Historical Fictionistas discussion

Time is flying by. And while we aren't done with 2023 quite yet, it is already time for us to pick what will be our second read of 2024.

February 11th is celebrated in Japan as Founding Day. This is in recognition of the date Emperor Jimmu is said to have ascended to the throne in 660 B.C.

For our Group Read in February, all nominated books must take place in Japan. Nomination posts must include title, author, and the time period the book takes place.

REMINDERS
NO SELF NOMINATOINS- Members may not self nominate books. Any member found to be nominating their own book will have the post deleted and will be removed from the group.
NOMINATION POSTS MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING THREE THINGS - TITLE, AUTHOR, AND TIME PERIOD THE BOOK IS SET DURING
BOOKS IN A SERIES MUST BE READ IN ORDER - If we have not already read the first book in a series, the second one cannot be nominated.
ALL MEMBERS GET ONE NOMINATION AND ONE SECOND-Please make sure you are clearly marking your nominations and seconds. Extra chatter on the thread makes it difficult for moderators to know which books need to be counted on the poll.
The complete breakdown of the nomination process can be found here-
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

We have read nearly 200 books as a group. Please make sure you are double checking our previously read shelf before nominating a book. The shelf can be found here - https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

This thread will remain open until 12/22.

I am nominating Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka which takes place in Japan in 1861.

I second Cloud of Sparrows

I nominate Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn, set in feudal Japan.

The Last Tea Bowl Thief, by Jonelle Patrick. Dual timeline from 1677 to present day.

I nominate Kat the Dog by Alyson Sheldrake.

I'll vote for "Cloud of Sparrows".

https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Scarle...

This one has been in my kindle for ages. Would love a reason to read it

I nominate The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns

Setting is post WWII Japan, 1950ish. Novel is available in e-book and audio book forms.

I nominate Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka.

The actual story takes place in the early 1300s before Edo became Tokyo, as well as in the mid 1800s.

"In the year 1311, in the highest tower of Cloud of Sparrows Castle, a beautiful woman sits by the window, watching as enemies gather below and fires spread through the night. As she calmly awaits her fate, she begins to write, carefully setting down on a scroll the secret history of the Okumichi clan…of the gift of prophecy they share and the extraordinary destiny that awaits them.
For six centuries, these remarkable writings lay hidden—until they are uncovered by an American woman, a missionary named Emily Gibson, who arrived in Edo harbor in 1861, in flight from a tragic past. Soon an extraordinary man would enter her life: Lord Genji of the Okumichi clan, a nobleman with a gift of prophecy who must defend his embattled family—and confront forbidden feelings for an outsider in his midst."

I'd like to nominate Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

My understanding is we begin in the early 1900's and end up in this 1980's

I'll vote for The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns :)

I too vote for The Woman in the White Kimono by Ana Johns

I nominate The Makioka Sisters by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

I second The Last Tea Bowl Thief by Jonelle Patrick

That done the other choices (meeting the criteria) that have been suggested very good.. and hope they all get seconded. =)

Nominating Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland, a historical mystery set in 1600s Japan.

Kathryn wrote: "I nominate Kat the Dog by Alyson Sheldrake."

This book doesn't fit our theme.

Barb wrote: "I nominate Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka.

The actual story takes place in the early 1300s before Edo became Tokyo, as well as in the mid 1800s.

"In the year 1311,..."

This is book two in a series. We have not yet read book one so this nomination will not be counted.

Mo wrote: "I'd like to nominate Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

My understanding is we begin in the early 1900's and end up in this 1980's"

We've already read this book as a group.

Andrea wrote: "https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Scarle......"

Even if properly nominated, this book will not count as it does not fit our theme.

List to Msg 19
Cloud of Sparrows - 2 seconds
The Last Tea Bowl Thief - 1 second
The Woman in the White Kimono - 1 second
Across the Nightingale Floor
The Makioka Sisters
Shinju

Oh interesting, I didn't see a group topic on the bookshelf.

I nominate “Kitchen” by Banana Yoshimoto. It is set in contemporary Japan. It is a novella.

I nominate The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama
Set in Tokyo WWII

I would also like to second The Last Tea Bowl Thief.

I second Across the Nightingale Floor

I second The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama

Siebold's Daughter by Akira Yoshimura is a book with a good reputation and an interesting topic. It's a fictionalized biography of the half-Japanese daughter of Philipp Franz von Siebold. Siebold was an influential German doctor who established a medical school in Japan at a time when the country was sealed off from all foreigners but the Dutch. When he was expelled from the country in 1829, his Japanese mistress and family were left behind. His daughter, Ine Kusumoto, became the first Western-trained female doctor in Japan and became a prominent figure after Japan opened to the outside world. It's a translation of a Japanese novel, so it's authentically Japanese in terms of thought and structure.

I’d like to nominate The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

Period is second world war

Jan wrote: "I nominate “Kitchen” by Banana Yoshimoto. It is set in contemporary Japan. It is a novella."

This does not meet with the group definition of historical fiction so it will not be counted as a nomination.

Margaret wrote: "I’d like to nominate The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende"

This book is not set in Japan so it will not be counted.

I highly recommend The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. If I remember correctly this was set in the 1930's

I vote for The Woman in the White Kimono

My nomination and my favourite HF book of the year is The Trial of Henry the 8th by Andrew Blair. It is set in both the 16th and something like the 21st century.

I nominate The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi set in Japan during the Meiji era. A very revealing portrait of the heart-rending struggles of a sensitive and intelligent woman against the cruel limitations imposed on women. Won the Noma award, a prestigious literary prize in Japan. Translated from the Japanese.

Sophia wrote: "My nomination and my favourite HF book of the year is The Trial of Henry the 8th by Andrew Blair. It is set in both the 16th and something like the 21st century."

This doesn't take place in Japan. It won't be counted.

Poll books up to msg 36

Cloud of Sparrows
Across the Nightingale Floor
The Last Tea Bowl Thief
The Woman in the White Kimono
The Makioka Sisters
Shinju
The Street of a Thousand Blossoms
Siebold's Daughter
The Samurai's Garden
The Waiting Years

I second Cloud of Sparrows

I nominate Pachinko.

Melissa wrote: "I nominate Pachinko."

See Message #18

I second Woman in the White Kimono

The Caretaker by Ron Rash

Melissa wrote: "I nominate Pachinko."

As stated above, we've already read this book as a group read.