Customer Reviews

Bridge to the Sun

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As literature, this book is not the best. However, as a historical first-hand document that recounts a personal, interesting, and very unique story, this is superb. This book may not read easily for some since the writing style can be a little scattered. This characteristic, though, reveals a rawness in the writing. Terasaki is genuine, and she opens a window to many intriguing subjects. These subjects include: foreign policy between Japan and America surrounding World War II, cultural contrasts between the two countries, perspectives on love, the life of ambassadors in the WWII era, Japanese perspectives on Americans in that era (and vice-versa), the treatment of the different classes of people in Japan, separation of civilians and government, Japanese WWII propaganda strategies, Japanese military actions in China before the US entered the war, Japanese perspectives on the American occupation after the surrender, and so much more. This text contains plenty of substance, even if not in a most polished form. I would recommend borrowing a copy through your local library rather than paying $$ for it.

I attended Mariko Miller's lectures about her family and just had to have the book. For those who want to know major events since, Mr. Terasaki was the liaison after WWII between Emperor Hirohito and MacArthur. He was "writing" a book during this period, but when Mariko got it translated from the court Japanese to the more common dialect, it proved to be much more valuable. Publicly Emperor Hirohito said very little about WWII. He dictated his thoughts on it to Terasaki instead. Terasaki's book proved to be an invaluable historical document. Mariko lives in Wyoming and is writing her own book. She mentioned in her lectures how easy it was to figure out where her parents were on a given day and time in the days leading up to WWII. She just requested their FBI files and it was all there. Keep an eye out for Mariko Miller's book. It should be even better than BRIDGE TO THE SUN.

Having lived in the modern Japan for 10+ years, I was impressed by how beautifully Mrs. Terasaki captured the spirit of Japan, and somewhat jealous that she experienced things (I don't mean the war, mind you) difficult to find today. This is a great book, and my only complaint is that she didn't write more.

Incidentally, I actually found out about this book from a Japanese mini-series that was re-broadcast recently called "Mariko". It had a few more details not found in the book, such as the fact that Mr. Terasaki used phrases regarding Mariko (esp. "Mariko is not well today") as a code with his brother and others in Tokyo to relay how discussions were progressing during the tense time right before the Pearl Harbor attack. Also, I found out that Mariko is alive and well and living in the US.

What a fine book! We know what happened to the Japanese in this country in WWII. What happened to Americans living in Japan? Gwen Teraski married a Japanese diplomat in 1931. After Pearl Harbor she went with her daughter and husband to spend WWII in Japan. Usually women's books bore me, this was alway interesting and sometimes moving. You see the war and the people through her eyes. I recommend "Bridge to the Sun" to everyone.

An older book, but a timeless story. Gwen, a young Tennessee girl working in Washington, D.C. in the late-1930's is swept off of her feet by, Terasaki, a young Japanese diplomat. As if an interracial marriage at this time in US history isn't enough, Japan starts a war with the US. Mr. Terasaki is one of the diplomats who translates the belated declaration of war and delivers it to the US government. Read the inside story of what has always been characterized as a bungling by the dipomats. Gwen chooses to return to Japan with her husband in an exchange of diplomats which occurs on a dock in South Africa. From here, Gwen tells of her life in Japan during the war, Terasaki's estrangement from his superiors in the government due to his opposition to the war, and last grim days of the war. This story has all the makings of a grand Hollywood film, yet is told is a simple, easy fashion.

This is the touching true story of an American woman who gets deported with her Japanese husband and their daughter to Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. I enjoyed this story because it gave a very human account of the tragic time in which the story is set and the very good and kind people on both sides of the Pacific during those terrible years. It is also the story of two people's love and devotion to eachother which overcomes the difference in culture and race. I recommend it. I saw the movie which was loosely based on this story many years ago but have been unable to find a copy.

This book was referred to by Lillias Katesube in her book that I recently read. Both Mrs Katesube and Mrs. Terasaki were contemporaries having both married Japanese diplomats in the 1930's, Mrs. Katesube was Scottish though. Both books give a first hand account of life in Japan pre and post war. What I liked about both books is the love the women had for their husbands.

Michelle Watts

I read this book in order to prepare myself to transcribe for Mrs. Miller's upcoming novel, and I found it to be a lovely true story that encompasses World War II, but more so, the forever changed lives of those who lived it. Easy to read and easier to connect with, this story brings to us not only the war but our vital human connection with those around us and around the world, the importance of peace and understanding, and a lesson on the fallible nature of stereotyping our "enemies". I look forward to Mrs. Marako Miller's coming novel, which I expect to be even better.

I read this book for the first time in the early 1960s after seeing the movie starring Carole Baker and James Shigeta. The story is a powerful one about a woman's love for her husband and her loyalty to him. Gwen Terasaki is a remarkable woman and her story allows us to experience life as she knew it during some of the most tumultuous times in the recent past. Like another reviewer, I wish I knew what happened to Mrs. Terasaki and her daughter, Mariko. According to her mother's book, she married an attorney named Mayne Miller of Tennessee.

I read this book a few years ago for a history class at Ohio State. It is a wonderful book. The story is of an American woman (the author) who marries a Japanese diplomat just before World War Two. She goes with him when he is deported back to Japan for the duration. I liked how the book gave you the war through the eyes of someone on the Japanese homefront. The fact it is a true story really makes you feel for the family as they struggle to stay together and healthy. I got the same feel from this book as I did from "All Quiet On The Western Front" in that it gives the day to day Non-American perspective of a war we grow up learning about.