A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding: The compelling Richard and Judy Summer Book Club winner Paperback – 5 May 2016

This is a truly astonishing book. From the first to last page I was totally immersed in a story which provided a series of stark emotional contrasts. It centres on loss; physical and emotional, but also at a far more complex level. The story is about an ordinary Japanese family whose life is torn apart following the nuclear bombing of Japan. We see a compact family unit, one filled with a dark complexity and the repercussions dozens of years later.I like the references at the start of each chapter which explain Japanese culture, custom and belief. They give real context to the story, attitudes and actions. I found some parts quite harrowing; the stark horror of the aftermath of nuclear devastation is so understated, it lingers and should never be forgotten. I was drawn to the central characters and the universal themes of parent v child, love v sex, young v old, east v west and much more.The tale weaves back and forth across generations and changing cultural attitudes. The narrative is rich with insight as it moves from 'present' to the reality of the past as presented through the diary of a daughter. This is sometimes a challenging read for a number of reasons. But it's ultimately rewarding and throughout, I found it difficult to put to one side, wanting to know what happens next. But the real mark of a great read is what it leaves; and in a number of ways, it's one that's made me think. I don't think comparison with Memoirs of a Geisha is either relevant or reasonable. This is a very different story and should be judged on its own merits.

Although this is novel, it gives an insight it to the time of the Pikaton. Plus a great story of love, hope and mankind.

When I retired in 2015, my wife and I ticked off one of the destinations that had always been high up on our respective bucket lists when we visited Japan. It was the holiday of a lifetime and was a place that more than lived up to our expectations. We spent two weeks travelling around the island of Honshu and stayed in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Hiroshima. Our abiding memory of Hiroshima was when we visited the Peace Memorial Park and lay origami paper cranes at the entrance - a humbling and emotional experience to say the least.To mention that this story resonated with me would be an understatement. Although this novel deals with the atomic bombing of Nagasaki (on the island of Kyushu), the devastation, suffering and long-term after effects to ordinary men, women and children mirrored what I had learned from the local Japanese lady who acted as our tour guide throughout our stay in Hiroshima.This is a very emotional book to sit down with. There's a deep, romantic story at its core and it is all tied together eloquently with interesting references to Japanese history, culture and traditions. Expertly written by someone who actually lived and worked in Nagasaki and Sapporo for three years, this is a thought-provoking novel that I highly recommend.

Touching and heartwarming tale about love, lust and loss, which centres around the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. You can tell the author spent time in Japan as you get a real sense of the culture and people through her writing. Books are rarely educational and entertaining in equal measure but this one certainly is and the chapter about the damage wrought by the bomb leaves you in no doubt that the atomic attacks on Japan remain one of humanity's greatest crimes. I visited Hiroshima in 2002 and you can't escape the feeling that the town remains haunted by the appalling atrocity that took place there. Yet there was also a sense of peace and calm about the place, as if the people were moving forward with purpose and hope, determined to ensure such darkness would never threaten them again. You get a similar feeling when you finish reading this book and that's a testament to the skills of a wonderful storyteller. Can't recommend this highly enough.Kevin McAllion

A very different kind of story. Beautifully written. Very informative about Japanese ways which is where my curiosity lies. Will read id again definitely.

A good read , you need to concentrate though.

Put simply it is a beautiful story. Some of the criticism levelled at A Dictionary of Mutual Misunderstanding is that it is not historically accurate. Not being a history buff I cannot comment on that, however reviewing the novel on the basis of the story and how the characters within are linked and unfold, it is one of the best I have read in a while.Amaterasu is a Japanese widow who moved to America with her husband following the atomic bombing of Nagasaki during the Second World War. The bomb cost Amaterasu her daughter Yuko and grandson Hideo. Years later and now alone, Amaterasu answers her door to a disfigured man who claims to be Hideo, the grandson who supposedly died years before. Amaterasu's narrates her own back story and Yuko's diary entries are revealed in a book that deals with love, death, grief and guilt in the mother daughter relationship in a compelling and wonderful way. So much so that I sat and read the book in one sitting.If you can overcome the debatable historical accuracy, then this book could be just the one for you if you want to read a novel full of well rounded characters whose corners you'd want to fight for in real life. The introduction and explanation of terms and concepts in Japanese culture and history at the beginning of each chapter that serve as a theme for the ensuing chapter is a nice touch too. An education for someone like me who has never visited Japan before

Once I started reading this book, I could hardly put it down. Each chapter starts with a Japanese word and its meaning and the story unfolds thereafter. The characters are very well developed and the interwoven lives make it a gripping story. It is not 'fast paced' but that is also the beauty of the book as you feel you are part of the story being revealed. It is exceptionally well written and I highly recommend it.

Despite being a difficult subject to read about, the book was so well paced that you did not want to put the book down.Makes you think of the countless such stories of survivors out there!

Thoroughly enjoyable read. The way the story was laid out made it very interesting. Some sad moments but that whole historical event was unimaginable and to live through it and the aftermath horrendous. Some twists and turns I didn't expect which explained quite a lot of the mother's feelings and why she felt so strongly regarding Sato one of the male main characters. What a poor excuse for a man.All the characters were compelling in their way. It is one of those stories that you find yourself thinking about the next day. Definitely would recommend this book. Enjoy.

Read with my book club, and it really is a superb read. An insight into the life of the Japanese during WW2 and the unspeakable horror the parents in this book suffered.

Really well written. I would definitely recommend this book.

"Little Boy" - diese harmlos, fast niedlich klingende Bezeichnung war der Codename für die Atombombe, die 1945 über Nagasaki abgeworfen wurde. Wer auch immer auf diesen Namen gekommen ist, muss ein sehr zynischer Mensch gewesen sein. Im Japanischen wird dafür der Begriff 'Pikadon' verwendet, der gleichzeitig das grelle Licht und den lauten Knall beschreibt, die von der Bombe ausgingen.Amaterasu hat die Bombe überlebt, aber sie hat gleichzeitig alles verloren, was ihr im Leben wichtig war. Zu Beginn der Geschichte liegt Pikadon Jahrzehnte zurück. Amaterasu lebt verwitwet in den USA und vertreibt ihre Einsamkeit mit Alkohol. Eines Tages steht ein junger Mann vor ihrer Tür und behauptet, ihr totgeglaubter Enkelsohn Hideo zu sein. Amaterasu glaubt ihm zunächst nicht, aber sein Besuch bringt sie dazu, lange verdrängte Erinnerungen wieder hervorzuholen - an ihr Leben in Japan, ihre Familie, die kleinen und großen Dramen, die sie gemeinsam erlebt haben. Und an den Tag, an dem die Bombe fiel...Ich mag Romane, die einen historischen Hintergrund haben. Man lernt dadurch teilweise mehr als durch die Lektüre von Geschichtsbüchern, die oft trocken sind und deshalb nicht im Gedächtnis bleiben. Die nüchternen Fakten rund um die beiden Atombomben, die 1945 auf Japan gefallen sind, dürften den meisten bekannt sein. In "A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding" werden diese schrecklichen Ereignisse aus einem sehr persönlichen Blickwickel beschrieben. Die vielen Opfer, die in Geschichtsbüchern meist nur durch nüchterne Zahlen und Daten belegt sind, bekommen mit Amaterasu und ihrer Familie ein Gesicht, eine Stimme. So ist es nicht überraschend, dass der Roman am intensivsten an den Stellen ist, an denen es um die Ereignisse rund um die Bombe geht.Jedes Kapitel beginnt mit einem japanischen Begriff, der die Kultur, Gebräuche und Lebensweise in Japan erklärt. Diese Erläuterungen helfen etwas dabei, Amaterasus Erzählung - ihr Leben, ihre Entscheidungen und Wünsche - etwas besser zu verstehen. Trotzdem konnte ich ihre Denk- und Handlungsweisen nicht immer nachvollziehen, und es gab viele Situationen, in denen sie mir ziemlich unsympathisch war. Dennoch hat mich ihre Geschichte insgesamt sehr berührt. Als Leserin wusste ich schließlich von Anfang an, wie und wann ihr Leben in Nagasaki enden würde, was die Erlebnisse aus den Jahren davor umso tragischer macht. All die Streitigkeiten, die großen und kleinen Dramen, die den Alltag ausmachen - wie sinnlos erscheint all das, wenn man weiß, dass von einem Tag auf den nächsten nichts mehr sein wird, wie es war.Insgesamt ein sehr lesenswertes Buch über ein Thema, das in der (westlichen) Literatur wohl nicht allzu oft behandelt wird. Es ist sehr gut geschrieben und phasenweise sehr intensiv und berührend.