Letters from the End of the World: A Firsthand Account of the Bombing of Hiroshima

by Toyofumi Ogura, Kisaburo Murakami (Translator), Shigeru Fujii (Translator)

English (translation)Original Japanese

Genres: Japan, History, World War II, Nonfiction

194 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series of letters written by Toyofumi Ogura to his wife who, by that time, was dead from radiation sickness from the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. This was his way of working through his grief.


This is the type of book that at least some chapters should be used in high school history classes, and in college classes, to show young people some of the actual horrors of the results of an atomic bomb. Toyofumi did a lot of walking around Hiroshima, and the sights that he saw are truly horrible.

Innumerable women and children were killed in the bombing and many of the survivors were in terrible physical shape. His writing brings all this suffering to life and it is truly disturbing, but it is something that cannot be forgotten, ever. People must know what the effects of nuclear war really are and that, if a such a war would happen again, no one would truly be the winner.

A frightening, but still excellent work.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing first hand account of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. This book was originally published in 1948, taken from a series of letters the author wrote to his wife who died 2 weeks after the blast. The author chronicals in detail his own experiences as well as those of all he met in those first crital days and weeks. Heart wrenching. I bought this book in Heroshima when I was there in December of 2008.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my head, I thought you either died instantly or died of radiation poisoning later. I never imagined there was so much terrible in between. It was morbidly fascinating to hear about the different ways the bomb caused such destruction. It is so tragic. I was surprised at how little the author seemed to blame America, especially when compared with the letter from one of his kids who was clearly very angry about it.

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was devastated while reading . Each page taking me back to a time and place where there was so much pain and suffering, though I find it tragically beautiful that the author was compelled to write these events down as a series of letters to his wife.

[Stephanny Machado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very real, raw, and heartbreaking firsthand experience about the horrors of the atomic bomb. I was on my toes throughout the whole book wondering if his wife was still alive or not. It felt like we were the ones looking for her.

[Claudine Suor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very open account of one man's recollection of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He does not hold back on describing what he has seen.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An iteresting take on the bombing of Hiroshima. The reader is told the sotyr through love letters he writes to his dead wife. I alwasy like reading books about history that are from a narrative point of view, (not so "text book-y") and this book does the trick.

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a really touching account of the bombing of Hiroshima. Professor Ogura had written very well about what he saw and feel in Hiroshima which I can almost feel. I was really sad how his wife died. I made us reflect the cruelty of war and how peace is so precious.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian and I read this for summer reading. Very moving.

[Wanda Vallarine · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I was in Hiroshima on vacation I saw firsthand how devastated the Atomic Bomb was. This is a true account of the day of the A-bomb and what happened. Fascinating book.

[Choonyeefan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lugubrious!

It almost moved me to tears. A true personal account of how life was immediately before and after the bombing. You have to read this book.

[Fermentum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for RRC book club. We had a good discussion.