Book Review - A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow by Naomi O'Hara
Category Book Review Naomi O'Hara A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow
A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow by Naomi O'Hara isn't the normal type of reading fare I'd pick up. But the near-future "Homeland Security" angle intrigued me. It turned out to be pretty good from a contemplation angle, and she makes some interesting points on how patriotism plays out when taken to the extreme.
The story takes place in 2021. Dr. Naomi O'Hara, a person of Japanese heritage, is taking the train from Washington State to New York in order to visit relatives and see the 9/11 memorial. She's dealing with her mortality, as she has cancer. Part of the reason for going by train is to meet others and hear their stories. Given how many days it takes to make that trip, she has plenty of opportunity. A Vietnam veteran tells her his story of survival and love during the war, all before he suffers a heart attack and has to be removed from the train. A Lakota native American sits with her and shares his view of life and the land he was raised in. One of the more interesting people is a young girl who's a sophomore in college and has her own unique view of life. Winding through the stories and the trip is the view of what America has become in the name of "security" and "patriotism". Homeland Security has unlimited power to stop and detain potential "terrorists". All the media is tilted towards selling the public on why our never-ending wars are important to preserve our freedoms. And of course, not conforming to the norms of society can quickly cost you your freedom.
In terms of action and plot, this book doesn't have much of either. It's more of a character-driven story that dives deeply into the themes of freedom and patriotism. This is done in a variety of ways, from going back to O'Hara's childhood in post-war Japan to watching and hearing the ever-present "Patriot screen" broadcasts that appear in most all populated locations. While we're not to that point in America (yet), it's not hard to make the jump from where we are to the society she paints in her book.
There's an underlying current of mystery around the book. The author's name is a pseudonym used to protect their privacy, but you'll also note that it's the name of the main character in the story. Makes me wonder how much, if any, of the book may be autobiographical. This is also supposed to be the first of a series, and I'll admit I'm curious to see where this might end up going. While it's not the "action/adventure" recreational reading I normally do, it definitely makes you think...
A Letter That Will Come Tomorrow by Naomi O'Hara isn't the normal type of reading fare I'd pick up. But the near-future "Homeland Security" angle intrigued me. It turned out to be pretty good from a contemplation angle, and she makes some interesting points on how patriotism plays out when taken to the extreme.
The story takes place in 2021. Dr. Naomi O'Hara, a person of Japanese heritage, is taking the train from Washington State to New York in order to visit relatives and see the 9/11 memorial. She's dealing with her mortality, as she has cancer. Part of the reason for going by train is to meet others and hear their stories. Given how many days it takes to make that trip, she has plenty of opportunity. A Vietnam veteran tells her his story of survival and love during the war, all before he suffers a heart attack and has to be removed from the train. A Lakota native American sits with her and shares his view of life and the land he was raised in. One of the more interesting people is a young girl who's a sophomore in college and has her own unique view of life. Winding through the stories and the trip is the view of what America has become in the name of "security" and "patriotism". Homeland Security has unlimited power to stop and detain potential "terrorists". All the media is tilted towards selling the public on why our never-ending wars are important to preserve our freedoms. And of course, not conforming to the norms of society can quickly cost you your freedom.
In terms of action and plot, this book doesn't have much of either. It's more of a character-driven story that dives deeply into the themes of freedom and patriotism. This is done in a variety of ways, from going back to O'Hara's childhood in post-war Japan to watching and hearing the ever-present "Patriot screen" broadcasts that appear in most all populated locations. While we're not to that point in America (yet), it's not hard to make the jump from where we are to the society she paints in her book.
There's an underlying current of mystery around the book. The author's name is a pseudonym used to protect their privacy, but you'll also note that it's the name of the main character in the story. Makes me wonder how much, if any, of the book may be autobiographical. This is also supposed to be the first of a series, and I'll admit I'm curious to see where this might end up going. While it's not the "action/adventure" recreational reading I normally do, it definitely makes you think...
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