Hiroshima

Highly Recommended

John Hersey, a devoted writer and editor, tells the tales of six survivors who lived through the greatest single manmade disaster in history, in the book Hiroshima. The vivid descriptions of the experiences these people went thorough gave me chills. The scenes sounded too disturbing to even be true. But the entire book was very factual. Roads being so hot they were soft, human flesh slipping off from the lightest touch, and humans vanishing with only ash outlines to prove their existence. These descriptions were told so well they sound unimaginable. Although this book was interesting to read, I found myself getting bored and distracted easily. The lack of dialogue and a main plot made me get lost throughout the story and unexcited to keep reading. Although I was bored when reading most of the novel, I felt very compassionate towards these survivors, for they had risked their lives to help others in need. I was able to connect with this story because I visited the city of Hiroshima a couple years ago. The city is bustling and lively, filled with people. I couldn't imagine the horror these six survivors went through. I got to see the A-bomb dome, the largest building still existing from the time the bomb was dropped. The Sadako statue filled with colorful cases and thousands of cranes makes me happy that our world is striving for peace. But the images I witnessed in the peace memorial looked so similarly to the mental pictures I could visualize while reading. If someone were interested in Japanese history and facts then I would highly recommend this book. But for a person looking for an exciting story and plot I wouldn't. Overall this was a very decent book that informed me but didn't hold my attention through out the whole novel.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

You'll love this book!

Hiroshima, by John Hersey, is a historical book about two women, and four men that survived the atomic bomb on August 6th, 1945. It talks about what the six survivors were doing when the bomb went off, what they had to go through for many months, what sorts of devistation did they see, and their emotions. Their emotions like in mourning, dissapointment, anger, sadness, or relief. This book also shows a lot about the Japanese culture. Its also a good book because it doesnt just give you facts, but stories that will stay in your mind. This book might be a little gruesome since the bomb caused such chaos and killed many.If you're looking for a good historical book that tells both sides of the story : the American side and the Japanese side, this is a good book. However, in the begining, I was confused about the characters. There are six characters making it hard to follow each individual without getting cunfused on who is who. However, later on in the book, some people tie together in each others lives making it easier to remember who is each character.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Classic Work - Poor Copy

Full of mis-scanned words, lacking logical breaks, preceded by a preface in tiny type that cannot be changed - this book was a disappointment. This was a second reading for me - but the nook edition was difficult to navigate. Thanks to John Hersey for recording the story of the 1945 bombing at Hiroshima, but no thanks to the publisher.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Price of the Atomic Bomb

.the change was too sudden, from a busy city of two hundred and forty-five thousand that morning to a mere pattern of residue in the after. (page 40) The atomic bomb signaled the end of World War II, but it came with a terrible price. The excerpt above describes one of the devastating effects of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Because of the bomb, people suffered, many died, families were destroyed, a whole city faced destruction, and the few that survived were scarred for life. John Hersey captures all of these in his novel Hiroshima. John Hersey skillfully captures the stories of six survivors of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Through his writing, he demonstrates his knowledge and thorough research of this tragic event and the stories of the six survivors. It was easy to picture the surroundings and the suffering of the people because he stated it as the survivors saw it. Hersey's writing style was dry because he did not use sensory and concrete detail as much as he could of. Still, the subject and seriousness of his memoir made me think of the bombing of Hiroshima as more that just an event in history, but also as a turning point in thousands of peoples' lives. In my opinion, I believe that Hiroshima was a satisfactory memoir, and I neither liked nor disliked it. Intellectually, this book was excellent. It included accurate facts and stories and was well-researched. It had a strong basis and interesting subject. As a reader, though, I found this memoir a bit boring. I was expecting more dialogue and for the story to be told from the survivors' point of view. Instead, the majority of the book was narration, stating what happened to the characters instead of focusing on their emotional thoughts. Despite of this, Hiroshima is an interesting memoir to read because it focuses on a subject that has not been explored by many authors.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Life Changing Flash

Hiroshima, by John Hersey illustrates the events that took place on August 6, 1945, and its effects on the hibakusha, or A-Bomb victims. The book is very factual, and the narrator tells this in third person perspectives of six everyday people.
Overall, I did not care much for this book. It lacked the ability so maintain my attention, and I often got bored while reading it. One of the main reasons why it didn't grasp my attention was because the whole story is basically told by the narrator, with very little dialogue. If choosing to read this book to learn about the events that occurred, and the hardships that the hibakusha faced,then I would recommend this book. If choosing to read this book for pleasure, then I wound not suggest it because of its inability to engage the reader for a large amount of time.
As a person of Japanese descent, this book was able to connect to me as a reader. The plot is very detailed in events that took place, giving me a good picture illustrating the hardships that took place not only on that day, but throughout the decades that followed. This book displays the pride of the Japanese culture, and the willingness of the hibakusha to do whatever it takes to help the greater cause.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended - one of the best memoirs I have ever read!

Hiroshima, by John Hersey, describes the story of the atomic bombing and its affect on the lives of six Japanese people. On August 6, 1945, the story begins when one of the first atomic bombs ever used on another country devastates Hiroshima, leaving six survivors. These people are Dr. Masakazu Fujii, Reverend Mr. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, Father Wilhelm Kleinsorge, Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura, and Toshiko Sasaki. The author describes the affects of the bombing from all six points of view, and it gives us a clear view of the emotions of each individual and how they cope with the traumatic experience. As the book progresses we see how the characters grow into heroes among each other because of their motivation to attempt to rescue others who have been badly injured by the atomic bomb. I really enjoyed reading this book because I love reading about events that have happened in Japan's history. I also liked this book because of the way the author portrays the emotions of each of the characters. It made me feel the fear, anger, or nervousness that was in the mind of the characters. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about an event in Japanese history and likes to be able to connect emotions with the characters. This is an excellent book and I'm glad that I took the time to read this amazing story.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Different Point of View

This story was told simply. It felt as though you were reading a reporter's story notes. You get a true sense of the horror and confusion of the day and those that followed.
It is interesting to follow each person from where they were at the momoment of impact. As they move through that day and the next days, weeks and months (then years), it is interesting to see how various people react to the same event and how little decisions make a difference in the outcome.
It is good to know the impact of war. No matter how much you believe in the cause and support the actions taken, there is a cost. If we lose sight of the ramifications of waging war - that it does take lives of real people- then war will become too easy.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One War, Six Survivors Hiroshima, a classic novel written by Jo

One War, Six Survivors
Hiroshima, a classic novel written by John Hersey in 1946, is a truly inspirational book. It traces the lives and dangerous experiences of six individuals (two doctors, two women, and two religious men).  Dr. Masakazu Fujii, Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura, Mrs. Toshiko Sasaki, Father Wilhelm Kleinsorge, and Reverend Mr. Kiyoshi Tanimoto all go through daring and perilous journeys through the war just to survive in the end, even if it results in radiation sickness or severe injuries. After reading Hiroshima, the true meaning revealed itself. I believe that the theme or true meaning to Hiroshima is not about the reasons why the bombing of Hiroshima happened or to inform, but how something so devastating can bring together people as a community and work together. In chapter 4, John Hersey explains, “One feeling they did seem to share, however, was a curious kind of elated community spirit . . . a pride in the way they and their fellow-survivors had stood up to a dreadful ordeal.” I think the key words that should be recognized in this quote are “community spirit”. These two words are what fully support the major theme of this book. Reflecting on all the gruesome horror stories of the sicknesses and injures people experienced; it really makes the reader empathize what happened. What I really liked about this novel is that it strikes the readers emotions and explains the six survivors experiences, however, It annoyed me sometimes because the point of view kept changing throughout the entire book. It was hard to follow occasionally and it felt very disorganized even though the content was incredible. These flaws shouldn’t be a deal-breaker when deciding whether or not to read Hiroshima because it can be overlooked for the content. As much as I would love to reccommend other works by John Hersey, I cannot because I have not yet read any other novels written by him. However, Overall, i give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

This book is about a famous person that takes place in the count

This book is about a famous person that takes place in the country of Hiroshima, Japan. The main character in this book is Dr. Sasaki. Dr. Sasaki is a famous person that protects, and defends himself and his wonderful wife named Mrs. Sasaki. The big two themes in this book is all about survival and defending. During the bombing in Hiroshima, and Nagasaki Japan the couple need to figure out a plan to get out of the country of Japan. I really like this book because it takes you back in time during the world war 2. I would recommed this book to the whole United States of America because it is very interesting to read about Hirosjima, Japan. I'm giving this book three out of 5 stars.

genius at work

genius at work

The crew of the ENOLA GAY did not like this book.

I'd known Paul Tibbets (pilot of the "Silverplate" B-29 ENOLA GAY and commander of the 509th CBG) for years while he was alive. I've also known Dutch Van Kirk, navigator of the "Silverplate" B-29 ENOLA GAY. This was one of the first WW2 military history (and aviation history) books I'd ever read, which happened to have been back in 1966, when I was 12. I'd never thought of it this way, but the men I knew in the 509th CBG always told me that they felt Hersey had portrayed them as militarists, rather than who they really were. Who they really were, were normal, patriotic Americans, doing whatever they could to help bring an end to all the pain and suffering of WW2.

Hiroshima is a non-fiction book that tells the stories of 6 surv

Hiroshima is a non-fiction book that tells the stories of 6 survivors of the dropping of the first atomic bomb. The book started minutes before the bomb dropped and heated up quickly. The book is told in a very matter of fact manner, which means that is tells all the details without sugarcoating them. For instance, the author uses a lot of descriptions like this one, "their faces were wholly burned, their eyesockets were hollow, the fluid from their melted eyes had run down their cheeks" (68). Although the book is very graphic, intense, and sad, it is a good story and deserves a rating of 4 stars. It is a good book with great writing, but the way the story is told might not appeal to everyone and the content could be disturbing to a number of people. Overall the book is a good read and I recommend it if you can handle graphic content and immense sadness in a novel that tells the story of one of the greatest man-made tragedies the world has known thus far.

Not the greatest...

An okay book, but I think it needed some background information and context about World War II and WHY the bombs were dropped. This book just focused on the horror, and oh, how terrible we Americans are for dropping the bomb. But it never gives OUR reasons.

The Untold Stories: Hiroshima

I have read the book, Hiroshima by John Hersey, and I thought it was pretty good. Not knowing really what to expect when I first read it, I was surprised by how much detailed description he had. I liked how each character had a totally different story. Some were tragic but others were not so bad. Overall, this book was just sad because to think that some one so sinister would do this to a populated city is so very wrong. I couldn't get over the fact that we Americans would do something so inhumane. I liked how John Hersey wrote the book, in like a sort of journal-like way. I would have enjoyed the book a little more if it were in 1st person narrations then 3rd, but that I just my opinion. I thought most of the characters acted calmly and well for such a big situation. One of them, Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura, had to take care of herself and her children. She is also the one who went through the most, coming down with radiation sickness later in the book and having to go through poverty. This book was a good book for people who don't know what really happened in Hiroshima, and for those who want to know the untold stories of these six survivors. I loved this book, and I hope, for anyone who decides to read it, that they will love it too.

Read this

I found this book to be very interesting, it took a moment to keep the people strate because the story jumps from one to another,

Inspiring

The book is very inspiring and great. it really shows how disasterous the atom bomb was!!

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Real

A real story of real people. Devastatingly harsh in reality. This book was a great read! Makes you feel grateful for the things you have and resentful against the warlike nature of human beings. MUST READ.

Great, classic book,bad scan

The book's a classic, but the scan job is horrible. Half way in, there are paragraphs missing and so much /#@ kind of stuff scattered into the words it's hard to read. Had I know how bad the scan job was, I wouldn't have bought this version.