Overview

An unforgettable memoir of the horrors suffered by a Japanese family trapped in Changchun, China, at the end of WW2. Over 150,000 innocents died of starvation in Changchun, northeastern China, after the end of WW2 when Mao's army laid siege during the Chinese Civil War. Japanese girl Homare Endo, then age seven, was trapped in Changchun with her family. After nomadic flight from city to city, Homare eventually returned to Japan and a professional career. This is her eyewitness, at times haunting account of survival at all costs and of unspeakable scenes of barbarity that the Chinese government today will not acknowledge.

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9781611720389

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<i>Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun</i> is an important work, a reminder of humanity s boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo s memoir is also a call to action. It s part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered. <i><b>The Japan Times</i></b> There are things written in this book that are difficult to repeat aloud haunting moments that stun the reader and stick in his or her mind long after the book is closed... Even today, no Chinese publisher has been willing to publish this book for fear of retribution. That s what makes <i>Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun</i> so important. It reveals a truth hidden for so long and brings to light stories of the people who suffered, the people who were forgotten... It s a reminder of how far human apathy can sink, the destructive power of selfishness and the necessity of empathy. It s a reminder of how far people will go to survive and how much farther they will go with hope of a better life. It s a monument to the truth and a memento to the forgotten dead. <i><b>The Daily Nebraskan</i></b> A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, <i>Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun</i> is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. <b>Midwest Book Review</b>

<i>Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun</i> is an important work, a reminder of humanity s boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo s memoir is also a call to action. It s part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered. <i><b>The Japan Times</i></b> A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, <i>Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun</i> is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. <b>Midwest Book Review</b>

Reveals the power of official history to write its own story and exclude what troubles that narrative. --Cha: An Asian Literary Journal Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is an important work, a reminder of humanity's boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo's memoir is also a call to action. It's part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered. --The Japan Times There are things written in this book that are difficult to repeat aloud - haunting moments that stun the reader and stick in his or her mind long after the book is closed... Even today, no Chinese publisher has been willing to publish this book for fear of retribution. That's what makes Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun so important. It reveals a truth hidden for so long and brings to light stories of the people who suffered, the people who were forgotten... It's a reminder of how far human apathy can sink, the destructive power of selfishness and the necessity of empathy. It's a reminder of how far people will go to survive and how much farther they will go with hope of a better life. It's a monument to the truth and a memento to the forgotten dead. --The Daily Nebraskan [Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun] is a fascinating, harrowing story of resilience and struggle that has been overlooked by most people and historians. It is a story that needs to be told, in order that it will not be repeated. --Lost In Translation blog A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. --Midwest Book Review Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is an important work, a reminder of humanity's boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo's memoir is also a call to action. It's part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered. --The Japan Times There are things written in this book that are difficult to repeat aloud - haunting moments that stun the reader and stick in his or her mind long after the book is closed... Even today, no Chinese publisher has been willing to publish this book for fear of retribution. That's what makes Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun so important. It reveals a truth hidden for so long and brings to light stories of the people who suffered, the people who were forgotten... It's a reminder of how far human apathy can sink, the destructive power of selfishness and the necessity of empathy. It's a reminder of how far people will go to survive and how much farther they will go with hope of a better life. It's a monument to the truth and a memento to the forgotten dead. --The Daily Nebraskan [Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun] is a fascinating, harrowing story of resilience and struggle that has been overlooked by most people and historians. It is a story that needs to be told, in order that it will not be repeated. --Lost In Translation blog A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. --Midwest Book Review Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is an important work, a reminder of humanity's boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo's memoir is also a call to action. It's part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered. --The Japan Times Endo has carefully studied the historical material as well as her own traumas. Consequently, she has elected to place a heavy emphasis on the little things in life and the fleeting moments of another era, shifting her attention away from animosity and antipathy, and preventing us of becoming overwhelmed with enmity. --The Literary Review There are things written in this book that are difficult to repeat aloud - haunting moments that stun the reader and stick in his or her mind long after the book is closed... Even today, no Chinese publisher has been willing to publish this book for fear of retribution. That's what makes Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun so important. It reveals a truth hidden for so long and brings to light stories of the people who suffered, the people who were forgotten... It's a reminder of how far human apathy can sink, the destructive power of selfishness and the necessity of empathy. It's a reminder of how far people will go to survive and how much farther they will go with hope of a better life. It's a monument to the truth and a memento to the forgotten dead. --The Daily Nebraskan [Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun] is a fascinating, harrowing story of resilience and struggle that has been overlooked by most people and historians. It is a story that needs to be told, in order that it will not be repeated. --Lost In Translation blog A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. --Midwest Book Review

Author Information

Homare Endo was born in China in 1941, lived through the Chinese Revolutionary War, and returned to Japan in 1953. She is a Doctor of Science, director of the Center of International Relations at Tokyo University and Graduate School of Social Welfare, and professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba. She was a visiting researcher and professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Michael Brase is a longtime editor at Kodansha International and freelance translator. His translations include The Manga Biography of Kenji Miyazawa, The Culture of Japan as a New Global Value, and The Building of Horyu-ji. His miscellaneous writings and translations can be seen on Facebook at Japan & Stuff Press.

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