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The Yokota Officers Club
After a year away at college, military brat Bernadette Root has come “home” to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, to spend the summer with her bizarre yet comforting clan. Ruled by a strict, regimented Air Force Major father, but grounded in their mother’s particular brand of humor, Bernie’s family was destined for military greatness during the glory days of the mid-’50s. But in Base life, where an unkempt lawn is cause for reassignment, one fateful misstep changed the Roots’ world forever. Yet the family’s silence cannot keep the wounds of the past from reemerging . . . nor can the memory fade of beloved Fumiko, the family’s former maid, whose name is now verboten. And the secrets long ago covered up in classic military style–through elimination and denial–are now forcing their way to the surface for a return engagement.
367 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2001
About the author
Sarah Bird
21 books588 followersSarah Bird is a bestselling novelist, screenwriter, essayist, and journalist who has lived in Austin, Texas since long before the city became internationally cool. She has published ten novels and two books of essays. Her eleventh novel, LAST DANCE ON THE STARLITE PIER--a gripping tale set in the secret world of the dance marathons of the Great Depression--will be released on April 12th.
Her last novel, DAUGHTER OF A DAUGHTER OF A QUEEN--inspired by the true story of the only woman to serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers--was named an All-time Best Books about Texas by the Austin American-Statesman; Best Fiction of 2018, Christian Science Monitor; Favorite Books of 2018, Texas Observer; a One City, One Book choice of seven cities; and a Lit Lovers Book Club Favorites.
Sarah was a finalist for The Dublin International Literary Award; an ALEX award winner; Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a two-time winner of the TIL’s Best Novel award; a B&N’s Discover Great Writers selection; a New York Public Libraries Books to Remember; an honoree of theTexas Writers Hall of Fame; an Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a Dobie-Paisano Fellowship; and an Austin Libraries Illumine Award for Excellence in Fiction winner. In 2014 she was named Texas Writer of the Year by the Texas Book Festival and presented with a pair of custom-made boots on the floor of the Texas Senate Chamber.
Sarah is a nine-time winner of Austin Best Fiction Writer award. She was recently honored with the University of New Mexico’s 2020 Paul Ré Award for Cultural Advocacy. In 2015 Sarah was one of eight winners selected from 3,800 entries to attend the Meryl Streep Screenwriters’ Lab. Sarah was chosen in 2017 to represent the Austin Public Library as the hologram/greeter installed in the Austin Downtown Library. Sarah was a co-founder of The Writers League of Texas.
She has been an NPR Moth Radio Hour storyteller; a writer for Oprah’s Magazine, NY Times Sunday Magazine and Op Ed columns, Chicago Tribune, Real Simple, Mademoiselle, Glamour, Salon, Daily Beast, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, MS, Texas Observer; Alcalde and a columnist for years for Texas Monthly. As a screenwriter, she worked on projects for Warner Bros., Paramount, CBS, National Geographic, Hallmark, ABC, TNT, as well as several independent producers.
She and her husband enjoy open-water swimming and training their corgi puppy not to eat the furniture.
Her last novel, DAUGHTER OF A DAUGHTER OF A QUEEN--inspired by the true story of the only woman to serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers--was named an All-time Best Books about Texas by the Austin American-Statesman; Best Fiction of 2018, Christian Science Monitor; Favorite Books of 2018, Texas Observer; a One City, One Book choice of seven cities; and a Lit Lovers Book Club Favorites.
Sarah was a finalist for The Dublin International Literary Award; an ALEX award winner; Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a two-time winner of the TIL’s Best Novel award; a B&N’s Discover Great Writers selection; a New York Public Libraries Books to Remember; an honoree of theTexas Writers Hall of Fame; an Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a Dobie-Paisano Fellowship; and an Austin Libraries Illumine Award for Excellence in Fiction winner. In 2014 she was named Texas Writer of the Year by the Texas Book Festival and presented with a pair of custom-made boots on the floor of the Texas Senate Chamber.
Sarah is a nine-time winner of Austin Best Fiction Writer award. She was recently honored with the University of New Mexico’s 2020 Paul Ré Award for Cultural Advocacy. In 2015 Sarah was one of eight winners selected from 3,800 entries to attend the Meryl Streep Screenwriters’ Lab. Sarah was chosen in 2017 to represent the Austin Public Library as the hologram/greeter installed in the Austin Downtown Library. Sarah was a co-founder of The Writers League of Texas.
She has been an NPR Moth Radio Hour storyteller; a writer for Oprah’s Magazine, NY Times Sunday Magazine and Op Ed columns, Chicago Tribune, Real Simple, Mademoiselle, Glamour, Salon, Daily Beast, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, MS, Texas Observer; Alcalde and a columnist for years for Texas Monthly. As a screenwriter, she worked on projects for Warner Bros., Paramount, CBS, National Geographic, Hallmark, ABC, TNT, as well as several independent producers.
She and her husband enjoy open-water swimming and training their corgi puppy not to eat the furniture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
October 17, 2018
Uneven.
Reads like the author was paid by the word in some sections.
When she is writing about what she knows, it's good (military life, family life, the beauty of japan, the tour with the comedian, going away to college, etc.).
When she ventures into areas that she doesn't know, it's obvious. The book has two parts, and the division is unintentional. There is the part that rings true, and the part that doesn't ring true. Unfortunately, the part that was totally unconvincing is the central event in the book. The portrait of the 'sinner' (I'm not going to give away the plot to those who might want to read it) is way off, and the book doesn't address the fall out from his sins completely or correctly.
I would not recommend it, though I will admit my wife and I went through the discussion questions together as well as the interview with the real mom, siblings, and the author. It did make me think. I enjoyed the fact that my wife and I read it together.
Great book? No. Good book? Ultimately, no. Does the author have talent? Yes.
Reads like the author was paid by the word in some sections.
When she is writing about what she knows, it's good (military life, family life, the beauty of japan, the tour with the comedian, going away to college, etc.).
When she ventures into areas that she doesn't know, it's obvious. The book has two parts, and the division is unintentional. There is the part that rings true, and the part that doesn't ring true. Unfortunately, the part that was totally unconvincing is the central event in the book. The portrait of the 'sinner' (I'm not going to give away the plot to those who might want to read it) is way off, and the book doesn't address the fall out from his sins completely or correctly.
I would not recommend it, though I will admit my wife and I went through the discussion questions together as well as the interview with the real mom, siblings, and the author. It did make me think. I enjoyed the fact that my wife and I read it together.
Great book? No. Good book? Ultimately, no. Does the author have talent? Yes.
August 25, 2007
I chose to read this book because I’m currently living in Okinawa, Japan where part of the story takes place. Actually, at the time I was reading the part where the main character was on a plane from Okinawa, up to Tokyo, I was also on a plane taking the very same path. I think that’s why I enjoyed reading the book. The author shows a glimpse into military family life and the surroundings of Okinawa… some of the descriptions where dead-on and others were a bit exaggerated. The plot was good, but a little predictable. The thing I didn’t like about the book was the characterization of the Okinawan and Japanese people… it was kind of the “simplistic, traditional, stereotypical” look at the culture. But, outside of that, it was a fun read with an interesting story that kept my attention. More on the side of “chick lit” than a work of deep fiction. I would definitely recommend it to military spouses living or who have lived in Japan, or someone interested in knowing what that life is like.
February 18, 2018
"After a year away at college, military brat Bernadette Root has come “home” to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, to spend the summer with her bizarre yet comforting clan. Ruled by a strict, regimented Air Force Major father, but grounded in their mother’s particular brand of humor, Bernie’s family was destined for military greatness during the glory days of the mid-’50s. But in Base life, where an unkempt lawn is cause for reassignment, one fateful misstep changed the Roots’ world forever. " (Penguin Random House review)
I have read this book at least 4 times. I love it for the wonderfully drawn characters of Bernie's parents and 5 siblings. I love it for the (to me) unfamiliar and fascinating description of the lives of military families. And I love it for the 60's music that runs through it. Bernie definitely knows how to tell a good song from a bad one. Oh yeah, and don't let's forget to mention that Sarah Bird is an especially excellent writer.
I have read this book at least 4 times. I love it for the wonderfully drawn characters of Bernie's parents and 5 siblings. I love it for the (to me) unfamiliar and fascinating description of the lives of military families. And I love it for the 60's music that runs through it. Bernie definitely knows how to tell a good song from a bad one. Oh yeah, and don't let's forget to mention that Sarah Bird is an especially excellent writer.
April 1, 2007
I grew up on Air Force bases, and have always looked for a story that matches my childhood. This came somewhat close.
Unfortunately, the book was pretty much all details (the ramshackle military housing, Officer's wives, shopping for crap at the Commissary and the Base Exchange) and little else for me.
I try to care about Bird's characters. I really do. But, as with Alamo House, I just find so many of her characters predictable, one-dimensional, and just not funny (even though many are meant to make you laugh out loud).
There was some interesting stuff going on, but I feel like she tried to do too much.
She did manage to capture the feeling of having too many siblings, though. That I liked.
Unfortunately, the book was pretty much all details (the ramshackle military housing, Officer's wives, shopping for crap at the Commissary and the Base Exchange) and little else for me.
I try to care about Bird's characters. I really do. But, as with Alamo House, I just find so many of her characters predictable, one-dimensional, and just not funny (even though many are meant to make you laugh out loud).
There was some interesting stuff going on, but I feel like she tried to do too much.
She did manage to capture the feeling of having too many siblings, though. That I liked.
February 28, 2024
The text is polished sure, but I felt the substance, texture and interest were completely polished away. At least this is how I felt for the first half.
In the second half of the book is where the story happens. Unfortunately, the structure of this book fails to be centered on the core story, but at first pretends to give us another sassier perkier book.
Too bad. There was, potentially, a good book in here, somewhere. But it's not this one.
In the second half of the book is where the story happens. Unfortunately, the structure of this book fails to be centered on the core story, but at first pretends to give us another sassier perkier book.
Too bad. There was, potentially, a good book in here, somewhere. But it's not this one.
June 20, 2017
This was the book club selection at my library. I did not know what to expect, which is unusual for me; I usually choose my books purposefully.
That being said, I was surprised by how much I liked this book! As you can read in the summaries, the story is told through the eyes Bernadette Root, a military brat who is returning home to the Kadena military base after a year away at college.
The author, Sarah Bird, was a military brat herself and she gives an authentic account of what it's like for an introvert to feel like she never fits in, and how a family comes to rely on itself as life's only constant.
The first half of the book is Bernie's view of how her family is deteriorating, which has becomes glaringly apparent after she has been away at college for a year.
The second half finds her traveling to their former home, Tokyo, after winning a dance contest. It is here that she remembers the events that led to the deterioration of her family.
Bird is a wonderful writer. Bernie is lively and funny and honest, but this is not only Bernie's story. It is the story of a marriage, and a family against the backdrop of the Cold War and the Vietnam War.
Bird engages all of the senses as she paints a poignant picture of loyalty and betrayal, friendship and hostility, and the tragedies and consequences of war that carry forward when the war is over.
That being said, I was surprised by how much I liked this book! As you can read in the summaries, the story is told through the eyes Bernadette Root, a military brat who is returning home to the Kadena military base after a year away at college.
The author, Sarah Bird, was a military brat herself and she gives an authentic account of what it's like for an introvert to feel like she never fits in, and how a family comes to rely on itself as life's only constant.
The first half of the book is Bernie's view of how her family is deteriorating, which has becomes glaringly apparent after she has been away at college for a year.
The second half finds her traveling to their former home, Tokyo, after winning a dance contest. It is here that she remembers the events that led to the deterioration of her family.
Bird is a wonderful writer. Bernie is lively and funny and honest, but this is not only Bernie's story. It is the story of a marriage, and a family against the backdrop of the Cold War and the Vietnam War.
Bird engages all of the senses as she paints a poignant picture of loyalty and betrayal, friendship and hostility, and the tragedies and consequences of war that carry forward when the war is over.
March 10, 2023
My Original Thoughts (2001):
Reminiscent of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Funny and touching. Got a little slow partway through, but still very enjoyable.
My Current Thoughts:
I haven't read anything else by Sarah Bird, but I do remember enjoying this one. She has written several novels, as well as a couple of nonfiction works. Her most recent release, Last Dance on the Starlight Pier sounds like it has possibilities.
Reminiscent of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Funny and touching. Got a little slow partway through, but still very enjoyable.
My Current Thoughts:
I haven't read anything else by Sarah Bird, but I do remember enjoying this one. She has written several novels, as well as a couple of nonfiction works. Her most recent release, Last Dance on the Starlight Pier sounds like it has possibilities.
May 6, 2019
Life as a teen living on a military base in Okinawa Japan during the 50's and 60's. Little too much description for me.
June 30, 2016
This novel was my book club's selection for September, chosen mostly because it takes place on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, where many of us currently live. I had few ideas of what to expect from this book, but I closed its final pages glad that I'd taken the time to read it.
The Yokota Officers Club A Novel takes place in two decades: the present is during the Vietnam war era; the other is during the post-WWII occupation of Japan by Americans during the Cold War. From the perspective of someone who lives here on Okinawa, as well as being an officer's wife, it was fascinating to read what life on base and within a classified unit was like long before I ever came here or entered life as a military spouse.
I had an idea that life even just ten or fifteen years ago was much more regimented than what I experience today, but the description of officers' careers ending over the actions of their family members is a new concept to me. Also, while I sometimes feel that the restrictions put upon us when living in base housing is strict, today it is nothing like the scrutiny that faced families in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.
After reading the epilogue - a conversation between the author and her mother and sisters - I realize how much Sarah Bird injected her own experiences into the writing of this novel, which makes it all that much more compelling. This book is well-written, highly enjoyable, and even if I weren't as intimately familiar with the setting or lifestyle that she's describing, I still would have enjoyed this book.
The Yokota Officers Club A Novel takes place in two decades: the present is during the Vietnam war era; the other is during the post-WWII occupation of Japan by Americans during the Cold War. From the perspective of someone who lives here on Okinawa, as well as being an officer's wife, it was fascinating to read what life on base and within a classified unit was like long before I ever came here or entered life as a military spouse.
I had an idea that life even just ten or fifteen years ago was much more regimented than what I experience today, but the description of officers' careers ending over the actions of their family members is a new concept to me. Also, while I sometimes feel that the restrictions put upon us when living in base housing is strict, today it is nothing like the scrutiny that faced families in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.
After reading the epilogue - a conversation between the author and her mother and sisters - I realize how much Sarah Bird injected her own experiences into the writing of this novel, which makes it all that much more compelling. This book is well-written, highly enjoyable, and even if I weren't as intimately familiar with the setting or lifestyle that she's describing, I still would have enjoyed this book.
August 22, 2016
One of my favorite books ever. What made it even more special was a phone chat with Sarah Bird. A wonderfully personal story about her mother and the antics and tragedies that went on in her childhood with her father in the Air Force.
When the oldest daughter, Bernie, returns from college in the US to her family on Kadena AFB in Okinawa she is mortified to find that her mother (a nurse) used to drug her sisters and brothers on long car rides so they would sleep.
Great writing - great characters (one sister has plastic horses all over her bedroom and a brother thinks he's superman), stories within stories. pink cokes, pilots in flight suits at the bar in the officers club.
When the oldest daughter, Bernie, returns from college in the US to her family on Kadena AFB in Okinawa she is mortified to find that her mother (a nurse) used to drug her sisters and brothers on long car rides so they would sleep.
Great writing - great characters (one sister has plastic horses all over her bedroom and a brother thinks he's superman), stories within stories. pink cokes, pilots in flight suits at the bar in the officers club.
April 8, 2015
I came to this book via a backwards route: I read Above the East China Sea first, and then noticed that Sarah Bird had written another book about Japan and decided I might enjoy that one as well. Bird has a wonderful narrative voice, breezy and funny, but I didn't find this book to be particularly strong. The story is somewhat disjointed and the core mystery that lies at the center - the family's past with Fumiko - is rather underwhelming and doesn't fit into the broader story. There is also, frankly, quite a lot of repetition of thematic material between this book and Above the East China Sea. I would have been better off sticking with the first volume.
June 23, 2019
This is one of my all time favorites and one of the few books I've read more than once. Bird writes with humor & gusto and brings all her characters to life. When Bernie dances to Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" one can just feel the beat, hear the music.
There is tremendous insight into the historical periods of the U.S. military presence in Japan.
And when Bernie says that everyone in her family has "one thing," the last sentence sums up the book perfectly. "My one thing is dancing. A long time ago, our mother's was singing and our father's was flying."
There is tremendous insight into the historical periods of the U.S. military presence in Japan.
And when Bernie says that everyone in her family has "one thing," the last sentence sums up the book perfectly. "My one thing is dancing. A long time ago, our mother's was singing and our father's was flying."
January 5, 2015
For the most part, the book was okay, but there were times where it dragged. I did not enjoy the way it skipped around from one time period to another without warning. Another issue I had was with the military lingo. My husband is a retired LTC and even I had problems with the abbreviations. If the reader is not familiar with the military, I can see where that would be a big turn-off. There were Japanese phrases throughout the book and sometimes the author would "translate" them, but sometimes not. That needed to be more consistent.
November 19, 2018
The "exposition" part of this book, which was essentially the first half, could have been half as long. As a non-military person, it was interesting to read about base life, but even I could tell that the military culture here was a bit overdone. And in the end, the payoff wasn't good enough for all of that setup.
Also, there are some pretty problematic aspects of the book/certain characters that are never addressed and it's pretty alarming.
Also, there are some pretty problematic aspects of the book/certain characters that are never addressed and it's pretty alarming.
August 5, 2009
As a military spouse I enjoyed reading a book about another military dependent. The book was good but not great, IMO. The climax of the story was really interesting, but I feel like there was a lot of "filler" material to get to it that wasn't really central to the story. Overall I liked the novel and loved the story, but I think it could have been told a little better.
February 22, 2010
This book actually picked up near the end with an interesting plot development and conclusion. However, I found the main character to be sappy and forelorn. The first half of the book was very slow for me...bogged down in detailed minor incidents. I did find the description of life as an air force brat to be interesting.
April 18, 2008
Excellent novel about an Air Force brat's childhood in Japan and the secrets swirling around her family.
June 10, 2008
Meh. And I was a member of YOC in Japan in the late 80's. I was just not really impressed. It's really not a strange new world to me.
January 7, 2010
Recommended for Air Force dependents. It really captures the flavor of that milieu. It's not especially well-written, but it's not terrible either.
April 9, 2011
I had a hard time getting into it, and it was just not an enjoyable read at all. I will say this: Glad officers spouses I've met are not like the ones in this book.
September 19, 2022
The Yokota Officers Club is a sensational story about the ironclad commitment and stiflingly stiff rigors of conduct foist upon an Air Force family stationed in Japan during the mid 1950s and 60s. Beautifully crafted and sensitively told Sarah Bird seamlessly stitches the past together in a tidy pattern that makes sense of the present, via a series of reminiscences reflecting on the emotional fallout caused by an enforced fracture of a deep friendship between a married to the military mater Moe (who'd been 'wound up once too often' during too many tours of duty) and housemaid Fumiko who contributes desperately needed stability despite compromising circumstances that adversely effect the entire family. Narrated by the eldest of six dependents who straddles the strictures imposed by the services and antiwar demonstrations staged by protest group Damsels in Dissent, she understands the post Second World War pledge 'to deliver the sky from America's enemies in return for a promise to be their nation's heroes.' An awareness tainted by the fact that 'I know the disappointment that awaits them back in their native land, and I am overwhelmed by tenderness for these remote men and their girdled women.'
Although often humorous and always insightful this tale isn't about The Brady Bunch confined to barracks. Instead, it's concerned with the challenges faced by a family conscripted into a skewed structure where deportment extends beyond character and becomes central to a continued career living on base where 'My parents anger was too large for the small room we all shared and so buried in the secrets of my father's work that, somewhere around then, they lost the habit of talking to each other.'
Laced with flavors, scents and sounds both familiar and foreign this exceptional novel is truly transporting. The characters inspire not only interest but genuine affection and rarely has a book moved me to such an extent or indeed stayed with me for what I'm certain is a forever basis. Bird is a master storyteller and this particular work is in a league of it's own. I urge all readers to journey 'Somewhere over the rainbow' to see just how magnificent a book this really is.
Although often humorous and always insightful this tale isn't about The Brady Bunch confined to barracks. Instead, it's concerned with the challenges faced by a family conscripted into a skewed structure where deportment extends beyond character and becomes central to a continued career living on base where 'My parents anger was too large for the small room we all shared and so buried in the secrets of my father's work that, somewhere around then, they lost the habit of talking to each other.'
Laced with flavors, scents and sounds both familiar and foreign this exceptional novel is truly transporting. The characters inspire not only interest but genuine affection and rarely has a book moved me to such an extent or indeed stayed with me for what I'm certain is a forever basis. Bird is a master storyteller and this particular work is in a league of it's own. I urge all readers to journey 'Somewhere over the rainbow' to see just how magnificent a book this really is.
December 3, 2023
This book has left me feeling so conflicted. It feels like it was written by two different people - the first half of the book shows the narrator and her family move to a military base in Okinawa where their father is a community officer with the US Air Force. The tone feels racist and juvenile - it paints the people of Japan as caricatures who can’t speak English and don’t know how to behave in day to day life. Characters seem half baked and garish.
The second half of the book is narrated from a Japanese girl’s point of view and talks about US army occupation of Japan immediately after the war. The stories of prostitution, child abuse and poverty are heartbreaking.
The book somehow manages to come together but only just barely. It is a good read for those who have military families and have had to shift frequently - the class order that extends not just to officers but to their spouses is relatable and funny. Overall - read if you have completed all of your other to be read books for the year.
The second half of the book is narrated from a Japanese girl’s point of view and talks about US army occupation of Japan immediately after the war. The stories of prostitution, child abuse and poverty are heartbreaking.
The book somehow manages to come together but only just barely. It is a good read for those who have military families and have had to shift frequently - the class order that extends not just to officers but to their spouses is relatable and funny. Overall - read if you have completed all of your other to be read books for the year.
July 15, 2018
This book is excellent for “military brats” who are, or have been, part of the nomadic tribe of kids wandering the globe in support of a parent’s career in the US armed forces. It’s really an odd way to grow up, moving from state to state or even to another country with no anchor in one place for very long. It seems completely normal when you’re in the middle of this lifestyle, until you’re removed from it and then realize that most people are from somewhere while you’re seemingly from both everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
The author captures well so many of the idiosyncrasies of military dependent life. My family lived in Okinawa for a few years and so I really enjoyed her vivid descriptions of that base. I laughed out loud at several funny similarities between her experiences and mine, such as the oversized wooden spoon and fork on the home wall as well as the decorative “geisha doll in a glass box” oddity/collectible. My brothers remember the snake and mongoose fights at the carnival, as well as exploring Okinawa’s spooky caves.
The overarching plot line is somewhat far fetched, but still very believable. If you are a military brat, and especially one who has lived on Okinawa, I think you will really like this book. If not, it is still an enjoyable read about family dynamics.
The author captures well so many of the idiosyncrasies of military dependent life. My family lived in Okinawa for a few years and so I really enjoyed her vivid descriptions of that base. I laughed out loud at several funny similarities between her experiences and mine, such as the oversized wooden spoon and fork on the home wall as well as the decorative “geisha doll in a glass box” oddity/collectible. My brothers remember the snake and mongoose fights at the carnival, as well as exploring Okinawa’s spooky caves.
The overarching plot line is somewhat far fetched, but still very believable. If you are a military brat, and especially one who has lived on Okinawa, I think you will really like this book. If not, it is still an enjoyable read about family dynamics.
October 15, 2020
I lost my dad earlier this year. He died of cancer that he thought was caused by chemical exposure during his time in Okinawa in the late 1960s while in the U.S. Air Force. When I saw this book about a military family at Kadena Air Force Base during the same timeframe my dad was there, I knew I had to read it. I grew up hearing his fond memories of the place but never really knew a lot of the pain he suffered there until much more recently. This book shows the pain of being in a military family and going place to place every few years, the poignancy of memory, the difficulties of fitting in, and culture shock. I can only imagine what an 18-year-old American draftee would have thought of the whole situation. The story is a little uneven but the author's writing style kept me interested the whole time.
December 5, 2018
Poor Bernie. A military brat given freedom to attend a college in the United States while her dysfunctional family is stationed in Okinawa. Her father a former pilot now bitter desk jockey and her mother former free spirit now military officer wife who bulks at towing the line and following the informal chain of command among the military officer wives. Add to the mix a bunch of siblings including on that don’t like Bernie much and let the adventure begin!
After winning a dance contest Bernie is off to Japan to reunite with their former House maid and discover the secret of the bitter feeling between her parents. Very relatable for anyone who has any relationship with a military family. And a great read. I hope she does a second book
After winning a dance contest Bernie is off to Japan to reunite with their former House maid and discover the secret of the bitter feeling between her parents. Very relatable for anyone who has any relationship with a military family. And a great read. I hope she does a second book
July 6, 2017
3 stars. I both hated and loved this book. It was definitely nostalgic, so very nostalgic, being that I'm a military brat that grew up in Okinawa. The descriptions were sometimes so spot on that I felt like I was transported back to my childhood. Those were the parts I loved. The parts I hated were the portrayals of the locals and Japan. I guess I'm biased on this end though. Seriously though, the descriptions of them as a whole were a little simple and offensive. Overall, I'm glad I read this. It took the feeling of being a military brat and put it into words, and I've never read a book that did that before.
May 10, 2019
Having recently returned from my first visit to Japan, I really enjoyed the local color, even with the decades time difference. I also raised my children in a military family and have a daughter married to an Air Force pilot, so some of the lifestyle descriptions resonated as well. Often I felt as though I was reading a memoir rather than a piece of fiction, so it was interesting to read the conversation with the author at the end and learn that there was indeed a lot of her own experience woven into the book. I would have liked to see more consequences for Wingo at the end since he ultimately was responsible for all of the negative outcomes, not to mention the horrific crime of child rape.
February 14, 2022
I could not decide between 3 or 4 stars. I gave it 4 as I was a dependent wife in Iwakuni, Japan between 1976 and 1979. I loved the way the military experience living both off-base and in base housing in Japan was portrayed. I have many more pleasant memories, than unpleasant. But living as a military "possession" is indeed a unique lifestyle. I understand the reason Bobby Moses had to be a part of the novel to advance the story...but he totally disgusted me nonetheless! I am not sure if a civilian could ever truly relate to the many layers of this account of military family life. Kudos to Sarah Bird. I must read more of her writings.
Read
August 20, 2022This novel--parts of which are based on the author's "military brat" childhood reads a bit differently than her other novels, which is why I've classified it as both novel and memoir. It is a work of fiction, but for readers who enjoy memoir or stories set in the '50s and '60s, this will be a satisfying read.
Bird's humor is on full display in this coming of age story about Bernadette, who returns "home" to Okinawa after a year away at college. Tension still hangs in the air surrounding the family's former maid, Fumiko, though no one is allowed to speak her name even though her disappearance from the family happened years before.
Bird's humor is on full display in this coming of age story about Bernadette, who returns "home" to Okinawa after a year away at college. Tension still hangs in the air surrounding the family's former maid, Fumiko, though no one is allowed to speak her name even though her disappearance from the family happened years before.
April 17, 2018
This book really hit home. It is a partially autobiographical novel about a young woman who grows up in an Air Force family. She spent 4 years of her childhood at Yokota AFB during the post-war period and there is a mystery about what happened there. The author does a great job of capturing many of the trials, tribulations and triumphs that come with being a military family and she does it from the child's perspective. The characters were vivid and believable and the descriptions were great. I highly recommend this book.
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