"Phyllis, this is a spectacular and fascinating memoir. Not only did I learn so much about you, but I learned a tremendous amount about Japanese culture and customs, especially about all the fine details of Japanese domestic life. Your memory, attention to minute yet important and interesting details especially eating, sleeping, and bathing arrangements passages about the bombing, and shipboard accounts are riveting. This is a moving, powerful, graceful, and loving tribute to the years you spent in Japan, and more importantly, to your ability to truly make the most of it." - Linda Charnes, Professor of English, Indiana University