Anyone who has taken a bit of world history knows how the War in the Pacific concluded: following an executive order by President Harry Truman, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But before Fat Man and Little Boy, General Douglas MacArthur had devised a plan to invade the Japanese archipelago. Operation Downfall would have been the largest amphibious invasion in history, with estimated casualties reaching seven figures.
In Michael Dana Kennedy’s debut novel The Flowers of Edo, readers get inside Operation Downfall like never before through the eyes of a new American hero, Ken Kobayashi. The young Japanese-American intelligence officer, understanding the costs of war, volunteers to infiltrate the Imperial Japanese Army to collect the intel needed to reduce the loss of life on both sides. In this dramatic tale recounting the final days of World War II, Kennedy takes readers into war room meetings as the Allied forces present their campaign to invade Japan. As we follow Lt. Kobayashi across Japan, we witness a Japanese landscape decimated by fire bombings as the Land of the Rising Sun continues to maintain its war machine in a lost cause.
Kennedy reminds readers of the human element that is always on the frontlines. As he presents so vividly in this meticulously researched novel, there is a story behind every soldier, sailor, airman and marine. Those who have read the book agree: such a story, even when tragic, can be a thing of beauty.
“Sure to fascinate all who are interested in the lives of those who experienced the conflict between Japan and the United States in the mid-20th century.”
—Annette Gordon-Reed, Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in History
“The struggle of a soldier’s courage and loyalty to country is at the core of Michael Dana Kennedy’s debut novel. The Flowers of Edo embraces not only the significant historical context but the rich cultural intricacies like few historical novels.”
—James Bradley, New York Times bestselling author of Flags of Our Fathers
“An excellent book! The Flowers of Edo is a gripping historical novel focused on the final months of WWII, with an authentic Japanese setting and an intriguing plot. Both entertaining and educational…a delightful adventure and experience!”
—Admiral James R. Hogg, U.S. Navy (retired) Commander Seventh Fleet (1983-85)
Before Apollo’s Song first hit American bookshelves in 2007 few would have thought Tezuka’s twisted tale of love gone wrong would become a best-seller. But much like Tezuka’s Buddha before it, once it finally was experienced it was immediately received with praise from the highest sources of print media.
