Harp of Burma (Tuttle Classics)

Written in 1946 Harp of Burma reflects what many in Japan felt at the time about the evil perpetrated by the Japanese Army and Japan's culture during WWII, especially in Burma. It also, somewhat like All Quiet on the Western Front did for Germany, reflects the contemporary feeling that it was a duty to rebuild the country so such wrongs never happened again while honoring its war dead thru burying them with honor. It deals with desertion for the higher good also the power of binding ties such as music and camaraderie thru songs. This story lacks some of the literary power of books like The Sea and Poison (Endo) or Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids (Oe), Unbroken (Hildebrandt), An Artist of the Floating World (Ishiguro) or Quartered Safe Out Here (Fraser) but it captures many of their themes. I am glad I read it

This translation of Harp of Burma is a passable telling of a good story. At some points, it becomes clear the translator has become a little lost in how to best localize a foreign concept (especially in some descriptions of the main character, Shimamura's, actions), but it's a good effort. The story itself focuses on a company of Japanese soldiers in Japan immediately after World War II, serving their time as prisoners of war and awaiting their trip home. They're separated from one of their men, and the story mostly revolves around the interplay of this lost man and the rest of his company.The story, despite focusing on a group of warriors, has no military action, and in fact, the novel has an overwhelmingly pacifist theme to it, so if war is what you want from the story, you'd be much better off looking elsewhere. Something of interesting note is that this novel was originally produced as a serial in a children's magazine, and the work is largely appropriate for children around 10-12 years of age. It approaches the concept of war with an air of innocence while acknowledging its horrors from a carefully distanced standpoint. It also does a very good job of teaching themes about cultural acceptance and how people of the world have more in common than they might know.Overall, it's a very bright and optimistic pacifist novel, appropriate for children, but still insightful for adults. The translation has only very minor issues, and the novel is short enough to read in a day or two.

Frankly, I ordered "Harp of Burma" by mistake but it looked interesting when I received it so I kept it. In its' brevity, it didn't take me long to find the time to read it. It is a story of the end of war and one man's discovery that his job is just beginning. It is told through the eyes of a company of Japanese soldiers (serving in Burma, of course) who surrender to the British when told the war has ended. There was a need for a volunteer to go an try to convince another company of Japanese to surrender. Corporal Mizushima volunteers and assurances are made that he will be able to catch up with his company. "Harp of Burma" is the story of what happened to Mizushima and how it challenged and then changed him. There's no need to say more; once you start reading this book, you will likely feel compelled to find out the rest for yourself."Harp of Burma" is well written and easy to follow. It is an intentional tale of peace, understanding and perspective. The author's focus on this leaves the brutality of war as something that victimizes the soldiers of both sides. That may be true but the absence of animosity between combatants the moment peace arrives struck me as unnecessarily simplistic. Having said that, I confess that, for the sake of the deserving message presented, I let my reservations take a hike. In "Harp of Burma" everything gets looked at in a different way. This book won't change the world but it may help us appreciate that some individuals just might.

An original idea for a novel. In the closing phase of the Second World War, British forces were pushing Japanese forces back east from Burma, British air power had destroyed the Japanese supply lines. A party of Japanese soldiers were taken into captivity, except one, Mizushima, who could pass as a Burmese and avoided capture by taking on the guise of a wandering Buddhist monk. He also played a harp. The author, who was Professor of German literature at Tokyo university, did not serve in the war, and but must have spoken with many Japanese ex soldiers after the war. Paints a picture of Japanese soldiers which might be better than reality.

I bought this book for my dad and he absolutely loved it. He said it was great reading a book from the perspective of a Japanese soldier. He said he would highly recommend it

Had to read for a history lesson. Amazing tale, a much lighter point of view on the Japanese side of WW2compared to other stories

Very throught provoking novella. Opens a lot of areas for discussion

Great reading, Makes you think about the missing good of penance, My book group loved this book, about 20 readers. Made into a fine film also.

It was fine--like a lot of Japanese novels, it reads light.

読書好きの知人へのクリスマスプレゼントにしようと思って購入しました。私の蔵書の一冊と言って譲るつもりでしたが、新品同様なので友人も喜んでくれると思います。