Journal Entry 1 by yvonnep from Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, July 15, 2003

On the eve of the Second World War, a young Chinese man is sent to his family's summer home in Japan to recover from tuberculosis. He will rest and all will be quiet and solitary. But he meets four local residents.

This is a beautiful book, simple but imaginative as an Oriental line-drawing.
 

Journal Entry 2 by powerhouse from Culemborg, Gelderland Netherlands on Monday, April 12, 2004

Yvonnep crossed this beautiful book to me, that because of its theme and looks landed on top of Mt TBR immediately. Thank you! 

Journal Entry 3 by powerhouse from Culemborg, Gelderland Netherlands on Sunday, May 22, 2005

It took me over a year to start reading it, and what a gem it is. Thank you so much yvonnep, for sharing this one. I will pass it on to another bookcrosser. 

Journal Entry 4 by powerhouse from Culemborg, Gelderland Netherlands on Sunday, May 22, 2005

The Samurai's Garden will start a little tour around The Netherlands:
mmes violoncellix-guitarrix
gnoe
kriskras( ?)
Biba89
dutch-flybaby
MaaikeB
sajonara
Quembel
suzy26
croixdeguerre
maupi
en eindigt bij de oorspronkelijke starter: yvonnep
 

Journal Entry 5 by violoncellix from Groningen, Groningen Netherlands on Tuesday, May 31, 2005

powerhouse sent this book last week as a consolation after Mrs violoncellix' accident. We were moved, also by the accompanying card, a Japanese print of two birds -- thank you, powerhouse!

In the meantime I'm halfway through the book, and indeed it is just beautiful. 

Journal Entry 6 by violoncellix from Groningen, Groningen Netherlands on Sunday, June 05, 2005

One of the most beautiful books I've read, indeed very consoling.

I followed her to the back of the garden, where larger rocks naturally formed a small mountainside. I could see where Matsu had lent his special touch, filling crevices with a cascading stream of rocks, lined with patches of green moss along the edge. Sachi walked up a narrow path, quick and steady. Halfway up she stopped and turned to make sure I was still behind her. Sachi then kneeled and looked down among the rocks. I followed her smiling gaze to see what she had discovered. There, between two large rocks, grew a cluster of blooming flowers, startlingly beautiful, a splash of blue-purple rising out of a green patch of leaves, somehow thriving among the muted, green stones.

Ik voelde me weer terug in de Zen-tempeltuinen van Kyoto . 

Journal Entry 7 by Gnoe from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, June 07, 2005

What   a   beautiful   story.

I loved reading it and I am looking forward to reading other books by Gail Tsukiyama. She's definitely on my wish list :-)
But for now I feel a bit sad because I finished The Samurai's Garden. 

Journal Entry 8 by kriskras from Boxtel, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Tuesday, June 21, 2005

I was happily surprised when Gnoe contacted me about The Samurai's Garden, because I don't remember having signed up for this ring. It's either me getting old, or Powerhouse recommending to read the book :o) Anyway, it looks very promissing! Thanks for mailing it, Gnoe, and also for your nice card. 

Journal Entry 9 by kriskras from Boxtel, Noord-Brabant Netherlands on Wednesday, July 06, 2005

I'm very happy this book crossed my path, because I loved it! Thanks for sharing Powerhouse, I will certainly keep an eye open for Tsukiyama's novels :o) 

Journal Entry 10 by biba89 from Deventer, Overijssel Netherlands on Saturday, July 16, 2005

Hey, look, did i sign up for this one? Can't remember. Indeed it looks promising. On top of my Mount TBR. 

Journal Entry 11 by biba89 from Deventer, Overijssel Netherlands on Saturday, July 23, 2005

Well, what can I say? After all the high prize my expectations were too high, I guess. All in all a good book, but still a disappointing read. All this serenity got to my nerves.

I will send it to the next reader on the list. 

Journal Entry 12 by biba89 at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, July 23, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (7/23/2005 UTC) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sent to Dutch-flybaby. 

Journal Entry 13 by dutch-flybabe from Ede, Gelderland Netherlands on Saturday, July 30, 2005

Journal Entry 14 by dutch-flybabe from Ede, Gelderland Netherlands on Friday, September 09, 2005

Journal Entry 15 by dutch-flybabe at A mailbox in town in Ede, Gelderland, Netherlands -- Controlled Releases on Monday, September 12, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (9/12/2005 UTC) at A mailbox in town in Ede, Gelderland, Netherlands -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

I'm mailing the book to MaaikeB on my way to work. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 16 by MaaikeB from Zeist, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Het boek arriveerde vandaag per post. Ik ben benieuwd of ik het ook mooi vind. Het moet wel nog even wachten tot ik een ander ringboek uit heb. 

Journal Entry 17 by MaaikeB from Zeist, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, September 20, 2005

I expected serenity and flowers, but instead I got war, disease and suicide! Funny, how reviews can bring certain aspects of a book to the fore and hide others, but in this case I was pleasantly surprised. I know little about oriental cultures and the differences between Japan and China and loved to read this book, although I think the American background of the author mixed in some western ingredients as well.
I was very surprised that this Chinese man could live in Japan during the war. It would have been impossible for a German to live in Holland under similar circumstances, wouldn't it? Fascinating. Would this really have been possible, one wonders. The only person who shows the expected kind of animosity is Keiko's father. The other villagers do not seem to mind his presence.
I'll certainly keep an eye out for Women of the Silk, or other Tsukiyama titles. Thanks for ringing it, yvonnep. 

Journal Entry 18 by Sajonara from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, September 24, 2005

This book came to me today ... thanks for sending it and thanks for sharing it!!! 

Journal Entry 19 by Quembel from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, November 26, 2005

*schaam, schaam*
Nadat ik dit boek van Sajonara heb ontvangen ben ik helemaal vergeten er een journal entry van te maken. Ik wilde het vandaag weer loslaten omdat ik van mening ben dat het nu te lang blijft liggen. Ik heb nog een aantal boeken op mijn stapel die ik eerst oppik.

Suzy 26, het komt naar je toe. 

Journal Entry 20 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, December 11, 2005

Received this book by mail yesterday, together with a beautiful Christmascard. Thank you, Quembel! 

Journal Entry 21 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, December 21, 2005

A deceivingly serene story which is at the same time dealing with heavy subjects such as leprosy, suicide and war. The setting is quite exotic but although the story is very rich in detail, it never had me completely convinced. This may be due to the author's American background of course. It was a very nice read, don't get me wrong, but I felt there was something lacking, although I cannot say exactly what. What's more, I didnot understand why his family was so adamant on getting Stephen to return to Hong Kong. He was perfectly safe in Japan. Nobody was bothering him. It was Japan that was attacking China, not the other way around. Now that the Japanese Army was approaching Hong Kong they wanted him to come home, right into the danger zone. Beats me. The story of Matsu, Sachi and Kenzo was so very beautiful. Maybe Ms Tsukiyama had better have left this whole war theme out of it. After all, it doesnot add very much, does it? 

Journal Entry 22 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Book is on its way to croixdeguerre. 

Journal Entry 23 by KVI-716666 on Saturday, December 24, 2005

Received this book today, together with a christmascard! Thanks Suzy26! 

Journal Entry 24 by KVI-716666 on Sunday, January 08, 2006

What a beautiful book! Funny how everybody seem to read something else & has different interpretations..... I read it almost as a 'coming of age' novel. A young Chinese boy, who is sent to Japan during the war because of his tuberculosis, learns about death, beauty, war, friendship, disease, love. But then again, it's much much more than this.

Thanks yvonnep en powerhouse for sharing this book. I'll give it to mapi the next time I see her. 

Journal Entry 25 by KVI-716666 on Monday, January 16, 2006

het boek gaat vandaag toch maar gewoon met de post naar maupi, anders duurt het veel te lang! 

Journal Entry 26 by maupi on Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Een vergeten ring. Veel lof in de journal entry's, ook kritiek. Eerder deze week had ik er al een zeer enthousiast stukje over gelezen op croixdeguerres leesblog (toen wist ik nog niet/niet meer dat ik meeringde). Wat zal ik ervan vinden? Het boek gaat even op een stapeltje, maar hopelijk niet voor al te lang.
In het boek zat een heerlijke kaart: dank je wel, croixdeguerre! 

Journal Entry 27 by maupi on Monday, August 14, 2006

Dit ringboek ligt nog steeds bij mij en ik ben nog steeds de laatste op de lijst. Ik begon erin, 's, toen legde ik het weer weg. Ik wil het graag alsnog proberen, als yvonnep het nog een tijdje kan missen.