May Book Club Report
Posted on: 9 May
The Book Group met to discuss debut novel ‘At the Foot of the Cherry Tree’ by Alli Parker.
The book is a novelisation of love, trust and hope based on the incredible true story of Australia’s first Japanese war bride and a love that changed a nation forever.
Gordon Parker is an eager eighteen-year-old Australian boy desperate to fight for his country and Nobuko ‘Cherry’ Sakuramoto is a sixteen-year-old girl struggling to survive in Japan in the aftermath of World War 11 and the loss of her mother in the bombing of Hiroshima. But when they meet and fall in love, they change the course of history.
Cherry was the first Japanese War Bride to break the ‘White Australia Policy’ and be granted a visa to come to Australia. Their story included four years of separations and two countries reeling from the aftermath of war.
Amazingly their love endured separation, racism, bias, poverty, politics, and slammed doors.
The author is the granddaughter of Gordon and Cherry.
The story moved everyone, and opened eyes to Australia’s ‘White Australia Policy’ that was in place at the time.
A review of 4.64 was given and a recommendation for all members to read this book.
Carole Laird