5 out of 5 stars
A fascinating book!
By Elizabeth Stillwell (Los Angeles, CA)
A brilliant treatment of the subject with exhaustive research. The notes are as good as the text itself. Like most people, I had heard of Tokyo Rose but had no idea what the real story was behind the name. After reading Tokyo Rose / An American Patriot: A Dual Biography, Iva Toguri, the American patriot of the title, has become a real person to me. I have internalized her plight.
This fascinating book grabs you. It's scholarly but highly readable, like a novel. You are enthralled by the story. You can't put it down, mainly because the author refuses to portray the characters in black and white. He suggests it's possible the prosecutor was an honorable man who succumbed to political necessity - there's a story for our time! - and he relentlessly points out Toguri's lies and deceptions, even arguing that she really did broadcast what the jury convicted her of broadcasting. He also found material no one else has, and interviewed Toguri exhaustively.
The best part is the Epilogue which sums up the moral lessons of the story. This beautifully written conclusion absolutely haunted me. I read it over and over. But the trick is you can't read the Epilogue first because it won't have much impact. The author pulls themes and phrases from throughout the various chapters but they only make sense after you've read the whole book.
It's a stunning achievement in biography. Shouldn't be missed.
A fascinating book!
By Elizabeth Stillwell (Los Angeles, CA)
A brilliant treatment of the subject with exhaustive research. The notes are as good as the text itself. Like most people, I had heard of Tokyo Rose but had no idea what the real story was behind the name. After reading Tokyo Rose / An American Patriot: A Dual Biography, Iva Toguri, the American patriot of the title, has become a real person to me. I have internalized her plight.
This fascinating book grabs you. It's scholarly but highly readable, like a novel. You are enthralled by the story. You can't put it down, mainly because the author refuses to portray the characters in black and white. He suggests it's possible the prosecutor was an honorable man who succumbed to political necessity - there's a story for our time! - and he relentlessly points out Toguri's lies and deceptions, even arguing that she really did broadcast what the jury convicted her of broadcasting. He also found material no one else has, and interviewed Toguri exhaustively.
The best part is the Epilogue which sums up the moral lessons of the story. This beautifully written conclusion absolutely haunted me. I read it over and over. But the trick is you can't read the Epilogue first because it won't have much impact. The author pulls themes and phrases from throughout the various chapters but they only make sense after you've read the whole book.
It's a stunning achievement in biography. Shouldn't be missed.
5 out of 5 stars
I have a new hero
By J. Elnora Welker "Jelnora" (Kansas City, MO)
This book is a must-read for biography lovers - a double helping, so to speak, in that it's about two lives - one, the real life of a Japanese American woman named Iva Toguri, who was an American citizen, and the mythical creation, a siren/villan named Tokyo Rose. Frederick P. Close approaches both through Plutarch's "Parallel Lives," and brings them both to vivid life as he describes how their identities intersected during World War II.
This is one of the first books I've read in a long time that I absolutely did not want to put down -- even though it weighs in at probably 5 pounds and slightly over 500 pages. Yet despite the sometimes daunting chapter notes, which you really need to read to get a more fully fleshed view, and the books length, Mr. Close keeps the two story lines going brilliantly, peppering them with humor, and often resorting to eloquent prose. Iva Toguri comes into clear focus as a true American hero, not without flaws, but as a woman of integrity. We should all learn from her. Integrity, Mr. Close maintains, is the ultimate weapon we all possess to survive, no matter what hardships prevail. I want to be like her.
Tokyo Rose, who became Iva's own worst enemy, is also a fascinating character, mainly because she's completely made up by all of us, and her transformations and transgressions are absolutely amazing -- we all did a great job of birthing her. I say we, because in the final analysis, humans made her human. There was no Tokyo Rose, and Iva Toguri never even heard of "her" until after the war ended.
Meticulously researched, lovingly drawn (I understand it took many years to write and publish, and Mr. Close himself is to be complimented for his dogged refusal to give up.), this is a moving, exciting, biography filled with intrigue, excitement, and humor, and an historical treasure trove depicting a time in our history that is both uplifting, and chilling.
I have a new hero
By J. Elnora Welker "Jelnora" (Kansas City, MO)
This book is a must-read for biography lovers - a double helping, so to speak, in that it's about two lives - one, the real life of a Japanese American woman named Iva Toguri, who was an American citizen, and the mythical creation, a siren/villan named Tokyo Rose. Frederick P. Close approaches both through Plutarch's "Parallel Lives," and brings them both to vivid life as he describes how their identities intersected during World War II.
This is one of the first books I've read in a long time that I absolutely did not want to put down -- even though it weighs in at probably 5 pounds and slightly over 500 pages. Yet despite the sometimes daunting chapter notes, which you really need to read to get a more fully fleshed view, and the books length, Mr. Close keeps the two story lines going brilliantly, peppering them with humor, and often resorting to eloquent prose. Iva Toguri comes into clear focus as a true American hero, not without flaws, but as a woman of integrity. We should all learn from her. Integrity, Mr. Close maintains, is the ultimate weapon we all possess to survive, no matter what hardships prevail. I want to be like her.
Tokyo Rose, who became Iva's own worst enemy, is also a fascinating character, mainly because she's completely made up by all of us, and her transformations and transgressions are absolutely amazing -- we all did a great job of birthing her. I say we, because in the final analysis, humans made her human. There was no Tokyo Rose, and Iva Toguri never even heard of "her" until after the war ended.
Meticulously researched, lovingly drawn (I understand it took many years to write and publish, and Mr. Close himself is to be complimented for his dogged refusal to give up.), this is a moving, exciting, biography filled with intrigue, excitement, and humor, and an historical treasure trove depicting a time in our history that is both uplifting, and chilling.
5 out of 5 stars
Biography worth reading
By Khadka (California, USA)
I picked this up on a whim. Having been born long after the `Tokyo Rose' debacle was settled, I'd rarely heard the name and next to nothing about the woman herself. As far as I knew, she was another Lord Haw-Haw putting out WWII propaganda and nothing more. This biography was truly illuminating! Iva Toguri, the woman ill-fated to become `Tokyo Rose,' was the victim of astounding circumstances. `Rose' was not a genuine person, but the unfortunate creation of war-time culture and sensationalism. Iva Toguri, however, was a very real American citizen, who found herself trapped in Imperial Japan throughout World War II only to return home accused of treason. Frederick Close, who knew Iva in her later years (Close goes to great depths to provide, I think, an unbiased biography), has accomplished an incredible feat of research that extends as far back as Iva's childhood in LA, to her hard years in Japan, her American trials, and beyond her attempt for appeal. Toguri's biography is paired, as the title notes, with the biography of `Tokyo Rose,' delving into the myth's creation and continuing survival. There is a great wealth of detail and information of both subjects here, as well as a plenitude of research on the people, places, and events Iva encountered throughout her long life. A well-written and entertaining look into the culture of WWII and a woman trapped by circumstance.
Biography worth reading
By Khadka (California, USA)
I picked this up on a whim. Having been born long after the `Tokyo Rose' debacle was settled, I'd rarely heard the name and next to nothing about the woman herself. As far as I knew, she was another Lord Haw-Haw putting out WWII propaganda and nothing more. This biography was truly illuminating! Iva Toguri, the woman ill-fated to become `Tokyo Rose,' was the victim of astounding circumstances. `Rose' was not a genuine person, but the unfortunate creation of war-time culture and sensationalism. Iva Toguri, however, was a very real American citizen, who found herself trapped in Imperial Japan throughout World War II only to return home accused of treason. Frederick Close, who knew Iva in her later years (Close goes to great depths to provide, I think, an unbiased biography), has accomplished an incredible feat of research that extends as far back as Iva's childhood in LA, to her hard years in Japan, her American trials, and beyond her attempt for appeal. Toguri's biography is paired, as the title notes, with the biography of `Tokyo Rose,' delving into the myth's creation and continuing survival. There is a great wealth of detail and information of both subjects here, as well as a plenitude of research on the people, places, and events Iva encountered throughout her long life. A well-written and entertaining look into the culture of WWII and a woman trapped by circumstance.
5 out of 5 stars
A book to make your blood boil!
By R.L.D. (Tokyo)
America has a lot of good aspects, but this idea of freedom and equality is mostly nonsense. Even at the founding , only a few white guys had any power. It was centuries before women, non-whites got some forms of equality. Mostly America has been for WASP.
I grew up knowing well a few Japanese families who worked part-time for my Dad. They had all been in internment camps although i was not aware of it at that time. I have now been living in Japan for 38 years with a Japanese wife and dual-citizen children. This book was an eye-opener on another aspect of the treatment of the Japanese. Very thoroughly documented and very readable book. I can only surmise that the person who gave this book a 1-star actually did not READ the entire book. He complains about things that are fully explained in the book.
A book to make your blood boil!
By R.L.D. (Tokyo)
America has a lot of good aspects, but this idea of freedom and equality is mostly nonsense. Even at the founding , only a few white guys had any power. It was centuries before women, non-whites got some forms of equality. Mostly America has been for WASP.
I grew up knowing well a few Japanese families who worked part-time for my Dad. They had all been in internment camps although i was not aware of it at that time. I have now been living in Japan for 38 years with a Japanese wife and dual-citizen children. This book was an eye-opener on another aspect of the treatment of the Japanese. Very thoroughly documented and very readable book. I can only surmise that the person who gave this book a 1-star actually did not READ the entire book. He complains about things that are fully explained in the book.
5 out of 5 stars
Biography worth reading
By Monsieur Mouton "M. Montgomery" (USA)
I picked this up on a whim. Having been born long after the ‘Tokyo Rose' debacle was settled, I'd rarely heard the name and next to nothing about the woman herself. As far as I knew, she was another Lord Haw-Haw putting out WWII propaganda and nothing more. This biography was truly illuminating! Iva Toguri, the woman ill-fated to become `Tokyo Rose,' was the victim of astounding circumstances. `Rose' was not a genuine person, but the unfortunate creation of war-time culture and sensationalism. Iva Toguri, however, was a very real American citizen, who found herself trapped in Imperial Japan throughout World War II only to return home accused of treason. Frederick Close, who knew Iva in her later years (Close goes to great depths to provide, I think, an unbiased biography), has accomplished an incredible feat of research that extends as far back as Iva's childhood in LA, to her hard years in Japan, her American trials, and beyond her attempt for appeal. Toguri's biography is paired, as the title notes, with the biography of `Tokyo Rose,' delving into the myth's creation and continuing survival. There is a great wealth of detail and information of both subjects here, as well as a plenitude of research on the people, places, and events Iva encountered throughout her long life. A well-written and entertaining look into the culture of WWII and a woman trapped by circumstance.
Biography worth reading
By Monsieur Mouton "M. Montgomery" (USA)
I picked this up on a whim. Having been born long after the ‘Tokyo Rose' debacle was settled, I'd rarely heard the name and next to nothing about the woman herself. As far as I knew, she was another Lord Haw-Haw putting out WWII propaganda and nothing more. This biography was truly illuminating! Iva Toguri, the woman ill-fated to become `Tokyo Rose,' was the victim of astounding circumstances. `Rose' was not a genuine person, but the unfortunate creation of war-time culture and sensationalism. Iva Toguri, however, was a very real American citizen, who found herself trapped in Imperial Japan throughout World War II only to return home accused of treason. Frederick Close, who knew Iva in her later years (Close goes to great depths to provide, I think, an unbiased biography), has accomplished an incredible feat of research that extends as far back as Iva's childhood in LA, to her hard years in Japan, her American trials, and beyond her attempt for appeal. Toguri's biography is paired, as the title notes, with the biography of `Tokyo Rose,' delving into the myth's creation and continuing survival. There is a great wealth of detail and information of both subjects here, as well as a plenitude of research on the people, places, and events Iva encountered throughout her long life. A well-written and entertaining look into the culture of WWII and a woman trapped by circumstance.
5 out of 5 stars
by Dave
A truly outstanding biography, based on the author's meticulous research stretching over decades, as well as his critical analysis, careful prose, and personal interviews with Iva Toguri. Highly recommended.
by Dave
A truly outstanding biography, based on the author's meticulous research stretching over decades, as well as his critical analysis, careful prose, and personal interviews with Iva Toguri. Highly recommended.
5 out of 5 stars
The definitive bio on IVA Toguri
by dwood78
This is the best book on the life of Iva Toguri, a Nisei who went to Japan to check on her sick aunt, but due to circumstances out of her control, she was stranded there after Pearl Harbor. To her credit, she refused to give up her US citizenship, as Japanese military government demanded of her & other Japanese Americans living in Japan. The book also explores the origins of the name "Tokyo Rose", a phrase which neither Toguri nor her fellow broadcasters at Radio Tokyo (today's NHK) used- it was a generic term used by the Allies in the Pacific for all Japanese female broadcasters..
Speaking of female broadcasters, this book also introduces us to Myrtle Liston, a Filipina who did propaganda broadcasts for the Japanese in the Philippines (which was then US territory) & was called "Manila Rose." Despite being involve in such broadcasts, she was never charged with anything & died in obscurity in 1982.
As for Toguri's involvement, on "The Zero Hour" it was because she was trying to make a living as her refusal to give her US citizenship made her an enemy alien & was barred from getting a war ration card. She agreed to do the show only after the show's producers (who were Allied POWs) promised her that she wouldn't broadcast anything that could hurt Allied morale & used the income to seek in food to imprisoned POWs. In the end, the Occupation Forces let her go (after she spent a year in jail) without charge, only to come back to a country which still harbors anti-Japanese bigotry & with a President (Truman) seeking reelection, had his DOJ charged her with treason. That trial is well detailed in this book, as is the aftermath & the attempts to pardon her-which only really took out after it became clear that some of the witnesses perjured themselves by order of the DOJ obsessed with getting a guilty verdict.
All in all, a really good, well written book. It's sadden that Toguri's life was ruined by the country she loves. Even in death, she's still seen by some as a traitor, rather than a real American patriot (the fact that months before her passing, the World War II Veterans Committee gave her their annal Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award should prove her loyal to this country). Iva Toguri was & is a real American patriot-even more so in my book than many of the people who went after her. A must read book.
The definitive bio on IVA Toguri
by dwood78
This is the best book on the life of Iva Toguri, a Nisei who went to Japan to check on her sick aunt, but due to circumstances out of her control, she was stranded there after Pearl Harbor. To her credit, she refused to give up her US citizenship, as Japanese military government demanded of her & other Japanese Americans living in Japan. The book also explores the origins of the name "Tokyo Rose", a phrase which neither Toguri nor her fellow broadcasters at Radio Tokyo (today's NHK) used- it was a generic term used by the Allies in the Pacific for all Japanese female broadcasters..
Speaking of female broadcasters, this book also introduces us to Myrtle Liston, a Filipina who did propaganda broadcasts for the Japanese in the Philippines (which was then US territory) & was called "Manila Rose." Despite being involve in such broadcasts, she was never charged with anything & died in obscurity in 1982.
As for Toguri's involvement, on "The Zero Hour" it was because she was trying to make a living as her refusal to give her US citizenship made her an enemy alien & was barred from getting a war ration card. She agreed to do the show only after the show's producers (who were Allied POWs) promised her that she wouldn't broadcast anything that could hurt Allied morale & used the income to seek in food to imprisoned POWs. In the end, the Occupation Forces let her go (after she spent a year in jail) without charge, only to come back to a country which still harbors anti-Japanese bigotry & with a President (Truman) seeking reelection, had his DOJ charged her with treason. That trial is well detailed in this book, as is the aftermath & the attempts to pardon her-which only really took out after it became clear that some of the witnesses perjured themselves by order of the DOJ obsessed with getting a guilty verdict.
All in all, a really good, well written book. It's sadden that Toguri's life was ruined by the country she loves. Even in death, she's still seen by some as a traitor, rather than a real American patriot (the fact that months before her passing, the World War II Veterans Committee gave her their annal Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award should prove her loyal to this country). Iva Toguri was & is a real American patriot-even more so in my book than many of the people who went after her. A must read book.
Professional Book Reviews
5 out of 5 stars
Perhaps the last word on Tokyo Rose
by Marco Buendia
There have been several books on the life and fortune of Iva Toguri, and the "Tokyo Rose" case. All investigations that I've seen, (after, of course, the railroading of Iva Toguri by the Feds) conclude that she was not guilty as charged. All the books I've seen were worth reading, for those interested in the case.
This is the most recent book and, in my view the best. Again, Iva Toguri is cleared of wrongdoing.
Author Close has written not only a close examination of the person and the case, but he's also done a great job of describing the myth of Tokyo Rose, worthy of a folklorist. Moreover, there is a psychological insight at work here that tells us something about why this sort of thing happens, why certain figures are scapegoated and what the pack is doing when it creates a demon like the post-war demon "Tokyo Rose", so different from what plain sailors in the US Navy remember, on board ship.
A sorry afternote to the whole mess: Toguri was *not* pardoned by President Ford because he saw the injustice of her treatment. He pardoned her because then-Senator SI Hayakawa pounded on him till he did it, a personal favor, shutting up a notorious nudnik. See the excellent biography of that figure, " Thought and Action: The Enigmatic Life of S. I. Hayakawa", by Gerald Haslam.
Perhaps the last word on Tokyo Rose
by Marco Buendia
There have been several books on the life and fortune of Iva Toguri, and the "Tokyo Rose" case. All investigations that I've seen, (after, of course, the railroading of Iva Toguri by the Feds) conclude that she was not guilty as charged. All the books I've seen were worth reading, for those interested in the case.
This is the most recent book and, in my view the best. Again, Iva Toguri is cleared of wrongdoing.
Author Close has written not only a close examination of the person and the case, but he's also done a great job of describing the myth of Tokyo Rose, worthy of a folklorist. Moreover, there is a psychological insight at work here that tells us something about why this sort of thing happens, why certain figures are scapegoated and what the pack is doing when it creates a demon like the post-war demon "Tokyo Rose", so different from what plain sailors in the US Navy remember, on board ship.
A sorry afternote to the whole mess: Toguri was *not* pardoned by President Ford because he saw the injustice of her treatment. He pardoned her because then-Senator SI Hayakawa pounded on him till he did it, a personal favor, shutting up a notorious nudnik. See the excellent biography of that figure, " Thought and Action: The Enigmatic Life of S. I. Hayakawa", by Gerald Haslam.
Publisher's Weekly
Web Exclusive Book Reviews / February 22, 2010 / STARRED Review
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/450117-Web_Exclusive_Book_Reviews_2_22_2010.php
Web Exclusive Book Reviews / February 22, 2010 / STARRED Review
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/450117-Web_Exclusive_Book_Reviews_2_22_2010.php
Tokyo Rose/An American Patriot: A Dual Biography
by Frederick P. Close
Rowman & Littlefield: hardback 2010; revised edition 2014
by Frederick P. Close
Rowman & Littlefield: hardback 2010; revised edition 2014
One of WWII's most sensational stories was that of Tokyo Rose: a Japanese radio propagandist who demoralized
American soldiers with stories of their wives' infidelity and impossibly accurate knowledge of U.S. troop
movements. The Tokyo Rose story thrilled and horrified Americans, especially when an American citizen, Iva
Toguri, was arrested for being the nefarious broadcaster. The problem, the U.S. government soon realized, was
that Toguri was forced into the position of propagandist, had not actually broken any laws, and had even helped
American POWs. Still, public opinion demanded that they prosecute, and she was ultimately convicted of treason.
By treating Tokyo Rose, the Pacific legend, and Iva Toguri, the American citizen trapped by circumstance, as
separate people, Close reaches into the heart of Cold War tension. Meticulously researched, Close's case explains
not only why Toguri was not a traitor, but also why the American people, in a time of desperation, needed to believe
she was. The result will prove compelling and readable for those interested in the Pacific theater, propaganda
studies, or the history of the Cold War; though lengthy, Close makes his 500-plus pages worthwhile with a rich
sense of context and detailed notes.
Association of College and Research Libraries
College and Research Libraries News / April, 2010, p. 219
by George M. Eberhart, senior editor of American Libraries
http://crln.acrl.org/content/71/4/218.full.pdf+html
College and Research Libraries News / April, 2010, p. 219
by George M. Eberhart, senior editor of American Libraries
http://crln.acrl.org/content/71/4/218.full.pdf+html
Tokyo Rose/An American Patriot examines the life of Iva Toguri, a Japanese-American woman who found herself
stranded in Japan when war was declared after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She managed to find work at a news
agency, then eventually was hired to host a Radio Tokyo program called The Zero Hour that featured Allied
prisoners of war coerced into reading news and propaganda. She used the nickname Orphan Ann. The name
Tokyo Rose soon became a generic name given by GIs to any of a dozen female broadcasters who tried to disrupt
the morale of Allied troops in the Pacific, but none of them actually used that name. Toguri refused to renounce her
U.S. citizenship and occasionally provided help to some Allied prisoners, but shortly after the war was over she
foolishly responded to a reporter's offer of $2,000 for an exclusive interview with Tokyo Rose. In 1949, she went on
trial charged with eight counts of treason, was convicted on one count, and served six years of a six-year prison
sentence. Close covers the trial in great detail, her experiences in prison, and her pardon by President Gerald Ford
in 1977 after a reporter discovered that two prosecution witnesses had lied under oath.
5 out of 5 stars
Definitive!
By William Stott (Austin, TX, and Santiago, Chile) (REAL NAME)
The definitive book on the woman who wasn't Tokyo Rose but who went to jail for being so considered. Thorough, intense, moving, full of interesting characters and surprises. One surprise is the "biography" of fictive Tokyo Rose, whose origins in American culture and the wartime imagination of American servicemen are set forth. The author knew Iva Toguri well and tells much of her story as she told it to him in extensive conversations. Nonetheless, he points out her flaws and misleading statements and even argues that she spoke the treasonous sentences for which she served six years in prison. Unputdownable.
Definitive!
By William Stott (Austin, TX, and Santiago, Chile) (REAL NAME)
The definitive book on the woman who wasn't Tokyo Rose but who went to jail for being so considered. Thorough, intense, moving, full of interesting characters and surprises. One surprise is the "biography" of fictive Tokyo Rose, whose origins in American culture and the wartime imagination of American servicemen are set forth. The author knew Iva Toguri well and tells much of her story as she told it to him in extensive conversations. Nonetheless, he points out her flaws and misleading statements and even argues that she spoke the treasonous sentences for which she served six years in prison. Unputdownable.
American Library Association, Booklist
by Margaret Flanagan
by Margaret Flanagan
Dubbed a dual biography, this personal history parallels the legend of the infamous—and largely fictitious—Tokyo
Rose with the true story of American patriot Iva Toguri. Trapped in Japan for the duration of World War II, Toguri
nevertheless exploited her position as an English-speaking disk jockey to aid Allied POWs in Tokyo's brutal Bunka
Camp. After the war, Toguri, accused of being Tokyo Rose, provided a convenient scapegoat for Americans eager
to point fingers and assess blame. Tried and wrongly convicted of treason, Toguri, an unfortunate victim of time and
circumstances, deserves another day in the court of public opinion. Close gives his subject her due by interweaving
the straightforward facts of her life with the fanciful mythology of Tokyo Rose. World War II buffs will appreciate this
attempt to set the record straight.
Tokyo Rose /
An American Patriot:
A Dual Biography
An American Patriot:
A Dual Biography
In addition, readers have posted reviews on Amazon and other book sites.
wwiiVehicles.com
Quite an amazing book to read about a very interesting person! Frederick Close makes a very thorough study of the
person widely acclaimed and convicted for treason as "Tokyo Rose." It covers an American born Iva Toguri's life
leading up to her being trapped in Japan at the start of the war. The trials and tribulations she suffered while under
suspicion by the Japanese authorities. Her working for Japanese Radio and eventually becoming an on-air
personality known as Orphan Ann.
Eventually Tokyo Rose covers the end of the war and the "hunt" for Tokyo Rose which lead American authorities to Iva Toguri. We learn about how she became Tokyo Rose to the world. This eventually lead her to being incarcerated, accused of treason, and tried for the same in American court. How the prosecution fabricated and forced others to lie about the reported evidence against her.
Well, you've probably heard about the results, but I'll leave the rest to those that want to read this very excellent book. Don't forget to read the notes at the end of each chapter as they have a wealth of information too.
I highly recommend this book!
Eventually Tokyo Rose covers the end of the war and the "hunt" for Tokyo Rose which lead American authorities to Iva Toguri. We learn about how she became Tokyo Rose to the world. This eventually lead her to being incarcerated, accused of treason, and tried for the same in American court. How the prosecution fabricated and forced others to lie about the reported evidence against her.
Well, you've probably heard about the results, but I'll leave the rest to those that want to read this very excellent book. Don't forget to read the notes at the end of each chapter as they have a wealth of information too.
I highly recommend this book!
5 out of 5 stars
My Grandfather's on the cover
By Maria
I got this book to give to my Grandmother and Mother. My Grandfather is on the cover. They enjoyed this book very much.
My Grandfather's on the cover
By Maria
I got this book to give to my Grandmother and Mother. My Grandfather is on the cover. They enjoyed this book very much.
The political website CONNECTING THE DOTS has published a two part article on the book and the case that
describes TR/AP as "penetrating." CTD Author Louis Barbash writes, "Full disclosure: I am not a stranger to this
book; I am mentioned in its acknowledgements. Its author, Fred Close, is a close and longstanding friend. I knew he
was working on this book for a considerable time. Through him, I met his subject, Iva Toguri. And I gathered that his
theme was the injustice of her conviction. But I was not prepared for the book’s depth, its evidentiary
meticulousness, or the author’s ability to balance the historical record with his friendship with Ms. Toguri." To read
the article or for more of CT's commentary on crucial political issues of the day, go to:
Connecting the Dots
by Louis Barbash
by Louis Barbash
American Library Association, CHOICE
by A. W. Austin, Professor of History, Misericordia University
by A. W. Austin, Professor of History, Misericordia University
Close sets out to tell a "dual biography" that compares and combines the "lives" of Iva Toguri, a Japanese
American who found herself trapped in Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and eventually became a
broadcaster for the Zero Hour program produced by Radio Tokyo, and Tokyo Rose, the fictive temptress whose
radio propaganda aimed to undermine US soldiers' morale in the Pacific. Presenting a thorough accounting of both
Toguri and Tokyo Rose from their respective "births" on, Close explores how a variety of forces--including racial
hostilities exacerbated by the war, curiosity about the "true" identity of Tokyo Rose, increasing Cold War tensions,
and even Toguri's ambition and naivete--all helped to forever connect Toguri, no matter how unfairly, to the
treasonous (though fictional) broadcaster. Close covers his subject in exacting, if occasionally repetitive or
disjointed, detail but is left to speculate at times (given the lack of extant evidence with which to work). Though Tokyo
Rose has received a good deal of scholarly attention, Close's very accessible book provides a meticulous history
that presents intriguing insights and raises new questions through its novel approach. Summing Up: Recommended.
5 out of 5 stars
A good balanced book about a much maligned woman.
by PotluckQueen
A good balanced book. I got it from the library because I knew her. She owned a Japanese store near my home in Chicago. Her niece was in my Girl Scout troop & she was one of the co-leaders. She was one of the most patriotic people I have ever known. She never discussed her personal history, but both my mom & dad who were in the Army Air Corps in World War II & they told me her story. I'm sorry, but if this country did to me & lied about me the way they did her, I certainly wouldn't have come back to this country, let alone to look kindly & forgive the United States.
A good balanced book about a much maligned woman.
by PotluckQueen
A good balanced book. I got it from the library because I knew her. She owned a Japanese store near my home in Chicago. Her niece was in my Girl Scout troop & she was one of the co-leaders. She was one of the most patriotic people I have ever known. She never discussed her personal history, but both my mom & dad who were in the Army Air Corps in World War II & they told me her story. I'm sorry, but if this country did to me & lied about me the way they did her, I certainly wouldn't have come back to this country, let alone to look kindly & forgive the United States.