The novel follows henry lee, an american citizen of chinese ancestry. The hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Rank hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford on a scale of 1 to 5. Use these book club discussion questions on by jamie ford to lead your book club into fords novel.
In 1986, henry lee joins a crowd outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet audiobook by. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet 700 words bartleby. Set in seattle, the story unfolds in chapters that alternate between the two time periods. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet characters gradesaver. About hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet sentimental, heartfelt. Review of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet chapter 2 summary. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet follows henry lee at two pivotal stages in his life in 1942, when he is a twelveyearold with a crush on a japanese girl, and in 1986, when he is recently widowed. Marty lee 1986 marty, henry and ethels child, is a science major at seattle college.
A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Lisa see in 1986, henry lee joins a crowd outside the panama. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford tells the story of lost love and the power of prejudice. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet beehive library. Read book hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet full pdf in the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. To outsiders, the demarcations between chinatown and japantown might not be readily apparent. In hotel at the corner of bitter and sweet, japanese america keiko okabe and her family are sent to a japanese internment camp during world war ii.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a story about a man named henry lee and his memories of growing up during wwii, which is why the story switches from his current life as an older man to his childhood in the 1940s. This is a beautifully written book that will make you think. That friend is keiko, a japaneseamerican girl who lives in seattles. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet a novel book. Henry lees search into his past is triggered by a discovery, at the.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet story sets during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in american history. It is set against the politically divisive period, world war ii, where we experience the alienation forces between the chinese, japanese and america people. Jamie fords debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, will be published by ballantine in january 2009, its a bittersweet tale about racism, commitment and enduring hopea noble romantic journey set in 1942, and later in 1986 when the belongings of 37 japanese families were discovered in the basement of a condemned hotel. Published in 2009, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a tale of first love and loss hence the sweetness and the bitterness, revolving around a chinese american boy named henry lee who grows up in the midst of world war ii and falls in love with a japanese american girl named keiko okabe. Henrys life investment funds, depleted by ethels hospital expenses, made him take out a second home loan on their home to back martys instruction. They published the book in english on 1st february 2009. So grab your finest time traveling pants and lets get going.
I am predisposed to liking this book since i love historical fiction, but even if you dont, this is a wonderful love story. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery. Fatherson relationships are a crucial theme in the novel. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet paperback october 6, 2009.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet characters. Jamie ford, quote from hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet so henry found himself stepping off the bus three stops early and wandering over to the panama hotel, a place between worlds when he was a child, a place between times now that he was a grown man. Jamie ford writes novels of the chineseamerican experience questions for book club discussion on gone girl by gillian flynn. One of bookbrowses top 3 favorite books of 2009 in the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, is an absorbing story of hope and love. There are many bitter, sweet and poignant memories and scenes in this story. Feb 27, 2012 hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, is an absorbing story of hope and love. It is seattles panama hotel, where an old man named henry lee stands as the book.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet new york public. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet movie on the way. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, paperback. The characters are fully realized, the title is a real attention grabber, and the story fleshed out with plenty of local and. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford. Through intertwined timelinesone in the 1940s and one in the 1980s hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet tells the love story of a chinese american boy, henry lee, and a japanese american girl, keiko okabe. The hotel in the title of jamie fords debut novel is not just on the corner of bitter and sweet. Host scott simon talks with first time novelist jamie ford about his book hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet bookit repertory. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, 9780749010720, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Jamie ford writes novels of the chineseamerican experience questions for. Years later in 1986, henry becomes aware of the possessions from some of the japanese families, stored in a nearby old boarded up hotel. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. In the opening pages of jamie ford s stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. The new owner of the longabandoned building has discovered something in the basement. Oct 28, 2012 hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet cityarts online, 101012. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet themes litcharts. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, 9781410414977, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet ford, jamie on. Jamie ford and his other booksincluding the other historical novel he wrote. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet jamie ford writes hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet and the publisher of the book is ballantine books. 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. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford paperback. When a local pastor takes a nefarious interest in cussy, claiming that god has sent him to rid society of her blue demons, efforts to defend.
Lisa see, bestselling author of snow flower and the secret fan in the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet summary litcharts. It looks as if hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, jamie fords popular 2009 debut novel set in world war iiera seattle, will make it to the big screen. To outsiders, the demarcations between chinatown and. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet summary shmoop. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book club questions published in 2009, this historical fiction novel has been a book club favorite since it was released. The hotel represents the bitter and the sweet components of the books title because it is bitter because of the memories it holds with keiko and her belongings that he knows he cannot get back and the sweet because it makes him remember the times we had with keiko, his best friend and childhood sweetheart. Read book hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet full pdf. This opens up the memories from the 1940s and begins a search for the truth of what happened in the 1940s. The hotel represents the bitter and the sweet components of the book s title because it is bitter because of the memories it holds with keiko and her belongings that he knows he cannot get back and the sweet because it makes him remember the times we had with keiko, his best friend and childhood sweetheart.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by ford, jamie ebook. Henry and keiko meet in seattle during world war ii. The one nonfictional character in the book, the father of seattles jazz scene, oscar holden. The story is told in two parallel storylines, one following 12yearold henry lees experiences during the second world war, and the other depicting henry 44 years later as a widower with a collegeaged son. Jamie fords hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet was an easy book to get swept into. New york times bestseller an impressive, bitter, and sweet debut that explores the ageold conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to japanese americans in the seattle era during world war ii, and the depths and longing of deepheart love. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet cityarts online, 101012. Hotel photos hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet images of true events that inspired hotel, courtesy of the national archives. Although after the first few chapters i was instantly hooked. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet summary and study. Published in 2009, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is a tale of first love. Especially relevant in todays world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet free essay example.
From the bestselling author of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at seattles epic 1909 worlds fair. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet on apple books. In the opening scene of jamie fords debut, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, 50something henry lee watches as a crowd gathers around the panama hotel.
The hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an actual place. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book by jamie ford. In the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel, once the gateway to seattles japantown. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet an enticing theatrical accommodation at book it rep talkin broadway. The author manages to tell the story of the japanese evacuation, of the struggles between generations in immigrant families, and of the friendship that later turned into love between. This aside, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an exceptionally wellwritten historical fiction novel with many complex themes intertwined throughout the narrative.
Lisa see, bestselling author of snow flower and the secret fan in the opening pages of jamie fords stunning debut novel, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, henry lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the panama hotel. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford book. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet an enticing theatrical accommodation at bookit rep talkin broadway. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet jamie ford. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet summary gradesaver. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet test flashcards quizlet.
Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet did a good job at alternating between telling the story at adolescent henrys war years with his later life in 1986. Keikos familys imprisonment, along with thousands of other families, in japanese american internment camps serves as the focal point for the novels argument about memory. Jan 30, 2009 the hotel in the title of jamie fords debut novel is not just on the corner of bitter and sweet. The following version of the novel was used to create this study guide. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford goodreads. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet test flashcards. Jodies selection of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford was so wonderful. While growing up in seattle, washington, henry struggles to understand the bad treatment during wwii of american citizens who are japanese. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet audiobook by jamie. Discussion questions book club recommendationsdiscussion. A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Feb 01, 2009 hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford. Henry is a chineseamerican boy who lives in chinatown, seattle and is close friends with the only other nonwhite student at his school.
Cussys patrons refer to her as bluet or book woman, and she delights in bringing them books as well as messages, medicine, and advice. A tender and satisfying novel set in a time and a place lost forever, hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war not the sweeping damage of the battlefield but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an absorbing story of hope and love. Buy a cheap copy of hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet book by jamie ford. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible. Its multifaceted, wellpaced plot is sure to put it at the top of many a book clubs reading list, and it is likely to attract a wide audience. Praise for hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet. The story is told in two parallel storylines, one following 12yearold henry lees. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet introduction shmoop. Feb 27, 2012 hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, 9780749010720, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet is an historical novel by jamie ford.
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