Sword and Blossom, Momoko Williams
Sword and Blossom, Momoko Williams
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Sword and Blossom
A British Officer's Enduring Love for a Japanese Woman

Author: Momoko Williams, Peter Pagnamenta

Narrator: Robert Ian Mackenzie

Unabridged: 12 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 03/11/2008

Synopsis

Esteemed British journalists Peter Pagnamenta and Momoko Williams penned this tale of bittersweet love during a tumultuous time. This true story is drawn from the more than 800 letters a British officer and his Japanese lover exchanged over four decades. Arthur Hart-Synnot, a third-generation British officer, was sent to Japan in 1904 to learn the language of Britain's newest ally. Masa Suzuki, a beautiful Japanese woman scorned because of an early divorce, worked at the Tokyo Officers' Club. The two fell immediately in love and conceived a son before Arthur was whisked away by the military during WWI. Though Arthur would only see Masa little, he supported his Japanese family and kept alive the hope that he and Masa could live together blissfully. Revealed in this story of a passion that endured three wars is not only one couple's personal history, but the history of two completely different cultures. "This is grand history on a human scale, vivid and sweeping; recommended for all general collections".-Library Journal

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jane on October 03, 2017

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. It is well researched and well written book. However, my opinion of Arthur and Masa oscillated continuously. Their love story fascinated me but her reluctance to leave Japan confused me. Of course, I am forming conclusions based on the ethics & morals......more

Goodreads review by Rebecca on September 28, 2012

This one was a real heartbreaker of a story, and even more, it is a true one. Arthur Hart-Synnot arrives in Tokyo in 1904 to learn the Japanese language and seek advancement in his career as a military officer. One of the people that he meets is Masa Suzuki, a young woman who is forced to work in a......more

Goodreads review by Jonathan on October 10, 2010

It starts out good as a budding/forbidden romance, but the cowardly and spoiled aptitude of the British officer ended up pissing me off.......more

Goodreads review by MJ on December 10, 2018

Meh I found that it dragged......more

Goodreads review by 王曼卿 on October 07, 2014

I picked up this book on my way to Singapore and although it’s been some time since it was published (2006), I thought some of the themes would really resonate with my readers. In 1904, British army officer and Boer war veteran Arthur Hart-Synnot was sent to Tokyo to learn the language and observe th......more

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