Yoko's Diary

by Paul Ham | History |
ISBN: 0733331181 Global Overview for this book
Registered by CavyNomes of Wentworth Falls, New South Wales Australia on 10/7/2021
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7 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by CavyNomes from Wentworth Falls, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, October 7, 2021
"In April 1945, Yoko Moriwaki started high school in Hiroshima, excited to be a prestigious 'Kenjo' girl, and full of duty towards her parents, school and country. But Japan was in the grip of World War II and within months Yoko's city would become the target for the first atomic bomb ever used as a weapon.

In her diary, Yoko provides a window into that time - when food was often scarce, fierce battles raged in the Pacific, and children as young as twelve were forced to work in industry. With additions by Yoko's relatives and fellow students, and an introduction by award-winning author Paul Ham, Yoko's Diary not only reveals the hopes, beliefs and daily life of a young girl in 1940s Japan, it is a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of war."

Journal Entry 2 by CavyNomes at Wentworth Falls, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, October 16, 2021
This book is a translation of a diary kept by a Japanese twelve year old schoolgirl in 1945.
The diary is a class assignment; as such the tone of the entries are factual, dutiful, and generally devoid of any of the drama or attitude that one might expect from a tween in the modern age.
The book also includes information from Yoko's relatives, friends, and classmates, as well as by author Paul Ham. Also there are quite a few pictures.

The book is aimed at juvenile readers, probably the same age as Yoko. The additional information provided by Paul Ham is written with this younger audience in mind.

Although a juvenile title, this book is enjoyable. It is most certainly informative, and provides an unusual insight into life in wartime Japan.


Journal Entry 3 by CavyNomes at Wentworth Falls, New South Wales Australia on Monday, October 18, 2021

Released 2 yrs ago (10/15/2021 UTC) at Wentworth Falls, New South Wales Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted as part of the Very Small Book exchange.
Happy reading!

Journal Entry 4 by JessicaEby at Cambridge, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Recieved in this afternoon's post-- a most welcome surprise on a blustery cold and snowy day!

I am not familiar with this book but it looks right up my alley! I enjoy diaries and diary-style books, and the Second World War era is an area of particular interest for me. I probably will not get the chance to read this until the new year, and I'm sure there will be some tough stuff in it, emotionally speaking, but I'm really excited to read it as soon as I can.

Thank you so much, CavyNomes!

Journal Entry 5 by JessicaEby at Cambridge, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, December 22, 2021
I had the chance to read this before the new year after all; it was a quick read and I got through it today.

I thought that young Yoko's diary gave an interesting glimpse into wartime life in Japan, which is not something we tend to see much of in this part of the world (or at least not in my experience). I found it sad in various ways, but I valued its perspective and thought it was a well-worthwhile read. I enjoyed the old photos and thought the contributions from friends and family were interesting too as they gave more context and sort of rounded out the picture of Yoko's life.

I'm not sure what is next for this little book, but I have a couple of ideas. I might hang on to it for a little while but I'll move it along eventually. Thank you again, CavyNomes, for sharing this book with me!

Journal Entry 6 by JessicaEby at Cambridge, Ontario Canada on Friday, March 4, 2022
It has taken a bit to get this organised, but I am getting this book ready now to go out on a ring! Here the list of its expected travels:

penelopewanders (France)
Fifna (Netherlands)
TheHappyHippy (UK- Scotland)
Spartaca (UK- England)
hyphen8 (USA- Hawaii)
Azuki (USA- Florida)
mcsar (Canada- BC)
JessicaEby (Canada- ON *back home for now*)

Edited (16/03/22) to add: The book has been sent! It should have left my nearest postal outlet in the last outgoing post today; it's now on its way to penelopewanders in France!

Journal Entry 7 by wingpenelopewanderswing at Saint-Loup-des Vignes, Centre France on Tuesday, March 29, 2022
This has arrived safely in France, thanks so much! I will try to read this very soon, but I will be travelling as of next week so it might have to wait a few weeks. (If I don't finish before leaving).
Thanks for making this available and for sending as a letter - no duty required!

Journal Entry 8 by wingpenelopewanderswing at Saint-Loup-des Vignes, Centre France on Friday, April 1, 2022
This arrived as a ring, and was a quick read.
It is the diary of a young Japanese school girl whose class worked at clearing out rubble in Hiroshima and found themselves directly in the path of the atomic bomb on August 6th, 1945.
The actual writing is that of the twelve-year-old child she was - not particularly poetic or insightful, but meticulous and assiduous, carrying out her school assignment of writing down her duties and how her days were spent.
In a few entries she writes notes and questions to her teacher, who then responds, and those revealed more of the little girl she was than her careful charting of hours. It was nonetheless important to see the schedule and expectations. A lot could be understood in reading between the lines.
There is some repetition between the introduction and some of the explanatory remarks, but I am glad to have read this, as it is indispensable that we continue to remember the humans affected and destroyed by the inhumane bombs and missiles.
As war currently is being waged in Ukraine, this is all the more important.
Thanks for making this available. I have written for the next address but have yet to hear back.
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Oops, I stopped at the post office to send this on Tuesday, April 5th, on my way out of town, but between PCR testing and the rest needed for my trip, I forgot to officially release this. Glad it arrived so quickly! Enjoy.

Journal Entry 9 by wingFifnawing at Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, April 8, 2022
Arrived safely, thanks penelopewanders!

Journal Entry 10 by wingFifnawing at Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, April 18, 2022
Yoko gives a very interesting insight into her life and how it was affected by the war, made all the more poignant by the contributions written decades later by her brother and others. I also liked the brief explanatory sections about Japanese life added by the editor. Many thanks for sharing!

Journal Entry 11 by wingFifnawing at Carstairs Village, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, May 2, 2022

Released 1 yr ago (5/2/2022 UTC) at Carstairs Village, Scotland United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Travelling to The HappyHippy!

Journal Entry 12 by TheHappyHippy at Lanark, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, May 8, 2022
Found this waiting on my doorstep this morning. What a great way to start the day! Thank you to Fifna for the note and Bookcrossing labels - that was very kind of you.
I've got a couple of books on the go but hope to read this in the next week or so. Thanks to JessicaEby for organising this bookring, I'm really pleased to be a part of its journey around the globe.

Journal Entry 13 by winghyphen8wing at Honolulu, Hawaii USA on Friday, July 8, 2022
7/7/22: received from Spartaca as part of JessicaEby's bookring; I'm in the middle of a book I've promised to someone else, but I'll get to this as soon as I can.

Journal Entry 14 by winghyphen8wing at Honolulu, Hawaii USA on Sunday, July 10, 2022
Diary by Yoko Moriwaki; translated by Debbie Edwards; edited by Paul Han. A fascinating little time capsule made poignant by the fate of the writer. If Yoko had grown up to be a wife and mother as she expected, this diary would most likely have been discarded many years ago as an old school assignment. Instead it was cherished as a relic of an atomic bomb victim and gives us an interesting look at what life was like for a schoolchild in Japan during WWII.

Also, one branch of my father's family (his paternal grandmother's ancestors) lived in Hatsukaichi (where Yoko’s grandparents lived) - although all of my great-grandparents moved to Hawaii long before WWII.

This will be mailed off to Azuki soon.

Journal Entry 15 by winghyphen8wing at Honolulu, Hawaii USA on Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Released 1 yr ago (7/26/2022 UTC) at Honolulu, Hawaii USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Tuesday, July 26, 2022: Yoko is hitching a ride to Florida with some books from a VBB. I hope they will all play nicely together in the envelope...

USPS tracking # 9549 0104 3301 2207 2957 52
ETA 8/15/22

Note: the origami crane bookmark was designed by Nikkei origami artist Jo Nakashima from Brazil.

Released for the 2022 NJABBIC challenge (week 30: keeping your cool).

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Journal Entry 16 by wingAzukiwing at Miami, Florida USA on Sunday, August 14, 2022
Thanks, books have arrived safely. I was in the middle of GISH so I didn't get to journal them till now. Will put this on top of my TBR as it's a ring and start on it after I finish my current read.

Also, the origami bookmark inside is so beautiful, and most appropriate for this book. Thanks Hyphen8!!

Journal Entry 17 by wingAzukiwing at Miami, Florida USA on Friday, September 2, 2022
When I started reading this book, I was reminded of Anne Frank's diary, both witness to the atrocity of WWII. Anne's diary is definitely more expressive, but then Anne was older, and Yoko's diary is more a homework than a trusted confidante.

The lack of detail is a bit disappointing, though the supplemental information helps a lot to sustain a reader's interest, and once in a while you can catch a glimpse of Yoko behind an entry: mother making her favorite food, she helping her grandparents, etc. What comes through strongest for me though, is how the government's propaganda has shaped the young girl's mind.

Just received mcsar's address and will mail it off shortly.

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