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Falling Blossom
The tragic true love story of an English officer, Arthur Hart-Synnot and a Japanese woman, Masa Suzuki, played out against the background of World War One.
This is the beautiful, true story of a tragic love affair. When Arthur Hart-Synnot, a disciplined, conservative British army officer met Masa Suzuki, a bright, beautiful Japanese girl, whilst on a military posting to Japan, the pair fell deeply and hopelessly in love. Masa was more than a ‘temporary wife’ like most of the other officer’s Japanese girlfriends. Arthur described her as ‘the supreme woman in the world.’
When he was recalled to England, then sent to Burma, and then to India, their relationship struggled on, in the face of opposition from her family, from the massive gap between their cultures, from the military and from the huge distances between them. Kept going by the many letters they both dedicated themselves to writing, they remained devoted to each other, despite seeing each other only for a few weeks over more than a decade.
Yet tragedy was to strike and after being horrifically wounded in World War One, Arthur was never able to return to his love. This is a unique picture of the world seen from two very different perspectives. Peter Pagnamenta tells this extraordinary tale in heart-rending detail, using Arthur’s many letters to Masa, translated from Japanese by his co-author Momoko Williams and it is illustrated with photographs of the families.
From the Hardcover edition.
This is the beautiful, true story of a tragic love affair. When Arthur Hart-Synnot, a disciplined, conservative British army officer met Masa Suzuki, a bright, beautiful Japanese girl, whilst on a military posting to Japan, the pair fell deeply and hopelessly in love. Masa was more than a ‘temporary wife’ like most of the other officer’s Japanese girlfriends. Arthur described her as ‘the supreme woman in the world.’
When he was recalled to England, then sent to Burma, and then to India, their relationship struggled on, in the face of opposition from her family, from the massive gap between their cultures, from the military and from the huge distances between them. Kept going by the many letters they both dedicated themselves to writing, they remained devoted to each other, despite seeing each other only for a few weeks over more than a decade.
Yet tragedy was to strike and after being horrifically wounded in World War One, Arthur was never able to return to his love. This is a unique picture of the world seen from two very different perspectives. Peter Pagnamenta tells this extraordinary tale in heart-rending detail, using Arthur’s many letters to Masa, translated from Japanese by his co-author Momoko Williams and it is illustrated with photographs of the families.
From the Hardcover edition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
7 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
About the author
Peter Pagnamenta
6 booksPeter Pagnamenta is a writer and social historian who lives in London. He is the author of Sword and Blossom: A British Officer's Enduring Love for a Japanese Woman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 24, 2014
Love, devotion and war have always made for strong ingredients in the sort of humanistic story that is a pleasure to read, and that holds true for this tale of heartbreak about a man and a woman from two separate nations during wartime.
The fact that this is a love story involving two of the most reserved nations of people in recent history - a British man and a Japanese woman - is amazing in that the story is even in the least bit intriguing. This trial of unrequited love wouldn't even have come down to us from the private past if the principles were not devoted letter writers. Pagamenta has done a superb job of recreating the past and piloting us through a little-known story that has at its core the very essence of life beyond simply breathing...not such an easy thing to do with such an immense weight pressing down on one's heart.
So do take into consideration, before passing on this book due to my bland 3-star rating, that Sword and Blossom is a very good read for fans of Memoirs of a Geisha or anyone who wants a non-fiction love story and don't mind it not being overly dramatic. Essentially, as long as you don't read this expecting mad passion and fireworks, you should find it quite enjoyable.
The fact that this is a love story involving two of the most reserved nations of people in recent history - a British man and a Japanese woman - is amazing in that the story is even in the least bit intriguing. This trial of unrequited love wouldn't even have come down to us from the private past if the principles were not devoted letter writers. Pagamenta has done a superb job of recreating the past and piloting us through a little-known story that has at its core the very essence of life beyond simply breathing...not such an easy thing to do with such an immense weight pressing down on one's heart.
So do take into consideration, before passing on this book due to my bland 3-star rating, that Sword and Blossom is a very good read for fans of Memoirs of a Geisha or anyone who wants a non-fiction love story and don't mind it not being overly dramatic. Essentially, as long as you don't read this expecting mad passion and fireworks, you should find it quite enjoyable.
October 3, 2017
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. It is well researched and well written book. However, my opinion of Arthur and Masa oscillated continuously. Their love story fascinated me but her reluctance to leave Japan confused me. Of course, I am forming conclusions based on the ethics & morals of modern times and my own life experiences. And then when Arthur married Violet and more or less abandons Masa via letter - oh -was I irate. And let's not even discuss his ambivalence towards his son ... I know the times and expectations of Arthur's culture influenced his actions but really?
This would be a great book for a book club. There is plenty of material to really get going.
This would be a great book for a book club. There is plenty of material to really get going.
September 29, 2012
This one was a real heartbreaker of a story, and even more, it is a true one. Arthur Hart-Synnot arrives in Tokyo in 1904 to learn the Japanese language and seek advancement in his career as a military officer. One of the people that he meets is Masa Suzuki, a young woman who is forced to work in a bar after a divorce. Both he and Masa form a deep friendship that becomes more, and when Arthur is sent to Manchuria as an observer, he asks Masa to write to him. Soon they are exchanging letters, full of longings for each other, moving across cultural and racial boundaries. I found this to be a very moving story, and far beyond what many would think of an affair between an Asian woman and Western man. Overall, this one gets four stars and a recommend.
For a longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_39980...
For a longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_39980...
October 10, 2010
It starts out good as a budding/forbidden romance, but the cowardly and spoiled aptitude of the British officer ended up pissing me off.
December 10, 2018
Meh I found that it dragged
October 7, 2014
I picked up this book on my way to Singapore and although it’s been some time since it was published (2006), I thought some of the themes would really resonate with my readers.
In 1904, British army officer and Boer war veteran Arthur Hart-Synnot was sent to Tokyo to learn the language and observe the Japanese military. Masa Suzuki worked at the Kaikosha Officers’ Club and his initial attempt to try speaking with her would lead to an extraordinary cross-cultural romance.
The first few chapters revisit Arthur’s own background as heir to Ballymoyer House and his long family military history. This helps the reader understand his occasional naivety with women and desire to distinguish himself through the military. He was frequently away from Masa and their home on the Sumida river, first due to his obligation to study the Japanese army methods used in the 1905 Battle of Mukden and throughout the Manchurian winter. British perceptions of Japan are explored after Admiral Togo’s victory over the Russian navy and this section would be of interest to anyone studying colonialism or race issues.
Meanwhile, Masa gave birth to Kiyoshi, the eldest of two sons she would have with Arthur . Arthur moved to Hong Kong and even went to the trouble of building a Japanese style home looking across to Kowloon. This is when the slow tension starts to build. Although it is clear that Arthur is infatuated with Masa and the idea of living in Japan, he formed little attachment to his sons and often spoke as if Masa should leave their children behind to start a new life at his various military postings. The authors sensitively handle this by describing how Arthur’s superiors may have hindered his career due to his relationship with a ‘local’ woman and addressed how mixed couples and their children faced discrimination from both the British and Japanese.
In 1911, Masa visited Arthur and his Japanese style home in Hong Kong. What would follow would be a series of beautifully written letters as they attempted to maintain a long distance relationship in the lead up to World War I. In 1918, Arthur tragically lost his legs after the couple had endured years of separation. The physical and emotional hardships would have disastrous consequences for his relationship with Masa and his hope of returning to Japan. To add insult to injury, his family estate was on contested land between the Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists and in the end, the contents were stolen and the home abandoned. How things had changed since Arthur had dreamed of bringing Masa to Ireland as his wife, or failing that, returning to Japan to enjoy beekeeping and gardening.
It is here I will move on to the story of their eldest son, as I don’t want to spoil the book for the reader. The book expertly shares some of the challenges he faced as a student of mixed heritage. Some issues I had never even considered, such as his height making it nearly impossible for his mother to find him appropriate clothing and shoes in Japan. Kiyoshi became a sensitive young academic, a student of philosophy and proficient in French and Russian. Despite being separated from his father for most of his life, he followed in his footsteps by setting records in running and taking an interest in foreign languages. As his academic environment became increasingly militarized and politicized, Kiyoshi's life captures the feeling of Japan as it headed towards World War II.
The story of these entwined families, which spanned from 1904 to Masa’s death in the 1960s, reflects key historical moments with a deeply personal touch. One line in the book truly captured the madness and division of the era. While the British and Empire prisoners in Singapore included a family member "...Arthur knew he was the only British general with a son in the Japanese army, though from now on there was no way he could get news of either Kiyoshi or Masa.”
I'm afraid the description on the paperback version of this book may do it a bit of disservice. The reference to ‘Madame Butterfly’ gives the impression that the story is only about tragic romance, when actually it covers a fair bit of politics and military history. I see online that the hardcover version offers a far more detailed description than my copy. Of course, it has a love story at its heart, but through Arthur and Masa’s eyes we are able to examine the challenges that came with the modernization of Japan and two World Wars. The book repeatedly addresses the issue of what life was like for an unmarried Japanese woman with a foreign lover and her sons. I would recommend this book if you have an interest in Japanese nationalism, military history and perceptions of cross-cultural relationships at the time. There is much despair in this love story, but there is also a beautiful story of how this couple – who saw the world “from two very different perspectives” – managed to pick up the pieces for the sake of their son. Overall, I found this book to be so moving that sometimes I had to set it down to absorb what I had just read. Not only because of the love story, but because their story so perfectly encapsulated the beauty and terror of the times.
Cross posted at eastwestnotes.com
In 1904, British army officer and Boer war veteran Arthur Hart-Synnot was sent to Tokyo to learn the language and observe the Japanese military. Masa Suzuki worked at the Kaikosha Officers’ Club and his initial attempt to try speaking with her would lead to an extraordinary cross-cultural romance.
The first few chapters revisit Arthur’s own background as heir to Ballymoyer House and his long family military history. This helps the reader understand his occasional naivety with women and desire to distinguish himself through the military. He was frequently away from Masa and their home on the Sumida river, first due to his obligation to study the Japanese army methods used in the 1905 Battle of Mukden and throughout the Manchurian winter. British perceptions of Japan are explored after Admiral Togo’s victory over the Russian navy and this section would be of interest to anyone studying colonialism or race issues.
Meanwhile, Masa gave birth to Kiyoshi, the eldest of two sons she would have with Arthur . Arthur moved to Hong Kong and even went to the trouble of building a Japanese style home looking across to Kowloon. This is when the slow tension starts to build. Although it is clear that Arthur is infatuated with Masa and the idea of living in Japan, he formed little attachment to his sons and often spoke as if Masa should leave their children behind to start a new life at his various military postings. The authors sensitively handle this by describing how Arthur’s superiors may have hindered his career due to his relationship with a ‘local’ woman and addressed how mixed couples and their children faced discrimination from both the British and Japanese.
In 1911, Masa visited Arthur and his Japanese style home in Hong Kong. What would follow would be a series of beautifully written letters as they attempted to maintain a long distance relationship in the lead up to World War I. In 1918, Arthur tragically lost his legs after the couple had endured years of separation. The physical and emotional hardships would have disastrous consequences for his relationship with Masa and his hope of returning to Japan. To add insult to injury, his family estate was on contested land between the Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists and in the end, the contents were stolen and the home abandoned. How things had changed since Arthur had dreamed of bringing Masa to Ireland as his wife, or failing that, returning to Japan to enjoy beekeeping and gardening.
It is here I will move on to the story of their eldest son, as I don’t want to spoil the book for the reader. The book expertly shares some of the challenges he faced as a student of mixed heritage. Some issues I had never even considered, such as his height making it nearly impossible for his mother to find him appropriate clothing and shoes in Japan. Kiyoshi became a sensitive young academic, a student of philosophy and proficient in French and Russian. Despite being separated from his father for most of his life, he followed in his footsteps by setting records in running and taking an interest in foreign languages. As his academic environment became increasingly militarized and politicized, Kiyoshi's life captures the feeling of Japan as it headed towards World War II.
The story of these entwined families, which spanned from 1904 to Masa’s death in the 1960s, reflects key historical moments with a deeply personal touch. One line in the book truly captured the madness and division of the era. While the British and Empire prisoners in Singapore included a family member "...Arthur knew he was the only British general with a son in the Japanese army, though from now on there was no way he could get news of either Kiyoshi or Masa.”
I'm afraid the description on the paperback version of this book may do it a bit of disservice. The reference to ‘Madame Butterfly’ gives the impression that the story is only about tragic romance, when actually it covers a fair bit of politics and military history. I see online that the hardcover version offers a far more detailed description than my copy. Of course, it has a love story at its heart, but through Arthur and Masa’s eyes we are able to examine the challenges that came with the modernization of Japan and two World Wars. The book repeatedly addresses the issue of what life was like for an unmarried Japanese woman with a foreign lover and her sons. I would recommend this book if you have an interest in Japanese nationalism, military history and perceptions of cross-cultural relationships at the time. There is much despair in this love story, but there is also a beautiful story of how this couple – who saw the world “from two very different perspectives” – managed to pick up the pieces for the sake of their son. Overall, I found this book to be so moving that sometimes I had to set it down to absorb what I had just read. Not only because of the love story, but because their story so perfectly encapsulated the beauty and terror of the times.
Cross posted at eastwestnotes.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2012
Based on the hundreds of letters a British officer writes to his Japanese love, this book provides insight into the ill-fated love between classes and races in the early 20th century, as well as a front row seat for the history of the period. At times the book seems to drag interminably as the officer, Arthur Hart-Synot, repeats his love for his darling. There was a book based on Masa's letters as well, and it would have been interesting to include her point of view, which we see only from his replies to her letters. There is great human suffering in these pages. I recommend it because it provides such a unique perspective on a period of history and a forbidden love. Was Arthur a great narcissist or a great lover?
decided-not-to-read
October 12, 2008I decided I just didn't have it in me to read a book based on the premise of "Western boy meets East Asian girl, Western boy deserts girl after promising not to." Admittedly, I haven't encountered very many of these in the flesh (ink?), but after reading John Whittier Treat's memoir, it feels like I have. It's sort of interesting to think of Miss Saigon as part of this lineage, though - I never made that connection before.
This book does have a possibly useful list of works cited, if I ever feel like reading up on Japan in the early 20th century.
This book does have a possibly useful list of works cited, if I ever feel like reading up on Japan in the early 20th century.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2018
To describe this book in one word I would call it sad. No happy endings here. I found the greater overall descriptions of Japan, and the lead up to it’s involvement in WWII to be interesting and instructive. As to “lonely Arthur” and Masa’s story, it seemed that nothing went right for them, or their sons.
December 28, 2009
another book recommended by my bookstore owner...didn't like it as much as i thought i wud...the matter-of-fact style of narration was annoying...i wanted to read more about masa's thoughts and her perception. her letters were mostly reflected through Author's
April 22, 2011
This is a moving story of a love affair doomed to fail because of distance, culture and war.
September 18, 2024
What a story ! And it s true. I have never read such a captivating tale of two star crossed lovers. It reads like a novel with so many twists and surprises. Also the time in history is so interesting and I had just returned from Japan so appreciated the geography. Best book ever. Could not put it down.
January 10, 2020
Beautiful!
September 4, 2021
What a beautiful but tragic love story between a Japanese movie and a British man. The only love story that I enjoy during my teenage years.
August 31, 2012
More people are going to read my review of Sword and Blossom, than will actually read Sword and Blossom. So I'll attempt to rise to the occasion.
I really like stories of the 19th century British empire, like Orwell's Burmese Days. I'm sure that's how "Sword and Blossom" ended up on my bookshelf. "Amazon recommends Sword and Blossom"...
I started this book a couple of years ago, and took a break to read something more interesting. That was then, this is now: 2012, the year of clearing out the backlog of fine literature. And clearing out fine literature is what this is all about.
Sword and Blossom isn't a bad book. (That this story is true and these people existed is remarkable). It just suffers from a common failing of true literature concerning relationships: it includes copious amounts of poetry and correspondence between lovers. And as my father was wont to say: good poetry requires a cat in a hat, green eggs and ham, or something hearing a who.
Sword and Blossom is the true story of a British soldier, born into a wealthy British family of famous and decorated soldiers, who, in the fine tradition of the 18th and 19th century, manned the frontiers of the British empire all over the world.
Our protagonist (Arthur) returns from his first military adventure in the Boer War and gets a rare posting to Japan to study the language and culture as a military liaison. He falls in love with a local Japanese women and fathers a child. Since this is officially frowned upon by British society, they can't openly be together. So, they embark upon a sort of discrete "don't ask don't tell" kind of thing for years.
Being in the military, Arthur is posted all over the globe and their relationship is conducted through letters...with Arthur always struggling to get a posting back in Japan, but never quite succeeding.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I originally thought Arthur was a Forrest Gump type character, being wherever history was happening. But he actually turns out to be Lieutenant Dan...going to WWI and getting blown to pieces and surviving (barely).
He marries the British nurse who painstakingly cares for him during his convalescence and never ultimately sees his Japanese love again (really ticking her off!). But as the years go by he eventually rekindles his correspondence, affording us more opportunities for bad poetry, until WWII puts an end to it. Forever.
The pros:
Arthur is first hand witness to many of the major social, historical, political, and military themes of the late 19th and early 20th century and serves as a vehicle for us to experience a bit of them. The relationship dilemma he faces and the choices he makes are also quite interesting.
The cons:
The relationship angle never develops any real depth. The near daily letters between them take weeks or months to be delivered, and mostly just wax on about the day when they can be together again. While Arthur goes all around the world, his Japanese love interest spends the years simply waiting, mostly worried and poor.
The last word:
It's not at all a bad story, just not likely one you're going to want to read.
I really like stories of the 19th century British empire, like Orwell's Burmese Days. I'm sure that's how "Sword and Blossom" ended up on my bookshelf. "Amazon recommends Sword and Blossom"...
I started this book a couple of years ago, and took a break to read something more interesting. That was then, this is now: 2012, the year of clearing out the backlog of fine literature. And clearing out fine literature is what this is all about.
Sword and Blossom isn't a bad book. (That this story is true and these people existed is remarkable). It just suffers from a common failing of true literature concerning relationships: it includes copious amounts of poetry and correspondence between lovers. And as my father was wont to say: good poetry requires a cat in a hat, green eggs and ham, or something hearing a who.
Sword and Blossom is the true story of a British soldier, born into a wealthy British family of famous and decorated soldiers, who, in the fine tradition of the 18th and 19th century, manned the frontiers of the British empire all over the world.
Our protagonist (Arthur) returns from his first military adventure in the Boer War and gets a rare posting to Japan to study the language and culture as a military liaison. He falls in love with a local Japanese women and fathers a child. Since this is officially frowned upon by British society, they can't openly be together. So, they embark upon a sort of discrete "don't ask don't tell" kind of thing for years.
Being in the military, Arthur is posted all over the globe and their relationship is conducted through letters...with Arthur always struggling to get a posting back in Japan, but never quite succeeding.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I originally thought Arthur was a Forrest Gump type character, being wherever history was happening. But he actually turns out to be Lieutenant Dan...going to WWI and getting blown to pieces and surviving (barely).
He marries the British nurse who painstakingly cares for him during his convalescence and never ultimately sees his Japanese love again (really ticking her off!). But as the years go by he eventually rekindles his correspondence, affording us more opportunities for bad poetry, until WWII puts an end to it. Forever.
The pros:
Arthur is first hand witness to many of the major social, historical, political, and military themes of the late 19th and early 20th century and serves as a vehicle for us to experience a bit of them. The relationship dilemma he faces and the choices he makes are also quite interesting.
The cons:
The relationship angle never develops any real depth. The near daily letters between them take weeks or months to be delivered, and mostly just wax on about the day when they can be together again. While Arthur goes all around the world, his Japanese love interest spends the years simply waiting, mostly worried and poor.
The last word:
It's not at all a bad story, just not likely one you're going to want to read.
August 12, 2014
I was desperate to read this book as Arthur Hart-Synnot lived for part of his life about 10 miles from where I live now. The very idea of an English Army officer from before the First World War falling head over heels in love with a Japanese girl was practically unbelievable. I'd heard tales of how he had built her a Japanese garden at his home in the hope that one day they would be together and could live as husband and wife. The tragedy of the love was that they were a century too early. He didn't marry her when he should have, he kept his two sons existence a secret and when he finally got to the front in the First World War he was injured so badly that it seems he gave up. After losing his legs, and being hideously scarred he married an English nurse, in order that he could be looked after. Poor Masa, his japanese lover got discarded. I can't say that I felt much sympathy for Hart-Synnot, he treated his family very poorly, although providing financially for them, he seems to have had little real interest in his sons.However, it has to be said he was a product of his time and fathers didn't have much to do with their children's upbringing. I found the background to the book fascinating,the love story spans the major world conflicts in the first half of the 20th century. Don't expect this book to be a flowery and sentimental romance story, it is matter of fact and only told at all because Arthur Hart-Synnots letters were found buried deep inside a chest in japan. I know there is nothing left of the house and garden in ireland, but one day soon I am going to walk across the paths and through the woodland and imagine how it would have felt to be a man deeply in love and separated from his lover for years on end. I keep hoping there might be some sign left of the japenese garden, but I think sadly that will be in vain.
August 12, 2013
'Sword and Blossom' is subtitled 'A British Officer's Enduring Love for a Japanese Woman' but in light of what Arthur Hart-Synnot actually does to his Japanese love, one can't help wishing the authors had been a little less dispassionate and more carefully non-partisan, and had actually examined that crucial decision in Cannes in 1919. Why did Authur do what he did? The authors skate round the reasons, and their lack of analysis spoils an otherwise excellent book. One is left wondering if Arthur's professed love was not what it seemed, and that the 'enduring love' was in fact not that at all.
The story is based on the 800 letters Arthur sent Masa, his Japanese love, whom he met in Tokyo in 1905. Stationed there to learn Japanese and how the Japanese army worked, now that Japan was Britain's ally, the Captain soon enjoyed a Japanese social life, met Masa and they set up home together.
A great deal more research also went into the book and it is worth reading for the detailed information about Anglo-Japanese history, life in Japan, the life of a British officer in the early 20thC, and the Irish problem as seen from an Anglo-Irish family like the Hart-Synonots.
As for the 'love' story, well you need to make up your own mind after you've read the book. Was it doomed from the start by class, race and prejudice or was it a grand romance that shone like a bright star despite wars and racial prejudice?
The story is based on the 800 letters Arthur sent Masa, his Japanese love, whom he met in Tokyo in 1905. Stationed there to learn Japanese and how the Japanese army worked, now that Japan was Britain's ally, the Captain soon enjoyed a Japanese social life, met Masa and they set up home together.
A great deal more research also went into the book and it is worth reading for the detailed information about Anglo-Japanese history, life in Japan, the life of a British officer in the early 20thC, and the Irish problem as seen from an Anglo-Irish family like the Hart-Synonots.
As for the 'love' story, well you need to make up your own mind after you've read the book. Was it doomed from the start by class, race and prejudice or was it a grand romance that shone like a bright star despite wars and racial prejudice?
March 2, 2016
Sword and Blossom: A British Officer’s Love for a Japanese Woman – Pagnamenta /Williams
3 stars
This is the true story of the unlikely love affair of a British Army officer and a Japanese woman. In 1904 Arthur Hart-Synnot was sent to Japan to learn the language of a new British ally and to observe action in the Russo-Japanese war. It is at this time that he falls in love with Masa Suzuki. The story of this unique relationship has been reconstructed from the more than 800 letters found preserved after Masa’s death in 1965. Arthur Hart-Synnod emerges as flawed human being. His values and emotional deficits are remnants of the 19th century. The authors use excerpts of Arthur’s letters to help Arthur and Masa come alive as sincere people trying, under impossible conditions, to preserve a loving relationship. It is a story of real people, not fiction and not an opera. It deals with both the mundane and the survival needs of two people caught in the catastrophic changes of the 20th century.
For the most part, I found it to be an interesting read. The personal tribulations of Masa, Arthur and their sons were balanced by historical references and the inclusion of photographs.
3 stars
This is the true story of the unlikely love affair of a British Army officer and a Japanese woman. In 1904 Arthur Hart-Synnot was sent to Japan to learn the language of a new British ally and to observe action in the Russo-Japanese war. It is at this time that he falls in love with Masa Suzuki. The story of this unique relationship has been reconstructed from the more than 800 letters found preserved after Masa’s death in 1965. Arthur Hart-Synnod emerges as flawed human being. His values and emotional deficits are remnants of the 19th century. The authors use excerpts of Arthur’s letters to help Arthur and Masa come alive as sincere people trying, under impossible conditions, to preserve a loving relationship. It is a story of real people, not fiction and not an opera. It deals with both the mundane and the survival needs of two people caught in the catastrophic changes of the 20th century.
For the most part, I found it to be an interesting read. The personal tribulations of Masa, Arthur and their sons were balanced by historical references and the inclusion of photographs.
September 30, 2023
With Japan’s success at invading China and Korea, and Britain afraid a rising superpower might take over their jewel, India, the British government makes a pact with Japan. In the early 1900s a group of British soldiers are then sent to Japan to learn Japanese and war tactics. In Tokyo, Arthur meets Masa, a Japanese woman who has been rejected by her husband and sent back to her family. The pair fall in love and even though Arthur is transferred to other Asian destinations, their connection doesn,t end until forty years later with the outbreak of the second world war.
This memoir is based on research and the hundreds of letters from Arthur discovered in Masa’s trunk after her death. These letters revealed an in-depth insight into their lives and the dramatic changes that took place in both countries—a book I couldn’t put down.
See more of my 5 out of 5 reviews on https://readandwrite.blog/malleestanley/
This memoir is based on research and the hundreds of letters from Arthur discovered in Masa’s trunk after her death. These letters revealed an in-depth insight into their lives and the dramatic changes that took place in both countries—a book I couldn’t put down.
See more of my 5 out of 5 reviews on https://readandwrite.blog/malleestanley/
December 14, 2013
as much as this book is advertised as documentation of letters back and forth between two folks, Sword and Blossom seemed more like an indirect history book. there is more commentary and explanation about Arthur and Masa's life than focus on their actual writings to each other. this meat in between the "letters" covers Japan's relationship with Great Britain in the early 1900s. there are many great tidbits of book that show what life was like on a detailed scale during the Meiji rule in Japan. Arthur's assimilation into Japanese life when he lives with Masa are also very helpful in this aspect. I was presently surprised by all the information presented in this book as opposed to a love story.
March 19, 2008
Beautiful book - what a love story. The constraints that they allowed into their relationship were really sad - quite the eye opener for a reader in today's society. Definitely proof against the adage that love conquers all.
What did I learn from this book? Well, I had no idea Japan and England had an alliance or that Japan was involved nominally in WWI. Also had no idea that Germany occupied part of China. A lot of this history was glossed over in school!
What did I learn from this book? Well, I had no idea Japan and England had an alliance or that Japan was involved nominally in WWI. Also had no idea that Germany occupied part of China. A lot of this history was glossed over in school!
October 2, 2009
A wonderful read! I'm a big fan of a book that teaches me some history, geography, etc as I enjoy a vicarious visit with people. This begins in 1904 until both of their deaths in the 1940s. This is a truthful look, I think, at what happens so often between military men and the women who lived in the countries they occupied. The Sword remains a sword, eventually abandoning his wife and children, while the blossom somehow never wilts.
August 14, 2011
Very interesting! The story is entirely based on real letters between a British officer and his Japanese love...reads more like a documentary than a novel. I was sad and mad at the outcome, but that's real life for ya. Learned a lot about England and Japan in the 20th century.
May 19, 2012
25 May 2010 - This was an amazing story about how the events of your life can sometimes be beyond your control. The historical background was very detailed, and the relationship between England and Japan at the beginning of the 20th century was vividly portrayed. I raced through it.
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October 10, 2013 I recommend this to everyone! I am loving the Biography section of my local library right now and this is the latest one I have finished! A very tragic story....so sad at the end but wonderful to read their actual letters and loved the photos!
December 30, 2013
This book was so sad but so profound. I read it about 5yrs ago but it has stayed with me, the idea that this was real it what makes it so profound. To get up each day having lived through so much is true strength. My heart hurts for her but I'm so glad I read it.
February 17, 2016
An excellent well written book but the British officer was all talk and no action. His Japanese lover waited and waited for him to return to her. He never made a strong enough effort and it was clear that he didn't love his son that much. It was an interesting story but very frustrating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2010
Another true memoir that I loved! If you like Memoir of a Geisha read this!!
September 9, 2011
Hard to get into at first, but about 30% in I really got interested in the story.
Very poignant, can't at times work out how this love affair lasted at all, let alone for so many years.
Very poignant, can't at times work out how this love affair lasted at all, let alone for so many years.
September 20, 2011
It's been a while since I read this to be able to review it properly but put simply a beautiful, beautiful book about love.
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