Monday, April 30, 2012

Grandfather’s Journey

Written by: Alan Say


First line: My grandfather was a young man when he left his home in Japan and went to see the world.

Why you should read this book: In a bittersweet memoir, the author truncates his grandfather’s biography to a story about wanderlust and love of travel, of seeing new places and, eventually, pining for old ones. As a young man, his grandfather traveled America, eventually bringing his childhood sweetheart from Japan and raising a thoroughly American daughter (whose story is recounted in another Say story, Tea with Milk) before returning to Japan. World War Two made his desired return to America impossible, and Say, also in love with two cultures, finds himself feeling closer to his grandfather as he contemplates his homesickness no matter what country he’s in.

Why you shouldn’t read this book: Total homebody.

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