Description
Hiroshima Time
Book Summary
An approach to Hiroshima from the present, devoid of sepia-toned clichés or the dramatism already told. Suso Mourelo Gómez invites us to travel through the city of the six arms, traced by the Ota River to the Seto Inland Sea, where the open wound spoken of by Kenzaburo Ôe has scarred over. This book offers a renewed look at a place that defied bad omens and today stands firm upon the earth, combining contemporary fiction with travel literature.
What is it about?
Hiroshima Time proposes a literary journey to the Japanese city from a current perspective, moving away from the images of destruction that have marked its historical memory. The author, through a narrative that transits between modern fiction and travelogue, explores how Hiroshima has managed to heal the open wound it represented for humanity. The arms of the Ota River, which extend to the Seto Inland Sea, serve as a metaphor for a city that, against all odds, has taken root in life once more. The book dismantles clichés to show a living reality, where the trees that defied bad omens cling firmly to the earth, and where the present imposes itself over a past that, although indelible, no longer completely defines the urban and human landscape.
Main themes
- The reconstruction of historical memory from a contemporary perspective.
- Overcoming collective trauma and the healing of open wounds.
- The city as a space of resistance and rebirth in the face of adversity.
- Travel as a tool for dismantling tropes and rediscovering a place.
- The relationship between the natural landscape (the Ota River, the Seto Inland Sea) and urban identity.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers interested in travel literature that seeks to go beyond the tourist guide, for those who wish to understand how a city can redefine its identity after a tragic event, and for lovers of contemporary fiction who explore memory, time, and resilience from a literary and reflective perspective.
What this book offers
- A renewed, cliché-free vision of Hiroshima, focused on its living present.
- A deep reflection on how cities and people can heal historical wounds.
- A story that combines the sensitivity of the traveler with the gaze of the contemporary narrator.
- A literary experience that invites us to rethink the relationship between past, memory, and future.
Technical specifications
- Author: Mourelo Gómez, Suso
- Publisher: La
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Modern and contemporary fiction, Travel literature
- Collection: Cuadernos de Horizonte
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: May 2018
- Number of pages: 144
- Weight: 150 g
Editorial review
A book that achieves the difficult balance between historical memory and a contemporary gaze, offering the reader a unique opportunity to rediscover Hiroshima from a literary and vital perspective. Suso Mourelo Gómez avoids a sensationalist tone and opts for a restrained but powerful narrative, which will appeal both to those who know the city's history and to those approaching it for the first time. Ideal for those seeking a brief but meaning-dense read.