Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Reading groups are fun and tonight we discuss our book for this month.  The time is WW II and the place is Seattle, with its large Asian population.  The main character is a teen Chinese boy who comes to know a Japanese girl.  As political events swirl around them they develop a deep friendship.  Their relationship is tested with the internment orders for those of Japanese descent and the possibility of a long separation.

The novel is a touching story about war and what it does to local communities.  Ford captures the heightened emotions of the era and the individual lives greatly changed by international events.  He has combined a touching love story with the conflict such love causes when it crosses ethnic boundaries.  It is a thoughtful and very well written book. 
Anyone who wants to understand more of the turbulent times on the west coast during WW II will benefit from reading Ford's book.
The reader's guide at the back of the book makes this book a great choice for reading groups.
Ballantine paperback, 285 pages.