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Yoko’s Diary Edited by Paul Ham, Translated by Debbie Edwards
JUDGES' COMMENTS
Yoko's Diary is the powerfully moving diary of a Japanese school girl who was caught up in one of modern history’s most horrific events — the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. Yoko Moriwaki started her diary in April 1945 documenting her life and the struggles of her community to support the war effort. Like many Japanese, however, Yoko believed the state propaganda that suggested victory was near, a mindset that made the events of 6 August 1945 all the more horrific. The diary provides engaging insights into Yoko’s personality and her daily routine in the midst of war and devastation.
Yoko’s words resonate thanks to Edwards' sensitive and poetic translation and the contextual notes provided by Ham that link the story to the wider events of the period, making for a new and powerful insight into the events of nearly 70 years ago. One cannot help but be moved by Yoko’s Diary.