{"product_id":"9781462903559","title":"Harp of Burma","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHarp of Burma\u003c\/i\u003e is Japan's haunting answer to Germany's well-known requiem for the First World War, \u003ci\u003eAll Quiet on the Western Front\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWinner of the prestigious Mainichi Shuppan Bunkasho prize, and the subject of an acclaimed film by Ichikawa Kon, \u003ci\u003eHarp of Burma\u003c\/i\u003e portrays a company of Japanese troops who are losing a desperate campaign against British forces in the tropical jungles of Burma. The young soldiers discover that the trials of war involve more than just opposing the enemy. The foreign climate and terrain, the strange behavior of foreigners, the constant struggle to overcome homesickness and nostalgia, and the emotions stirred by the senselessness of war—all of these forces, new and baffling to the soldiers, contribute to their distress and disorientation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the midst of these overwhelming challenges, they discover the power of music to make even the toughest situations tolerable—through their commander's ability to lead them in song. Even though they face the inevitability of defeat, singing the songs of their homeland revives their will to live. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough the story of these men and of the music that saw them through the war, Takeyama presents thought-provoking questions about political hostilities and the men who unleash them. \u003ci\u003eHarp of Burma\u003c\/i\u003e is Japan's classic novel of  pathos and compassion in the midst of  senseless warfare.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eHarp of Burma\u003c\/i\u003e was made into a critically acclaimed movie (\u003ci\u003eThe Burmese Harp\u003c\/i\u003e) by the celebrated director Ichikawa Kon.","brand":"Tuttle Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47155682967792,"sku":"9781462903559","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781462903559_p0.jpg?v=1763679714","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781462903559","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}