Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

 

         Occasionally I pass up a book a number of times at a bookstore before I finally find it necessary to buy it.  I am not exactly sure what causes this lapse, but it was certainly the case with this novel.  I think I finally bought thinking that since the story was set in Seattle it would make me more excited about my vacation in Seattle. I was right.

         I am now on my first day of vacation in this beautiful Pacific Northwest city and one of the most important things on my to do list is to go to the Panama Hotel in Chinatown (I did...see picture).  This landmark holds an indelible spot in World War II history.  A safekeeping place for many Japanese families’ memories, the hotel was the heart of Japantown in Seattle until WWII.  When the United States displaced Japanese families during the war they moved them to internment camps, including several Americans who happened to be of Japanese decent. 

         Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet tells a both “bitter and sweet” story of a young boy Henry Lee, a Chinese American, and his friend Keiko Okabe a Japanese American.  Both children, having been born in America, struggle with the animosity of older generations in their families—particularly Henry’s.  As outcasts in their school, Henry and Keiko form a tight bond that continues even after his beloved friend is shipped off to Idaho to and internment camp.  Their dedication to each other is inspiring not only to me, but also to a jazz saxophone player in the novel, Sheldon Thomas who forges a life-long friendship with Henry who for a while becomes Henry’s only confidant. 

         With “bitter” in the title, any reader can figure out this is not a Disney story, but the harsh realities of the world make this novel that much more compelling.  This is the first novel in a while that actually made me laugh at times, cry near the end, and be morally saddened throughout.   

         Jamie Ford’s novel is a quick read (I read it on my flight from San Antonio to Seattle) and very poignant.  Though there are a couple anachronisms, for instance the conversion of a vinyl album to digital in 1986, but they are not that distracting. I highly recommend picking this one up!

        

P.S. Border’s books filed bankruptcy and they have started liquidating their stores.  I suggest everyone get to their nearest bookstore and buy that book you thought of buying earlier, but were too cheap to buy until now! : )