Autumn Diary

Tamiki Hara (1905-1951) is best known for his short story, "Summer Flowers" ("Natsu no Hana, 1947), a firsthand account of the horror of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. Now considered a key work in atomic bomb literature, much of his fame rests on this work. However, despite his own suffering and straitened circumstances, he has a substantial body of post-defeat writing. This story focusses on the days and weeks before his wife's death and, though the author's despair is palpable in each word, so too can the reader sense the depth of his love and affection for his wife, and hers for him.

This short story was translated by Max Macfarlane, Daisuke Okuda, and Xinwen Cao--students in the 2023 Japanese-English class (JPNS3013) run by Mark Gibeau at the ANU. Cover art by Max Macfarlane.