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Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26A newly discovered, powerful and devastating firsthand account of the Hiroshima bombing and its aftermath, from one of the survivors profiled in John Hersey's landmark 1946 account, Hiroshima.
On the morning of August 6, 1945, Kiyoshi Tanimoto was on the outskirts of Hiroshima, helping a neighbor, when a flash in the sky signaled the birth of a dangerous and horrifying new world. In an instant, tens of thousands of Hiroshima residents had been vaporized or crushed to death. As the 36-year-old Methodist minister raced back to the city center in search of his wife and infant daughter, he encountered scenes of unimaginable structures leveled; fires everywhere; uncountable injured suffering from burns, broken bones, and the effects of radiation. In the days, weeks, and months that followed this unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, Tanimoto invested body and soul in helping his living congregants obtain food, shelter, and medical care, as well as identifying and burying with as much dignity as possible those who had perished. He dedicated himself to rebuilding, at great personal cost, not only his church and congregation, but his city and his nation, and he went on to gain renown as one of the survivors featured in John Hersey's New Yorker piece and book, Hiroshima, which changed the American public's understanding of the event.
But Tanimoto also wrote his own story. What Divides Us is Tanimoto's never-before-published firsthand account of the bombing of Hiroshima, written in the immediate aftermath, in his own words. This singular memoir is both an invaluable addition to the historical record, and an urgent eyewitness testimony of one of the most calamitous events to befall humanity. Tanimoto spent the rest of his life working to ensure that the memories of the hibakusha—the survivors—never be forgotten. At a time when the threat of nuclear war still looms, Tanimoto's message of peace, and his vision of a better path forward for humankind, is of vital importance.
On the morning of August 6, 1945, Kiyoshi Tanimoto was on the outskirts of Hiroshima, helping a neighbor, when a flash in the sky signaled the birth of a dangerous and horrifying new world. In an instant, tens of thousands of Hiroshima residents had been vaporized or crushed to death. As the 36-year-old Methodist minister raced back to the city center in search of his wife and infant daughter, he encountered scenes of unimaginable structures leveled; fires everywhere; uncountable injured suffering from burns, broken bones, and the effects of radiation. In the days, weeks, and months that followed this unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, Tanimoto invested body and soul in helping his living congregants obtain food, shelter, and medical care, as well as identifying and burying with as much dignity as possible those who had perished. He dedicated himself to rebuilding, at great personal cost, not only his church and congregation, but his city and his nation, and he went on to gain renown as one of the survivors featured in John Hersey's New Yorker piece and book, Hiroshima, which changed the American public's understanding of the event.
But Tanimoto also wrote his own story. What Divides Us is Tanimoto's never-before-published firsthand account of the bombing of Hiroshima, written in the immediate aftermath, in his own words. This singular memoir is both an invaluable addition to the historical record, and an urgent eyewitness testimony of one of the most calamitous events to befall humanity. Tanimoto spent the rest of his life working to ensure that the memories of the hibakusha—the survivors—never be forgotten. At a time when the threat of nuclear war still looms, Tanimoto's message of peace, and his vision of a better path forward for humankind, is of vital importance.
224 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 4, 2026
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May 27, 2026I received this book through NetGalley.
Hiroshima 8:15 was a smooth and impactful read, with subject matter that is incredibly heavy. August 6, 1945 is one of the saddest days in world history, and reading a firsthand account makes that feel even heavier.
What stayed with me most was the helplessness. The suffering, the injured people looking for loved ones, and the exhaustion of everyone trying to survive something so devastating was hard to sit with. It is one thing to know the history, but reading the personal details makes the human cost feel impossible to ignore.
I also thought the book did a strong job showing that the impact did not end that day. There was grief, loss, trauma, illness, rebuilding, remembrance, and the complicated way people tried to process what happened. The reflections on war, sacrifice, revenge, cruelty, and guilt were especially memorable.
The parts about how Hiroshima remembered August 6 afterward also stood out. Some wanted it treated as a solemn memorial, while others turned it into a Peace Day event. Reading that alongside the grief of survivors and families makes you understand how complicated the aftermath truly was.
Overall, Hiroshima 8:15 is a powerful and sobering firsthand account. I’d recommend it to readers interested in World War II history, Hiroshima, survivor testimony, historical nonfiction, and books that focus on the human cost of war and the lasting impact it leaves behind.
Hiroshima 8:15 was a smooth and impactful read, with subject matter that is incredibly heavy. August 6, 1945 is one of the saddest days in world history, and reading a firsthand account makes that feel even heavier.
What stayed with me most was the helplessness. The suffering, the injured people looking for loved ones, and the exhaustion of everyone trying to survive something so devastating was hard to sit with. It is one thing to know the history, but reading the personal details makes the human cost feel impossible to ignore.
I also thought the book did a strong job showing that the impact did not end that day. There was grief, loss, trauma, illness, rebuilding, remembrance, and the complicated way people tried to process what happened. The reflections on war, sacrifice, revenge, cruelty, and guilt were especially memorable.
The parts about how Hiroshima remembered August 6 afterward also stood out. Some wanted it treated as a solemn memorial, while others turned it into a Peace Day event. Reading that alongside the grief of survivors and families makes you understand how complicated the aftermath truly was.
Overall, Hiroshima 8:15 is a powerful and sobering firsthand account. I’d recommend it to readers interested in World War II history, Hiroshima, survivor testimony, historical nonfiction, and books that focus on the human cost of war and the lasting impact it leaves behind.
June 6, 2026
Review to follow.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Ebury Press for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
"The future world is a world for everybody".
Unsurprisingly, this is not an easy book to read but it absolutely captivated me.
There is a forward written by his daughter, which I assumed would be a couple of pages but is actually about 15% of the book. It gives us a completely different view of this all too famous tragedy, a child's view, which I found very interesting.
Kiyoshi's way of writing (I think he wrote this originally in English) is...stilted in parts, quite matter of fact, but still with emotion weaved in. And I don't care that it doesn't necessarily read in a perfect flow, because that's not important in this case. It is eye opening to read and shocking. It reads as if written by someone who didn't quite know the effects the disaster would have long-term - which is true. The idea that we have all this history but we still don't seem to have learnt from it would appal him.
This is such an important book. The problem with disasters of this scale is we only see the numbers. But with this book, we are learning about the individuals behind those numbers.
We all know about Hiroshima and what happened there, but this is the first time I've read a survivor's story, from moment to moment. It's so tender but cruel and raw and honest and so sad but strangely uplifting and powerful.
What I did find interesting is that he talks about what happens after. We all know what happened on that day, but we don't think about what happened to the people the day after, the week after, the month after. This wasn't a one-day thing and it had a wide reaching disastrous effect on so many.
For a man for whom English is a second language, he's done a great job of describing the heart and soul and pain of it all.
It is a bit stilted, the flow not perfect, but for a book like this it doesn't matter, and in my heart I know I cannot give this any other star ranking than 5/5.
Whilst I was reading it, I kept googling things he was talking about, which was very grim and I don't advise it, especially when it's your night-time reading.
I know it's not always possible but it would be great to read more of the kind of books, first-hand experience of human or natural disaster. I have found it such a brilliant book that I think it needs to be taught in schools.
"The future world is a world for everybody".
Unsurprisingly, this is not an easy book to read but it absolutely captivated me.
There is a forward written by his daughter, which I assumed would be a couple of pages but is actually about 15% of the book. It gives us a completely different view of this all too famous tragedy, a child's view, which I found very interesting.
Kiyoshi's way of writing (I think he wrote this originally in English) is...stilted in parts, quite matter of fact, but still with emotion weaved in. And I don't care that it doesn't necessarily read in a perfect flow, because that's not important in this case. It is eye opening to read and shocking. It reads as if written by someone who didn't quite know the effects the disaster would have long-term - which is true. The idea that we have all this history but we still don't seem to have learnt from it would appal him.
This is such an important book. The problem with disasters of this scale is we only see the numbers. But with this book, we are learning about the individuals behind those numbers.
We all know about Hiroshima and what happened there, but this is the first time I've read a survivor's story, from moment to moment. It's so tender but cruel and raw and honest and so sad but strangely uplifting and powerful.
What I did find interesting is that he talks about what happens after. We all know what happened on that day, but we don't think about what happened to the people the day after, the week after, the month after. This wasn't a one-day thing and it had a wide reaching disastrous effect on so many.
For a man for whom English is a second language, he's done a great job of describing the heart and soul and pain of it all.
It is a bit stilted, the flow not perfect, but for a book like this it doesn't matter, and in my heart I know I cannot give this any other star ranking than 5/5.
Whilst I was reading it, I kept googling things he was talking about, which was very grim and I don't advise it, especially when it's your night-time reading.
I know it's not always possible but it would be great to read more of the kind of books, first-hand experience of human or natural disaster. I have found it such a brilliant book that I think it needs to be taught in schools.
June 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read Hiroshima, 8:15 as an ARC. All views are my own.
This newly discovered memoir, written by converted Japanese Christian (Methodist) Kiyoshi Tanimoto in the immediate aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, offers an unfiltered, eyewitness account of the devastation that unfolded at 8:15 a.m. on 6 August 1945. Tanimoto records not only the physical destruction but also the suffering, injuries, and confusion experienced by the people of Hiroshima in the hours and days that followed.
The memoir highlights the often heroic efforts undertaken by Tanimoto and members of his church as they worked tirelessly to rescue survivors, treat unimaginable injuries, and provide comfort amid chaos. The descriptions are harrowing—an assault on the senses at times—but never gratuitous. Tanimoto does not glorify the events of that day, nor does he express hatred toward the Americans. Instead, he reflects on the Japanese government’s deception of its own people and acknowledges that, had Japan possessed the bomb, it likely would have used it too.
I found the smaller details particularly fascinating: how Japanese society functioned during the war, the social and financial pressures people lived under, and the profound shifts that occurred after the bomb. The book also touches on the devastating psychological impact on the crew of the Enola Gay—something rarely discussed and, at the time, deliberately hushed up.
My one frustration was the length and content of the foreword. It reveals so much of Tanimoto’s life and the memoir’s key moments that it undermines the emotional impact of discovering those details within the diary itself.
Overall, this is a powerful and important account. I recommend it to anyone interested in everyday life in wartime Japan, the human experience beneath the mushroom cloud, and the extraordinary dedication of those who fought to keep others alive in the aftermath.
This newly discovered memoir, written by converted Japanese Christian (Methodist) Kiyoshi Tanimoto in the immediate aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, offers an unfiltered, eyewitness account of the devastation that unfolded at 8:15 a.m. on 6 August 1945. Tanimoto records not only the physical destruction but also the suffering, injuries, and confusion experienced by the people of Hiroshima in the hours and days that followed.
The memoir highlights the often heroic efforts undertaken by Tanimoto and members of his church as they worked tirelessly to rescue survivors, treat unimaginable injuries, and provide comfort amid chaos. The descriptions are harrowing—an assault on the senses at times—but never gratuitous. Tanimoto does not glorify the events of that day, nor does he express hatred toward the Americans. Instead, he reflects on the Japanese government’s deception of its own people and acknowledges that, had Japan possessed the bomb, it likely would have used it too.
I found the smaller details particularly fascinating: how Japanese society functioned during the war, the social and financial pressures people lived under, and the profound shifts that occurred after the bomb. The book also touches on the devastating psychological impact on the crew of the Enola Gay—something rarely discussed and, at the time, deliberately hushed up.
My one frustration was the length and content of the foreword. It reveals so much of Tanimoto’s life and the memoir’s key moments that it undermines the emotional impact of discovering those details within the diary itself.
Overall, this is a powerful and important account. I recommend it to anyone interested in everyday life in wartime Japan, the human experience beneath the mushroom cloud, and the extraordinary dedication of those who fought to keep others alive in the aftermath.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was interested about this book as this is a lost manuscript and historically so significant and we all know this nuclear bomb ended the war in Japan and ultimately the end of World War 2.
Growing up the feeling from relatives who had lived through the war was this was so necessary but was it ? apart from famous footage I knew very little of the lives of the people of Hiroshima on the 6th August 1945 - 81 years ago. This is not someome who has researched this, this is first hand and does make for uncomfortsble reading but this is their story and it needs to be told.
These were real people who were not part of Japanese cruelty, they did not personslly invade Singapore and Malya they were ordinary people who happened to be a target to end a world war.
There was the sheer helplessness of the people who did not know the long term effects we do now but why would they have known. Written by the author and understandably is his way of writing in english so ignore the reviews about being stilited this is his personal account. I particularly aplaud his daughter for writing the forward and from a childs view as well.
This is such an importsnt historical account not just on the day but for remembrance, rebuilding a city looking beyone to peace and why these events should not happen. The human cost of war in this story is just so unforgivable.
This needs to be on school curiculums for history GCSE and A Level. There is so much to learn here.
A recommended read to understand this time in history where soon there will be no one left to tell this story.
Due for publication August 6th 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Modern Library and the people of Hiroshima for letting me read this significant historical account.
Growing up the feeling from relatives who had lived through the war was this was so necessary but was it ? apart from famous footage I knew very little of the lives of the people of Hiroshima on the 6th August 1945 - 81 years ago. This is not someome who has researched this, this is first hand and does make for uncomfortsble reading but this is their story and it needs to be told.
These were real people who were not part of Japanese cruelty, they did not personslly invade Singapore and Malya they were ordinary people who happened to be a target to end a world war.
There was the sheer helplessness of the people who did not know the long term effects we do now but why would they have known. Written by the author and understandably is his way of writing in english so ignore the reviews about being stilited this is his personal account. I particularly aplaud his daughter for writing the forward and from a childs view as well.
This is such an importsnt historical account not just on the day but for remembrance, rebuilding a city looking beyone to peace and why these events should not happen. The human cost of war in this story is just so unforgivable.
This needs to be on school curiculums for history GCSE and A Level. There is so much to learn here.
A recommended read to understand this time in history where soon there will be no one left to tell this story.
Due for publication August 6th 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Modern Library and the people of Hiroshima for letting me read this significant historical account.
April 30, 2026
Hiroshima, 8:15 The Lost Memoir by Kiyoshi Tanimoto is as gut-wrenching as you would expect it to be.
The heartbreaking and true recounting of events by a Church Minister that experienced firsthand the devastation of his community after the well-known nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.
Driven by faith, Kiyoshi Tanimoto embarks on a perilous journey to rebuild his community with selflessness, tenacity, focus, and gratitude. While searching for those that remain from his community, he soon realizes that the destruction is to a degree never before seen.
It is not long before the protagonist realizes that the amount of souls lost fall in the thousands. Resources like water, food, and clothing become scarce. The devastation of a war is not always so apparent. The remnants of war long outlive those that suffered and came to pass. This book is a must-read! The willingness of a Minister to lead while his own health was failing. The rebuilding of a church. The separation of families. The rebirth of a nation through religion and faith. The bravery of a man that will stop at nothing to help his community without accepting anything in return. A story that had been tucked away for years and was long overdue to come to light. A story of a man that sought peace for all of humanity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
The heartbreaking and true recounting of events by a Church Minister that experienced firsthand the devastation of his community after the well-known nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.
Driven by faith, Kiyoshi Tanimoto embarks on a perilous journey to rebuild his community with selflessness, tenacity, focus, and gratitude. While searching for those that remain from his community, he soon realizes that the destruction is to a degree never before seen.
It is not long before the protagonist realizes that the amount of souls lost fall in the thousands. Resources like water, food, and clothing become scarce. The devastation of a war is not always so apparent. The remnants of war long outlive those that suffered and came to pass. This book is a must-read! The willingness of a Minister to lead while his own health was failing. The rebuilding of a church. The separation of families. The rebirth of a nation through religion and faith. The bravery of a man that will stop at nothing to help his community without accepting anything in return. A story that had been tucked away for years and was long overdue to come to light. A story of a man that sought peace for all of humanity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
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June 5, 2026“Hiroshima, 8:15 is a deeply moving firsthand account of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, offering an intimate and harrowing perspective on one of the most devastating events in human history. Through the experiences of Kiyoshi Tanimoto, the memoir captures both the immediate destruction and the long, painful aftermath faced by survivors.
What stands out most is the clarity and emotional weight of the testimony. The narrative does not rely on dramatization; instead, it draws its power from lived experience moments of shock, loss, and urgent humanitarian response in the face of unimaginable devastation.
The memoir also highlights Tanimoto’s commitment to rebuilding and service in the wake of catastrophe, adding a strong layer of resilience and moral purpose to the account. This balance between trauma and endurance gives the book lasting emotional impact.
Overall, Hiroshima, 8:15 is a significant and sobering work of historical nonfiction that will strongly appeal to readers interested in war history, survivor testimony, and human stories of resilience in the face of tragedy.”
What stands out most is the clarity and emotional weight of the testimony. The narrative does not rely on dramatization; instead, it draws its power from lived experience moments of shock, loss, and urgent humanitarian response in the face of unimaginable devastation.
The memoir also highlights Tanimoto’s commitment to rebuilding and service in the wake of catastrophe, adding a strong layer of resilience and moral purpose to the account. This balance between trauma and endurance gives the book lasting emotional impact.
Overall, Hiroshima, 8:15 is a significant and sobering work of historical nonfiction that will strongly appeal to readers interested in war history, survivor testimony, and human stories of resilience in the face of tragedy.”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC! I was very interested when I saw it advertised and it did not disappoint.
A poignant memoir showing the faith, grace, and grit of Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister in the heart of Hiroshima at the moment the city changed at 8:15 am with the atomic bomb. What lay before him was city full of utter destruction and grievously wounded citizens.
Wounded himself he sets out to caring for the injured, ministering last rights, and rebuilding his parsonage. His first-hand encounter as a survivor showcases the destruction and lives lost in his neighborhood. The scene of destruction is woven together through his calm and detailed recounting, which makes a tough subject easier to read.
What surprised me the most was that the Japanese were more upset with their leadership and less the Americans. This horrible destruction of life and property was met with grace and grit, working along side the US military to rebuild.
This book had me wanting to know more, wanting to dig deeper, and see pictures of this man and the destruction he experienced.
A poignant memoir showing the faith, grace, and grit of Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister in the heart of Hiroshima at the moment the city changed at 8:15 am with the atomic bomb. What lay before him was city full of utter destruction and grievously wounded citizens.
Wounded himself he sets out to caring for the injured, ministering last rights, and rebuilding his parsonage. His first-hand encounter as a survivor showcases the destruction and lives lost in his neighborhood. The scene of destruction is woven together through his calm and detailed recounting, which makes a tough subject easier to read.
What surprised me the most was that the Japanese were more upset with their leadership and less the Americans. This horrible destruction of life and property was met with grace and grit, working along side the US military to rebuild.
This book had me wanting to know more, wanting to dig deeper, and see pictures of this man and the destruction he experienced.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a very intense read. As a Canadian, my education on WW2 is very Eurocentric, and while I am very aware of the American side of this story, I never realized how much of the Japanese side I was missing. It is absolutely horrifying to read a first hand account, but I think it's so so so important for everyone to know what it could look like, especially with the political climate how it is currently in 2026.
This book is a lot more religious based than I would have expected going in. As much as I don't really delve into that, I appreciated learning about Christianity in Japan at the time, it was interesting. It didn't feel pushy either, this entire account is surprisingly objective, the whole book just stated as fact, which is refreshing.
I definitely would encourage people to read this. Its such an important piece of history, and most of the first hand accounts are already gone. We need to be more aware of where we have been as humans.
This book is a lot more religious based than I would have expected going in. As much as I don't really delve into that, I appreciated learning about Christianity in Japan at the time, it was interesting. It didn't feel pushy either, this entire account is surprisingly objective, the whole book just stated as fact, which is refreshing.
I definitely would encourage people to read this. Its such an important piece of history, and most of the first hand accounts are already gone. We need to be more aware of where we have been as humans.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is an important and harrowing read.
Kiyoshi Tanimoto firstly details the horrific aftermath of the Hiroshima bombings. It’s both a heart-wrenching and informative account about the aftermath, destruction, and horrors that occurred after the bombings. Later in his testimony, Kiyoshi Tanimoto recounts devoting his time to helping his community and nation rebuild. Towards the end, he promotes messages of peace and also expresses optimistic hopes for humankind.
I highly recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC(advanced reader copy) in return for an honest review.
Kiyoshi Tanimoto firstly details the horrific aftermath of the Hiroshima bombings. It’s both a heart-wrenching and informative account about the aftermath, destruction, and horrors that occurred after the bombings. Later in his testimony, Kiyoshi Tanimoto recounts devoting his time to helping his community and nation rebuild. Towards the end, he promotes messages of peace and also expresses optimistic hopes for humankind.
I highly recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC(advanced reader copy) in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed reading this reflection/memoir of the Hiroshima bombing by Rev. Tanimoto. Being an American, my only experience with the bombings of August 1945 are the ways in which they were presented to us in classes or through readings that are from a western perspective. To read a firsthand account was highly illuminating for me as an American and as a history teacher. I enjoyed reading how Rev. Tanimoto processed the bombing both in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks, months, and years following August 6, 1945. This book would make an excellent companion piece to fuller synthesis of the war in the Pacific.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've read several accounts of Hiroshima over the years (and visited both Hiroshima and Nagasaki when I was a student living in Japan). So while I am not an expert in the topic, I've heard plenty of accounts before.
However, most of the accounts I read are cobbled together and rewritten by a proper writer. This is far more matter of fact, and somehow more impactful because of it. It covers not just the bombing but afterwards, the confusion, the sickness. It makes it somehow more mundane and more horrific as it feels so much more "real" (if that makes sense as obviously its a true story).
Definitely worth a read.
However, most of the accounts I read are cobbled together and rewritten by a proper writer. This is far more matter of fact, and somehow more impactful because of it. It covers not just the bombing but afterwards, the confusion, the sickness. It makes it somehow more mundane and more horrific as it feels so much more "real" (if that makes sense as obviously its a true story).
Definitely worth a read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Everyone should read this book!
Tanimoto recounts the experience of traveling throughout the devastated ruins of Hiroshima as he seeks to find the fates and conditions of his church members. He tells of the heart wrenching conditions of the bomb’s aftermath on the city and the civilians. His dedication to the city and the rebuilding of his church is uplifting.
This story also proves the strength of the human spirit.
Thank you to Random House publishing for the eARC via NetGalley.
Tanimoto recounts the experience of traveling throughout the devastated ruins of Hiroshima as he seeks to find the fates and conditions of his church members. He tells of the heart wrenching conditions of the bomb’s aftermath on the city and the civilians. His dedication to the city and the rebuilding of his church is uplifting.
This story also proves the strength of the human spirit.
Thank you to Random House publishing for the eARC via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a truly important firsthand account of the bombing of Hiroshima. The author, Kiyoshi Tanimoto, was a Methodist minister living in Hiroshima with his wife and young daughter at the time of the bombing. He was featured in Hersey's New Yorker piece and book, but this until-now undiscovered firsthand account feels immediate and urgent.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This harrowing story was hard to read but that’s what makes it so powerful. I have not read Hersey’s account but Tanimoto’s unfiltered experience personalizes the story and makes you understand how horrific the bombing was at a deep level. Everyone should fully understand the full consequences of what happened without the story being glazed over or fluffed up to make it palatable.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Such an interesting read. A timely reminder of the effects and aftermath of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The contemporary account is an excellent record of the impact of the bomb on both people and places, not just in the seconds after the bomb was dropped but in the hours, days, weeks, months and years afterwards. Recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A really powerful and emotional read. This book talks about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima through the eyes of a survivor, showing what happened during and after the explosion. It's really powerful and emotional. Not an easy read, but also important to know. Definitely worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am in awe. Yes, the depth, calm, and clear way that Tanimoto details the before, during, and aftermath of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima where he was a pastor for a Christian church.
The memoir was essentially written about then sort of lost only to be published now as an integral part of the narrative of the war and fallout. A journalist named Hersey wrote a piece called Hiroshima based on Tanimoto's firsthand details which took up a week's worth of The New Yorker from cover to cover and as Tanimoto explains in this full-length memoir, Hersey did a comprehensive job of maintaining neutrality in sharing what was shared without opinion and even with the grammatical errors Tanimoto relayed.
So now it's time to publish Tanimoto's story. He uses all of the grace and understanding, especially from his years of faith-based work, to share what happened. There are pages of text that I had to stop and contemplate. His words for their grace and candor and straightforwardness. We were introduced to people who lost more than just loved ones but health and faith in humanity. There were others that thought it was what Japan deserved. What did malnourishment look like? What did suffering? House collapses killed but many were essentially evaporated. Many were never accounted for. How did he move on, how did the Japanese people put one foot in front of the other? I am riveted by this account. It also brought me back to the Hiroshima museum after visiting the UNESCO heritage site and Peace Memorial park. No one left there without crying. We left a crane in the reception bays for such items.
A spectacular piece of firsthand history.
See my saved images of Hiroshima of pages.
"It was the first and last time that rice ball tasted so good."
The memoir was essentially written about then sort of lost only to be published now as an integral part of the narrative of the war and fallout. A journalist named Hersey wrote a piece called Hiroshima based on Tanimoto's firsthand details which took up a week's worth of The New Yorker from cover to cover and as Tanimoto explains in this full-length memoir, Hersey did a comprehensive job of maintaining neutrality in sharing what was shared without opinion and even with the grammatical errors Tanimoto relayed.
So now it's time to publish Tanimoto's story. He uses all of the grace and understanding, especially from his years of faith-based work, to share what happened. There are pages of text that I had to stop and contemplate. His words for their grace and candor and straightforwardness. We were introduced to people who lost more than just loved ones but health and faith in humanity. There were others that thought it was what Japan deserved. What did malnourishment look like? What did suffering? House collapses killed but many were essentially evaporated. Many were never accounted for. How did he move on, how did the Japanese people put one foot in front of the other? I am riveted by this account. It also brought me back to the Hiroshima museum after visiting the UNESCO heritage site and Peace Memorial park. No one left there without crying. We left a crane in the reception bays for such items.
A spectacular piece of firsthand history.
See my saved images of Hiroshima of pages.
"It was the first and last time that rice ball tasted so good."
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews