Barefoot Gen

From the publishers:

This harrowing story of Hiroshima was one of the original Japanese manga series. New and unabridged, this is an all-new translation of the author's first-person experiences of Hiroshima and its aftermath, is a reminder of the suffering war brings to innocent people. Its emotions and experiences speak to children and adults everywhere. Volume one of this ten-part series details the events leading up to and immediately following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

My thoughts:

I think with any story that is painful to tell, the listener must also be in the mood to hear said painful stories. I am not saying that we must be silent, but I was listening to a podcast of a woman whose father was a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp and he would not tell his story to her. She kept asking and when he was dying, she asked him to please tell her his story. Her father said once I open that door, it cannot be closed. That is how this is. Even if this is a manga, if you open the door, you cannot close it again. Painful stories, told in comic form, are still painful. This is Nakazawa's life. If you are thinking of reading this series, be ready to open the door or leave it closed and walk away.