A Song for Nagasaki
Subtitle: The Story of Takashi Nagai - Scientist, Convert, and Survivor of the Atomic Bomb
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Published: October 1, 2009
Place of publication: San Francisco, California, USA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 267
ISBN-13: 9781586173432
Description: On August 9, 1945, an American B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, killing tens of thousands of people in the blink of an eye, while fatally injuring and poisoning thousands more. Among the survivors was Takashi Nagai, a pioneer in radiology research and a convert to the Catholic Faith. Living in the rubble of the ruined city and suffering from leukemia caused by over-exposure to radiation, Nagai lived out the remainder of his remarkable life by bringing physical and spiritual healing to his war-weary people. 


A Song for Nagasaki tells the moving story of this extraordinary man, beginning with his boyhood and the heroic tales and stoic virtues of his family's Shinto religion. It reveals the inspiring story of Nagai's remarkable spiritual journey from Shintoism to atheism to Catholicism. Mixed with interesting details about Japanese history and culture, the biography traces Nagai's spiritual quest as he studied medicine at Nagasaki University, served as a medic with the Japanese army during its occupation of Manchuria, and returned to Nagasaki to dedicate himself to the science of radiology. The historic Catholic district of the city, where Nagai became a Catholic and began a family, was ground zero for the atomic bomb.

After the bomb disaster that killed thousands, including Nagai's beloved wife, Nagai, then Dean of Radiology at Nagasaki University, threw himself into service to the countless victims of the bomb explosion, even though it meant deadly exposure to the radiation which eventually would cause his own death. While dying, he also wrote powerful books that became best-sellers in Japan. These included The Bells of Nagasaki, which resonated deeply with the Japanese people in their great suffering as it explores the Christian message of love and forgiveness. Nagai became a highly revered man and is considered a saint by many Japanese people.
Table of contents: title: Forward; title: Calmness, the Number One Son
label: 1.; title: Fireflies, Snow and a Lioness
label: 2.; title: Kublai Khan, Tsune and Pascal
label: 3.; title: The Mouse Who Could Not See the Stars
label: 4.; title: 'Tis an Ill Wind
label: 5.; title: The Hidden Christians
label: 6.; title: The Bells of Nagasaki
label: 7.; title: Dew on a Morning Glory
label: 8.; title: Silent Night and a Precious Life
label: 9.; title: The Virgin and the Prostitute
label: 10.; title: The Great Pan is Dead
label: 11.; title: At the Feet of a Janitor-Sensei
label: 12.; title: White Australia and the Yellow Peril
label: 13.; title: Typhoons and Graceful Bamboo
label: 14.; title: A Christian Nenbutsu and the Dark Night
label: 15.; title: Arrogant Heike Tumble
label: 16.; title: The Machine That Turned on Its Master
label: 17.; title: But Midori Will Be Beside Me
label: 18.; title: When the Sun Turned Black
label: 19.; title: And the Rain Turned to Poison
label: 20.; title: The Last Black Hole in the Universe?
label: 21.; title: Talking Bones and a New Mantra
label: 22.; title: High Noon, and a Nation Wept
label: 23.; title: Not from Chance Our Comfort Springs
label: 24.; title: The Parable of the Bare Hut
label: 25.; title: The Little Girl Who Could Not Cry
label: 26.; title: The Song of a Tokyo Leper
label: 27.; title: The Bluebird Who Visited the Bear
label: 28.; title: The Navel of the World
label: 29.; title: Cherry Blossoms Fall on the Third Day
label: 30.; title: For All That Has Been, Thanks; for All That Will Be, Yes
label: 31.; title: Epilogue; title: Glossary of Japanese Words; title: Acknowledgements; title: Notes