Seven Downs and Eight Ups

Book excerpt: This is an autobiography of a Japanese woman who has lived in three countries: Japan, the United States, and Germany. She writes about her life in Japan during the 1930s and 1940s, before and during World War II, which is quite different from a modern Japan of today. She came to the United States in 1953 to study sociology. She relates her life of a student, with stories of fairy tale existence and culture shocks. Then, with her husband, she moved to Germany, where she lived for thirty-six years. She tells about her life in Germany of postwar economic miracle period through the fall of the Berlin Wall and thereafter. Ever curious, her mind constantly compares Japan, the United States, and Germany through her daily life, travels, and work experiences. The book deals with her life of ups and downs. With her courage, optimism, and luck, she has always come up from the downs.