Читать книгу Harp of Burma - Michio Takeyama - Страница 6

PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD

Harp of Burma is a story about the Second World War, but its message is a timeless one. First published in 1946, Michio Takeyama’s classic tale of a company of Japanese soldiers who faced the trials of war in Burma with a heart full of song has received much acclaim and achieved much renown. It has been produced on the screen and, more recently, has been recreated on the stage. In addition the author received a literary prize offered by the Mainichi Press.

It was for the younger generation that M. Takeyama intended the book, but after its initial publication in Aka Tomho, a now defunct but then leading juvenile magazine, it became enormously popular among Japanese adults. It is currently included in a series of recommended world literature classics for high school age youngsters.

On the surface, Harp of Burma is the intriguing story of men turned into soldiers, involved in a war they do not fully understand, and faced with experiences both new and baffling. It is filled with adventure, pathos, and humor, all of which go to make a compelling story of war. But, as the author states, he hopes that his readers will not see just another adventurous war story in Burma. “If it succeeds in its goal to set you at least to thinking, then I will be happy,” he explains. This edition was prepared for the translations collection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by Professor Howard Hibbett of the United States.