Saddest book you have read?
Discussion
I’ve been teaching myself Japanese for a while. I had already read some manga but was looking to progress to a proper book without pictures. Was in my local library and came across a book that was an eye-witness account of the Hiroshima bombing. Boy of about 11 was 700 m from ground zero (from memory I think it said that only about ten people within a kilometre of ground zero survived).
Obviously I wasn’t expecting it to be a fun but even so it was quite devastating. Even the parts before the bomb were hard as at that point the population were suffering badly because of the war. The writing was very matter of fact but that seemed to make it worse. At one point his grandparents have to stop him from killing himself with a kitchen knife as he couldn’t take the pain anymore. The next chapter was titled, “mother dies”. The following “little sister dies” (poisoned by her mother’s milk).
His survival seems a matter of luck. He was in the middle of a crowded train when the bomb hit and because he was a child and surrounded by adults they think he was shielded somewhat from the radiation. He also had a bad infestation of worms, which he threw up, dead, a few days after the blast. They think that the worms may have absorbed some of radiation (as well as being exposed to the blast they then drank water contaminated with fall out).
What I hadn’t realised is that there were some people who survived both Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
I’m glad I read the book as it gave a fascinating insight into it from a Japanese perspective but it was definitely the hardest book I’ve had to read.
Not sure if it was the most depressing book. 1984 still holds that title. Still a bit traumatised 40 years after first reading it. Read it again recently. Brilliant but bleak.
Obviously I wasn’t expecting it to be a fun but even so it was quite devastating. Even the parts before the bomb were hard as at that point the population were suffering badly because of the war. The writing was very matter of fact but that seemed to make it worse. At one point his grandparents have to stop him from killing himself with a kitchen knife as he couldn’t take the pain anymore. The next chapter was titled, “mother dies”. The following “little sister dies” (poisoned by her mother’s milk).
His survival seems a matter of luck. He was in the middle of a crowded train when the bomb hit and because he was a child and surrounded by adults they think he was shielded somewhat from the radiation. He also had a bad infestation of worms, which he threw up, dead, a few days after the blast. They think that the worms may have absorbed some of radiation (as well as being exposed to the blast they then drank water contaminated with fall out).
What I hadn’t realised is that there were some people who survived both Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
I’m glad I read the book as it gave a fascinating insight into it from a Japanese perspective but it was definitely the hardest book I’ve had to read.
Not sure if it was the most depressing book. 1984 still holds that title. Still a bit traumatised 40 years after first reading it. Read it again recently. Brilliant but bleak.
WolfAir said:
One of the saddest books i read was the story of a boy abused by, basically everyone. Sexually, physically, mentally and emotionally. But he still managed to live some sort of succesful life, had a decent business, family and kids.. i cant remember the name but i find myself thinking about it now and again.
As for your jap book OP, any chance theres an english version?
Not sure. Here is the ISBN for the Japanese version if that helps:As for your jap book OP, any chance theres an english version?
ISBN
9784092271661 (hbk.)
4092271662 (hbk.)
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