The Crazy Iris: And Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath

I read The Crazy Iris and Other Stories of the Atomic Aftermath by Kenzaburo Oe for an assignment in my History of Japan class. It's a collection of short stories complied to mark the fortieth anniversary of the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as the book jacket says. I am not a fan of overly flowery language (though I suspect the collection wouldn't have sounded as such in its native tongue), but the stories get the point across. The point? Everyone was affected by those weapons, no matter how old you are, what you believe, what your country thinks you should believe, and so on and so forth. I myself do believe that dropping the bombs were warranted and ultimately served their purpose, but to read the tales of survivors in compact form puts things into perspective. I wouldn't wish these sort of memories on anyone. I wouldn't wish anyone to have this pain. I hope to God that moments like Hiroshima and Nagasaki are never forgotten, and that we learn from them.

pretty good book

"The Crazy Iris" edited by Kenzaburo Oe is a collection of stories about the dropping the atomic bombs. These stories are not from a historical context or from a military standpoint, but of normal, relatable people. The stories cover the carnage seen through the eyes of a twelve year old to the memories of women going back thirty years to the high school they once attended. It also covers how the outlying villages were indirectly affected by the bombing through word of mouth and deaths of friends and families.

This is an amazing collection of works by a variety of notable authors. The diversity of styles and experiences is refreshing and eye-opening. A must have for anyone with an interest in the impact of nuclear weapons on the human experience.

I'm writing this just to offer the opinion that A.B.C.D.'s review is biased (at best) and ultra-nationalist and revisionist (at worst).Read this book and judge it for yourself. The various stories recount life in militarist Japan, horrifying scenes of atomic aftermath, and the desperate psychological and spiritual struggle to cope with the trauma of survival. This collection is a moving testament to its authors' experiences, but to say that it explicitly is anti-war or blames anyone for the atomic blast would not reflect the entirety of the book. The viewpoints and opinions of the authors are as varied as those of the Japanese themselves.

I enjoyed this collection of stories. I was looking to broaden my knowledge of Japanese "trauma" literature, and this was a solid addition to that area. Some of the stories are better and more memorable than others, but overall I don't think there's another collection quite like this one, that has been translated into English. If I remember correctly, many of these were also written by first-time or non-professional writers, which is impressive and also demonstrates their desire to share their stories and prevent similar atrocities in the future. Definitely worth picking up if you are interested in the legacy of the atomic bombs or trauma literature in general.

Very readable and yet traumatic stories.Reminded me of Grave of Fireflies by Studio Ghibli on a similar theme.

Item arrived quickly and in excellent condition. Shall definitely use the seller again. The book is highly recommendable for anyone interested in Japanese history, Japanese literature and the use of nuclear weapons. Perhaps everyone who supports the use of nuclear weapons should read this book and understand what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki - perhaps such people may change their views.