The hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an actual place. Jamie ford, quote from hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet so henry found himself stepping off the bus three stops early and wandering over to the panama hotel, a place between worlds when he was a child, a place between times now that he was a grown man. Especially relevant in todays world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a work of such wisdom and compassion that if enough people read it, it could change the world.
The corner of bitter and sweet is such a frustrating novel. This is a beautifully written book that will make you think. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, 9780749010720, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Host scott simon talks with first time novelist jamie ford about his book hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet. Cussys patrons refer to her as bluet or book woman, and she delights in bringing them books as well as messages, medicine, and advice. Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in american history, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an extraordinary story of. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet a novel book. What had started as a crowd of curious onlookers eyeballing a television news crew had now swollen into a polite mob of shoppers, tourists, and a few punklooking street kids, all. A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war not the sweeping damage of the battlefield but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Their story is about the conflicts between generations and cultures and how, decades later, they can heal the barriers and betrayals that separate them. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book club questions published in 2009, this historical fiction novel has been a book club favorite since it was released. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet themes litcharts. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, is an absorbing story of hope and love. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet at bookit repertory theatre arts stageseattle rage, 92412 bitter and sweet is a tale of longlost love, and a local history lesson the seattle times, 92712.
A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet freebooksummary. The hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet northwest asian weekly, 100512. Its a story about a yuppie girl and her famous mom and their trials and tribulations. Review of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie. In 1986, henry lee joins a crowd outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Jamie fords hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet was an easy book to get swept into. Henry lees search into his past is triggered by a discovery, at the panama hotel, of belongings from japanese families who were sent to internment camps during wwii. But most of the story takes place in the past, when hes a young boy living in seattle during the tumultuous years of world war ii. These book club discussion questions reveal important details about hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford. It is set against the politically divisive period, world war ii, where we experience the alienation forces between the chinese, japanese and america people. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by ford, jamie ebook. When renovations at a seattle hotel uncover artifacts left behind by japanese families rushed off to internment camps during world war ii, a middleaged chinese man decides to search through the objects and memories to clarify his own past. Keikos familys imprisonment, along with thousands of other families, in japanese american internment camps serves as the focal point for the novels argument about memory.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet jamie ford 3. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet 5 stars, by jamie ford. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, paperback. Set during one of the most volatile times in american history, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a love story about two people who come from totally different worlds. At times long and slow but still keeping me interested in the story. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book edmonton. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet paperback october 6, 2009. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet jamie ford writes hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet and the publisher of the book is ballantine books.
The seattle times praised the book as a wartimeera chinese japanese variation on romeo and juliet. Especially relevant in todays world, this is a beautifully written book that will. Lisa see in 1986, henry lee joins a crowd outside the. Use these book club discussion questions on by jamie ford to lead your book club into fords novel. Through the struggles and obstacles being thrown at people who are in love but the others may not be able to see it, they will always find a uuay back to each other. Jamie ford s debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, will be published by ballantine in january 2009, its a bittersweet tale about racism, commitment and enduring hopea noble romantic journey set in 1942, and later in 1986 when the belongings of 37 japanese families were discovered in the basement of a condemned hotel. Most of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet takes place in the 1940s during world war ii, and while the characters are made up, the book accurately describes the heightened tensions of the time and how hard it was to be an asian american kid during a period of great discrimination and fear mongering. Buy a cheap copy of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book by jamie ford. In hotel at the corner of bitter and sweet, japanese america keiko okabe and her family are sent to a japanese internment camp during world war ii. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet 700 words bartleby. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford paperback. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet 2605 words. Its multifaceted, wellpaced plot is sure to put it at the top of many a book clubs reading list, and it is likely to attract a wide audience.
Fatherson relationships are a crucial theme in the novel. Bring on the tough stuff theres not just one right answer. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book by jamie ford. Henry and keiko meet in seattle during world war ii. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet analysis shmoop. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford tells the story of lost. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford 4. Why doesnt henry ever seek out keiko after the japanese american internment is over. For twelveyearold ernest young, a charity student at a.
So grab your finest time traveling pants and lets get going. Set in seattle, the story unfolds in chapters that alternate between the. The book revolves around henrys memories of his childhood best friend and first love, a japanese american girl named keiko okabe. One of bookbrowses top 3 favorite books of 2009 in the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book densho. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet themes shmoop. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford. Lisa see, bestselling author of snow flower and the secret fan in the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
They published the book in english on 1st february 2009. Jamie ford has done his part, and done it brilliantly. New york times bestseller an impressive, bitter, and sweet debut that explores the ageold conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to japanese americans in the seattle era during world war ii, and the depths and longing of deepheart love. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a story about a man named henry lee and his memories of growing up during wwii, which is why the story switches from his current life as an older man to his childhood in the 1940s.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an historical novel by jamie ford. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet audiobook by. At the beginning of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, we meet henry when hes an old man. This aside, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an exceptionally wellwritten historical fiction novel with many complex themes intertwined throughout the narrative. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet jovieebueno one should nor. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet quotes shmoop. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet hardcover book. Henry could see samantha out of the corner of his eye as he tended to the tree.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet utahs online. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry. It is seattles panama hotel, where an old man named henry lee stands as the book. Through intertwined timelinesone in the 1940s and one in the 1980s hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet tells the love story of a chinese american boy, henry lee, and a japanese american girl, keiko okabe. From the bestselling author of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at seattles epic 1909 worlds fair. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet summary and study. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet ford, jamie on. The following version of the novel was used to create this study guide. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet follows henry lee at two pivotal stages in his life in 1942, when he is a twelveyearold with a crush on a japanese girl, and in 1986, when he is recently widowed. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet story sets during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in american history.
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