A stirring story of love and hope, based on the incredible true story of Australia's first Japanese war bride and a love that changed a nation forever.
Gordon Parker is just an eager eighteen-year-old Australian boy desperate to fight for his country, and Nobuko 'Cherry' Sakuramoto is a sixteen-year-old girl struggling to survive in Japan in the aftermath of World War II. But when they fall in love, they change the course of history.
When Gordon arrives in Japan, he expects ruthless samurai, angry Japanese men ready to kill Australians at every corner. Instead, he finds Cherry, terrified of ex-enemy soldiers, a 16-year-old survivor of the atomic bomb. Against all the rules and against all odds, they fall in love. But when Gordon discovers the White Australia Policy prevents Cherry coming home with him as his war bride, Gordon does what any 20-year-old soldier would do. He vows to fight. Leaving Cherry alone and pregnant in post-war Japan, Gordon somehow has to convince his family to accept his marriage and wage a desperate campaign against a xenophobic and war-scarred government to allow his wife and his family to come home.
A story spanning seven years and two countries reeling from the aftermath of war, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree is a sweeping and moving novel about faith, trust, and the power of a love that alters history - written by Gordon and Cherry's granddaughter, accomplished scriptwriter, Alli Parker.
About the Author
Alli Parker is a Japanese-Australian author and screenwriter, with a background in script editing and script co-ordinating. Her debut historical fiction novel, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree, is a novelisation of the true story of Australia's first Japanese war bride and Alli's grandmother. She co-wrote episodes of crime drama series Jack Irish, romantic thriller series Secret Bridesmaids' Business and mystery telemovie series Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. Her credits as a script editor and co-ordinator include Irreverent, Jack Irish series 1, 2, & 3, Shantaram, Secret Bridesmaids' Business, Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, Ride Like A Girl, Sunshine, Please Like Me series 4 and Utopia series 1 & 2.
Industry Reviews
'A stunning story of faith, hope and love ... Parker's debut into historical fiction is beautiful in every sense.' The Australian
'An impressive debut novel ... a standout ... beautifully done. At the Foot of the Cherry Tree delivers both educational value and emotional impact. The connection to real-life individuals adds a wonderful dimension to the novel, reminding readers of the genuine struggles faced by these brave and resilient Australians.' Books+Publishing
'Based on a true story. Screenwriter [Alli] Parker, granddaughter of Australia's first Japanese war bride, has the family resilience and a sweeping writing style to take on one of the most devastating wartime atrocities in history ... A gentle love story expands into an epic novelisation.' Australian Women's Weekly
