You don't have to have a specialist interest in the history of poultry or West Yorkshire in order to derive pleasure and insight from this little gem. An obliquely-angled ray of light on our recent past, it illuminates an unlikely combination of individuals and events which only serves to emphasise the things we all share as human beings in this world. Mr Andoh's diary, punctiliously kept for every day of his journey and his stay, through its very sparseness and repetition builds up a subtle and moving portrait of the human spirit's struggle to endure amidst the unfamiliar, bereft of all the usual props of family and culture. The diary itself is carefully set in the context of its times with helpful notes and plentiful photographs, and there is also the story behind the publication of the diary - a story of late discoveries and intertwining interests which further illustrates the way in which we can support and sustain one another, enhancing our understanding of a world both mundane and tragic, profound and trivial at once.
