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Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet: A Novel |  | Author: Jamie Ford
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy Used: $8.87
as of 3/17/2010 01:01 CDT details
You Save: $15.13 (63%)
New (32) Used (33) Collectible (6) from $8.87
Seller: arrowaybooks
Rating:  223 reviews
Sales Rank: 17106
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 0345505336
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780345505330
ASIN: 0345505336
Publication Date: January 27, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9780345505330 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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Product Description
"Sentimental, heartfelt….the exploration of Henry’s changing relationship with his family and with Keiko will keep most readers turning pages...A timely debut that not only reminds readers of a shameful episode in American history, but cautions us to examine the present and take heed we don’t repeat those injustices."-- Kirkus Reviews
“A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war--not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Especially relevant in today's world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. And, more importantly, it will make you feel."
-- Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain
“Jamie Ford's first novel explores the age-old conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to Japanese Americans in the Seattle area during World War II, and the depths and longing of deep-heart love. An impressive, bitter, and sweet debut.”
-- Lisa See, bestselling author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.
This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry’s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While “scholarshipping” at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship–and innocent love–that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.
Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel’s dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice–words that might explain the actions of his nationalistic father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago.
Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 223
 Awesome book March 11, 2010
D. R. Connolly (Upstate NY)
Jamie Ford's first novel is one of the best I've read in years and I read at least one book a week. You will remember his characters long after you've finished the book.
The aspect of World War II that's often ignored March 9, 2010
S. Vincent (Denver, CO)
I recently read this book for my book club. It was a wonderful read and everyone finished it (which doesn't happen often). This book reveals the often untold story of the prejudice that took place in the United States during World War II. The history is coupled with a lovely story about young love, life, and second chances.
Uplifting March 7, 2010
Healthy Cook (Dickinson, ND United States)
This is one of the best books I have read in a long while. The characters were very true to the personality the author created for them. Of course, I love happy endings. Henry deserved happiness. Life wasn't easy for him, but he was a true person, loyal to those to whom he made promises. I hope Mr. Ford will continue writing other books of this quality.
An Extraordinary Book !!! March 3, 2010
Mary M. Miller (near L.A., CA)
This wonderful book covers many genres. It is a period piece of WWII and the late 80s. It is about teenage angst. It is about parent/child relationships throughout the stages of life. It is about culture clash. Above all, it is about love. I did not want the book to end and consider it a perfect gift now.
more sweet than bitter March 2, 2010
wallysgma (Kansas)
It has been a very long time since a book has made me both laugh and cry. While this book reminds us of a very sad time in the history of the United States, it is filled with hope. The characters are believable - with flaws and moments of perfection. This is a story of enduring love and commitment. Just beautiful.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 223
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