A Daughter of the Samurai, originally recommended by Lauren,
was reviewed here previously – it’s a fascinating and charming book by Etsu Inagaki
Sugimoto, who describes her upbringing in a strict Samurai family in the late 19th
century and then her experiences in America, after moving here to join her
husband. Two daughters were born here
and attended schools in Cincinnati and, later, The Horace Mann school in New
York. The younger daughter, then called
Chiyo, also lived for many years in both America and Japan. She became an English-Japanese translator after
World War II, working for the Occupation Authorities.
But the Ships are
Sailing…Sailing… is Chiyono Sugimoto Kiyooka’s personal account of the devastating
effect of World War II on Japan and also describes many interactions between
Japanese and Americans – it has a quaint feel, but is thoughtful and
interesting in contrasting the two cultures. Especially inspiring is the spirit that motivated
her family, over almost a century, during peacetime and wartime, to promote
understanding between these two very different ways of life.
