Fall '09/Winter '10 Reading Group List
“In 1986, Henry Lee happens upon the Panama Hotel in Seattle, where discoveries in the basement bring back haunting memories of the 1940s. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet tells of family pride, innocence, young love, jazz clubs, and internment. This novel will delight all ages -- it's good for reading aloud and great for discussions.”
— Barbara Theroux, Fact & Fiction, Missoula, MT
February 2009 Indie Next List
“The Japanese internment of WWII comes alive in this timeless story, set in 1940s Seattle, of the power of the human heart to rise above hatred and bigotry. This is a book to share with others.”
— Marilyn Scheer, East West Bookshop, Seattle, WA
Description
Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope.
The opening of a Japanese parasol takes old Henry Lee on a reminiscent journey back to the 1940s at the height of the war when young Henry"s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement and to his father who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American.