Post: #1

Sayonara was published in 1954.

Here's an Amazon review snip with a brief overview of the story.

Quote:James Michener wrote the novel, but his wife, Mari Yoriko Sabusawa, deserves a lot of the credit; she did the research that brought the novel to life. I was stationed in Korea in the late 1950s when marriages between American servicemen and local women were still strongly discouraged. Still, many young soldiers found the women to their liking, and it was impossible to stop marriages. The novel actually takes place in Japan in 1952, when military men could marry young Japanese girls, but not take them back to America with them. The story follows Major Gruver and one of his men, Airman Joe Kelly. Kelly marries a young Japanese girl against Major Gruver’s wishes, but he doesn’t interfere with the wedding. This causes problems with the commanding general, the father of the girl Gruver plans on marrying. It causes a rift in Gruver’s own wedding plans to the general’s daughter. After meeting a beautiful Japanese woman, he knows now what has driven young Kelly to risk his freedom.

I think it would be an interesting book for someone to review on ROK or for the forum.

It talks about foreign immersion and poosy paradises (1950's Japan), as well as the decision of an officer with a white picket fence marriage all laid out for him back home who finds himself tempted to reject it.

It's a window into the 1950's. It might dispel certain illusions that guys on the forum maintain. Some yearn for a more conservative past, but was it quite what they imagine it was?

While I don't possess the literary criticism chops to tackle this myself, I think it would be an interesting theme for RVF members to get to know.

The book was made into a film released in 1957 starring Marlon Brando. Opinion is divided on whether the film or book is better. I'm guessing the book, since it feels like a short, quick read. The film (which I haven't seen) is 2 ½ hours long.

Post: #2

Liked the movie, never read the book. I do like Michener though.

One scene that stuck with me is when one of the officers found out his girlfriend (wife?) wanted eye surgery to look "more American." Totally pissed him off. Guess some things don't change.

Most of Michener's books are epic length, but one I recommend is "Rascals in Paradise," a collection of historical non-fiction short stories about alphas and hellraisers in the Pacific.

From Amazon:

Quote:In a thrilling collection of nonfiction adventure stories, James A. Michener returns to the most dazzling place on Earth: the islands that inspired Tales of the South Pacific. Co-written with A. Grove Day, Rascals in Paradise offers portraits of ten scandalous men and women, some infamous and some overlooked, including Sam Costock, a mutinous sailor whose delusions of grandeur became a nightmare; Will Mariner, a golden-haired youth who used his charm to win over his captors; and Captain Bligh, the notorious HMS Bounty captain who may not have been the monster history remembers him as. From lifelong buccaneers to lapsed noblemen, in Michener and Day’s capable hands these rogues become the stuff of legend.

http://www.amazon.com/Rascals-Paradise-T...0449214591

Post: #3

The ending of the book is completely different from that of the movie. I'm not sure if you want me to give it away to you.