1986, The Panama Hotel The old Seattle landmark has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made a startling discovery in the basement: personal belongings stored away by Japanese families sent to interment camps during the Second World War. Among the fascinated crowd gathering outside the hotel, stands Henry Lee, and, as the owner unfurls a distinctive parasol, he is flooded by memories of his childhood. He wonders if by some miracle, in amongst the boxes of dusty treasures, lies a link to the Okabe family, and the girl he lost his young heart to, so many years ago. With over a million copies sold worldwide, this captivating debut is a story of the sacrifices one boy makes for love and for his country.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
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'Ford deftly pulls off a Hollywood-worthy romance, one anchored to a true event. An entertaining and often illuminating tale' THE SPECATOR. 'Mesmerizing and evocative...a tale of conflicted loyalties and devotion' Sara Gruen, New York Times bestselling author of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. 'An impressive, bitter, and sweet debut' Lisa See, bestselling author of SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN. 'Engrossing...A really good, genuinely heartfelt novel... I think I have fallen a little in love with it' Dovegreyreader. 'Four stars - recommended' Psychologies magazine. 'I can see readily why people are raving about this book...The characterisation is second-to-none, the story is intriguing... A well-told story that it sets itself apart. It's AWESOMELY GOOD!' Booksmonthly.co.uk
About the Author
JAMIE FORD is the great grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung, who emigrated from China, to San Francisco in 1865, where he adopted the western name 'Ford', thus confusing countless generations. Ford's debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a New York Times bestseller, and has been awarded the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. It has been translated into twenty-six languages. Having grown up near Seattle's Chinatown, Ford now lives in Montana with his wife and children. www.jamieford.com
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet tells the story of a young Chinese-American boy, Henry Lee, and his lifelong love for his childhood friend, Keiko Okabe. The story is partly set in 1942, when America is at war and 'enemy' citizens (those with Italian, German but mainly Japanese heritage) are being interned in prison camps. Henry is a lonely child - sent to an almost all-white school by his stern parents, his only friend is Keiko, a young girl of Japanese descent who, like Henry, is earning her scholarship by working in the school kitchens. They are only 12 when the story begins and their friendship and blossoming romance is sensitively portrayed.
As the grip of war tightens, Keiko and her family are among the thousands of American citizens of Japanese descent who are rounded up and imprisoned, supposedly to prevent them 'spying' for the enemy, and what belongings they can't take with them are hurridly stashed in the basement of the Panama Hotel.
The story of Henry and Keiko's wartime friendship is interspersed with flash-forwards to 1986, when Henry has taken early retirement and, after a happy marriage, is alone again with occasional visits from his somewhat distant son Marty. When he learns that the belongings of those Japanese families have been unearthed from the basement of the recently re-opened Panama Hotel, it reawakens his feelings for his wartime friend and his curiosity about what became of her and her family.
This is a beautifully told story, heartwarming and beguiling but thankfully not over-sentimental or twee. In his Author's Note, Jamie Ford says that he wished to recreate the internment of Japanese-Americans "without judging the good or bad intentions of those involved at the time". It's hard not to judge, but this was wartime and the pervading atmosphere of suspicion and fear, however irrational, is convincingly brought to life. A highly recommended read which manages to educate as well as entertain, I'm not surprised so many people have already fallen in love with this book.
As the grip of war tightens, Keiko and her family are among the thousands of American citizens of Japanese descent who are rounded up and imprisoned, supposedly to prevent them 'spying' for the enemy, and what belongings they can't take with them are hurridly stashed in the basement of the Panama Hotel.
The story of Henry and Keiko's wartime friendship is interspersed with flash-forwards to 1986, when Henry has taken early retirement and, after a happy marriage, is alone again with occasional visits from his somewhat distant son Marty. When he learns that the belongings of those Japanese families have been unearthed from the basement of the recently re-opened Panama Hotel, it reawakens his feelings for his wartime friend and his curiosity about what became of her and her family.
This is a beautifully told story, heartwarming and beguiling but thankfully not over-sentimental or twee. In his Author's Note, Jamie Ford says that he wished to recreate the internment of Japanese-Americans "without judging the good or bad intentions of those involved at the time". It's hard not to judge, but this was wartime and the pervading atmosphere of suspicion and fear, however irrational, is convincingly brought to life. A highly recommended read which manages to educate as well as entertain, I'm not surprised so many people have already fallen in love with this book.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By S. Bruch
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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I have read a lot of novels based during the second world war, mostly about the treatment of Jew's during this time. This is the first novel i've read that explains what happened to the American Japanese population. I had absolutely no idea that they were all herded up and taken to camps, in an eerily similar way to the Jewish population in Germany.
The novel moves between the 1940's and the 1980's and shows clearly how much we have all moved on from the tragedies of the second world war. The 1980's situation in America seems to be much more accepting thankfully. I really enjoyed seeing the differences between the way people lived in the two time periods, although i did have trouble with how old Henry was in the 1980's. He kept coming across as much older than his 50 odd years.
This is not a fast moving novel, it's all about well described very emotional moments in Henry's life and the lives of the people around him. Definitely a book i would recommend!
The novel moves between the 1940's and the 1980's and shows clearly how much we have all moved on from the tragedies of the second world war. The 1980's situation in America seems to be much more accepting thankfully. I really enjoyed seeing the differences between the way people lived in the two time periods, although i did have trouble with how old Henry was in the 1980's. He kept coming across as much older than his 50 odd years.
This is not a fast moving novel, it's all about well described very emotional moments in Henry's life and the lives of the people around him. Definitely a book i would recommend!
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is such an enjoyable read, which deserves to be a bestseller. I haven't recommended it to anyone who doesn't agree.
Enough has been said by previous reviewers regarding the plot. Suffice to say that it is beautifully written story of thwarted young love, never oversentimentalised or mawkish. The research is impeccable and highlights the after effects of war on innocents.
There are many finely drawn supporting characters who would warrant short stories themselves.
My favourite read in 2010. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Enough has been said by previous reviewers regarding the plot. Suffice to say that it is beautifully written story of thwarted young love, never oversentimentalised or mawkish. The research is impeccable and highlights the after effects of war on innocents.
There are many finely drawn supporting characters who would warrant short stories themselves.
My favourite read in 2010. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unknown history
I gave it this rating because I could not put it down. It is set in Seattle where one of my sons lives and so lots of places named were very familiar to me. Read more
Published 3 days ago by avidreader
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superbly sensitive novel
This is a sensitive story of young love. The underlying issues of colour, race and loyalty to one's country are woven into the story. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Mrs. Daphne Birt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good/ interesting
Lovely story if not predictable ending. Interesting to learn about Japanese internment in WWII, something of which I was ignorant.
Published 23 days ago by Wicked Thumbs
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
would recommend to everybody, great read. If anyone knows of any similar books, I'm up for buying one. Kind regards
Published 27 days ago by Kiernan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another good book
Book came quickly and is an excellent read. Bought it for my wife and she thought is was superb. Will read more by same author
Published 1 month ago by Stuart Turner
4.0 out of 5 stars
Jamie Ford book
Again I have not had time to read this novel, so cannot geive proper feedback. However, as soon as I have read it I shall give feedback.
Published 1 month ago by misswirral
4.0 out of 5 stars
Charming tale
A sad piece of recent history which is often overlooked. A charming story of teenage romance that blossoms in the face of adversity. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Elizabeth Wright
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good book ... not what I expected
Its a nice story and well written. It wasnt really what I expected from the cover and reviews. I thought this would go into greater depth about the Japanese camps in America, but... Read more
Published 2 months ago by F. James
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lovely read
I didn't know anything about the treatment of first, second etc generation Japanese living in the US during the 2WW. Read more
Published 2 months ago by puffpuff
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Difficult Period
A well written story which I found informative but disturbing I'm sorry in a way to
have just given it 3 stars and that is probably unfair. Read more
have just given it 3 stars and that is probably unfair. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sylvia Edwards
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