In the Eye of the Wind: A Travel Memoir of Prewar Japan (Footprints) [Hardcover]

Ron Baenninger (Author), Martin Baenninger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2009 | Series: Footprints (Book 10)

Yokohama, a quiet fishing village when Commodore Matthew Perry arrived with his gunboat diplomacy in the mid-1800s, was quickly transformed into a bustling port for international trade. The change brought affluent foreigners to the city but also mobilized Japanese nationalist hostilities. It was in this setting that Ron and Martin Baenninger's Canadian mother and Swiss father met in 1933. Relying on Ron's early memories, their mother's diary, and the acute memory of their father, who lived to be over one hundred, the Baenningers recount the initial years of their parents' marriage and provide glimpses into relations between Japan and the West from the turn of the century to the onset of the Second World War. In their earliest years together the young couple enjoyed a rich social life, travelling freely between Canada, Switzerland, and Japan, although aware of the political turmoil slowing unfolding around them. The outbreak of the war between Japan and the United States and allied powers brought their privileged lifestyle to an end. In August 1942, they escaped internment with their young son aboard the Kamakura Maru - one of the many exchange ships assigned to bring foreign nationals home and the last evacuation vessel from Japan - and negotiated their way through war-torn areas to reach Canada four months later. "In the Eye of the Wind" - both a deeply personal account of one family and a unique perspective on the politically turbulent atmosphere of pre-war Japan - will interest anyone seeking to learn more about a tumultuous period in an extraordinary place.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The saga of the Baenningers' dramatic departure from Japan and their maritime trek around the world to finally reach Canada in 1942 is completely absorbing." Joseph Kess, Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiative, University of Victoria

"A fascinating story, well-told and engaging, about a world now receding into the distance." Robert Calder, University of Saskatchewan

"With its compelling tales of world travel and its informative account of the internment of foreign nationals in wartime Japan, In the Eye of the Wind will appeal equally to general readers interested in travel memoirs, Japan, treaty ports, and personal experiences of colonialism and war." Tristan R. Grunow, University of Oregon

About the Author

Ron Baenninger is a retired professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. He lives in St Joseph, Minnesota.<br>Martin Baenninger is a retired international business executive. He lives in Montreal.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 201 pages
• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press (April 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0773534970
• ISBN-13: 978-0773534971
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,625,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars looking at another world, February 11, 2010

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old kid - See all my reviews

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This review is from: In the Eye of the Wind: A Travel Memoir of Prewar Japan (Footprints) (Hardcover)

A world in which ships and boats are the means of travel for most people in both peace and wartime. In this memoir from prewar Japan there is little ferocity displayed by the Axis or Allies. The result is oddly reassuring.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Eye of the Wind by Ron and Martin Baenninger, May 12, 2009

By 

Colman OConnell "Colman O'Connell" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In the Eye of the Wind: A Travel Memoir of Prewar Japan (Footprints) (Hardcover)

Brief Review of Baenninger's THE EYE OF THE WIND
Ron and Martin Baenninger's memoir of their parents , Hans from Switzerland and Ethel from Canada, is a love story, an adventure story, and a vivid glimpse into the lives of foreigners living in pre-war Japan. The leisurely life of non-Japanese in that almost forgotten era, centered at the Yokohama Yacht Club. The Club was a memorable spot where Hans and Ethel, two attractive young adults met and where they returned to live after a long honeymoon cruise. Ethel's diary, full of colorful detail (the shrimp, in an exotic sauce, was served by a white gloved waiter), long, hand-written letters from both, plus Han's sharp memory when an elderly gentleman prompted Ron and Martin to put the story together.
The Baenninger's trip home with their young son Roni, on the last ship leaving Tokyo after the attack on Pearl Harbor, is full of excitement and suspense. The final dangerous leg of that journey from London to Halifax, across the North Atlantic, where German U Boats were sinking American ships bringing supplies to England, was a perilous adventure. From the deck of their ship, when Roni is five years old, he sees a city lit up for the first time. As Roni wonders at the sight, readers recall the darkness that the world endured "for the duration" as World War II ran its course. An adventurous love story to unfold in the midst of that dark war is a refreshing read.