry
20 by
Poodlesister at
Walthamstow, Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, September 4, 2021
Thanks earthcaroleanne
Journal Entry
21 by
Poodlesister at
Walthamstow, Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, October 15, 2021
I took a while to get into this book but once I did I really enjoyed it. Bittersweet.
Journal Entry
22 by
Poodlesister at
-- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Friday, October 15, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (10/15/2021 UTC) at -- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling to greenbadger next.
Journal Entry
23 by
greenbadger at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 19, 2021
It's arrived, thank you!
Journal Entry
24 by
greenbadger at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Amaterasu is a Japanese widow who lost both her daughter and grandson when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The loss is made all the more bitter by the fact that she and her daughter had argued when she died, and she blames local doctor Sato for both the argument and her daughter's death. When a man comes to her doorstep claiming to be her missing grandson Hideo, she revisits both her daughter's and her own past, her difficult early life, and the role the really very unpleasant Sato has played in her family's history. It's well written, it's an interesting story, but it's an extremely depressing read.
Journal Entry
25 by
greenbadger at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (11/3/2021 UTC) at St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to mathgirl40.
Journal Entry
26 by
mathgirl40 at
Waterloo, Ontario Canada on Thursday, November 18, 2021
This book has arrived in Canada.
Journal Entry
27 by
mathgirl40 at
Waterloo, Ontario Canada on Saturday, December 11, 2021
The story of Amaterasu and her family was very sad and at times uncomfortable to read. However, I appreciated learning more of the historical details surrounding the bombing of Nagasaki and the aftermath. Thank you, Icila, for offering this book for the roundabout.
Journal Entry
28 by
mathgirl40 at
Waterloo, Ontario Canada on Sunday, December 12, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (12/11/2021 UTC) at Waterloo, Ontario Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
This book is on its way to mcsar.
Journal Entry
29 by
mcsar at
Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, December 16, 2021
Thanks for sending. I will start reading right away.
Journal Entry
30 by
mcsar at
Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Saturday, December 25, 2021
The story is beautifully written and I enjoyed it. The impact of the bomb was horrifying and the chapters brought out the human side of it in a powerful way. A good read for the roundabout.
Journal Entry
31 by
mcsar at
Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, January 6, 2022
Released 2 yrs ago (1/6/2022 UTC) at Richmond, British Columbia Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to valpete.
Journal Entry
32 by
valpete at
Walnut Creek, California USA on Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Received! Thanks, I'll read it and journal it and then find a new home for this well traveled book.
Journal Entry
33 by
valpete at
Walnut Creek, California USA on Sunday, January 30, 2022
I thought this was very well written with a compelling story. I think I had a little difficulty with the mother's past and the affairs of Dr. Sato with both mother and daughter. I agree with Greenbadger that it was very depressing.