barefoot gen is the most impressive testimony of war I have ever read. all quiet on the western front delivers a similar experience, but barefoot gen really gets under the skin. perhaps because the protagonist is a child or maybe because it's told in a comic book format.
the author keiji nakazawa, who survived the nuclear bomb dropped in hiroshima, goes into details to tell his own story.
barefoot gen is available in more than 20 languages and it should be a compulsory book to be read by anyone who wants to learn more about the firepower and devastation of a nuclear bomb.
it's impossible not to swallow hard while reading this book.
nevertheless, gen is a 6 years old child and his tragic story will also bring us some moments of redemption. after all, the author didn't only survive this barbaric act, he lived to tell how and his work is almost a manifesto. despite all the suffering, he didn't lose hope and his faith in mankind.
comic books are actually a unique medium to practice a new language you are learning. with barefoot gen one can practice a foreign language and learn more about history at the same time.
one sure thing: you will never forget his story.
1 comment:
I liked this idea!
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