Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir

by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, David Corn (Introduction)

A 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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Biography Memoir

192 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[Christine Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Matt Galyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Nicole McElwaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[V ᛑᛗᛛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.