Hiroshima Boy

Shinji Mikamo, a teenager, is working with his father when there is a blinding flash - and then another. When he wakes, he is severely injured, burned all over his body, and covered with rubble. Somehow his father manages to move the debris off him and together they begin to move through the city, searching for help. They were - it turns out - only 1200 metres away from the centre of the bomb. The Hiroshima Boy tells the story of Shinji and his journey through Hiroshima as he comes face to face with the utter destruction of the city and meetings neighbours, friends and strangers suffering unimaginable injuries. It is a story of immense suffering, courage and hope. Includes an afterword by Shinji's daughter, Akiko Mikamo, who was born in Hiroshima in 1961 and who dedicated her life to solving cultural conflict and peace.