THE FIRST ATOM BOMB
HIROSHIMA DIARY, by Michihiko Hachiya, translated and edited by Warner Wells; Victor Gollancz, English price 16/-. HE sub-title-The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-Septem-ber 30, 1945-describes the book. The author was Director of the Hiroshima Communications Hospital which served the employees of the postal, telegraph and telephone services of the area. Trained in the scientific method, he writes a simple and straightforward account of what he saw happen to Hiroshima and its people when the first atom bomb was released over the city, and in the following few weeks, Though grievously wounded himself, Dr. Hachiya was able to keep case histories of hundreds of casualties that came under his cate, matefial which I should think is among the most valuable of its kind available.
But the diary is much more than a .tecord of destruction and horror. We get to know not only the good and gentle doctor himself, but a procession of vividly drawn characters for whom we come to feel a sense of joy at their recovery of sorrow at their death. The last paragtaph of the translator’s Foreword seems worth quoting: "All of us will be repaid beyond measure if this diary helps to refresh our memories, stimulate our imagination, and temper our thinking about war, and especially the horror of
atomic war."
L.J.
W.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19560406.2.23.7
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 870, 6 April 1956, Page 14
Word count
Tapeke kupu
223THE FIRST ATOM BOMB New Zealand Listener, Volume 34, Issue 870, 6 April 1956, Page 14
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in