March 2, 2017, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
United Hebrew Congregation
13788 Conway Road
St. Louis, MO 63141
Spielberg Chapel
Join us for a discussion of the book The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende. In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis, young Alma Belasco’s parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There she encounters Ichimei Fukuda, the quiet and gentle son of the family’s Japanese gardener. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart as Ichimei and his family are declared enemies and forcibly relocated to internment camps. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love that they are forever forced to hide from the world.
Decades later, Irina Bazili, a care worker, meets the elderly woman and her grandson, Seth. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, eventually learning about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.
You can join us for just one session if you like a particular book or come to all of the sessions. There is no long-term commitment necessary. So that we know how many people to expect, RSVP to April Hickman.
Upcoming Book Selections
March 2: The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende
April 6: The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
May 4: The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark
June 1: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald