Music on the Bamboo Radio

Music on the Bamboo Radio
Music on the Bamboo Radio  
Author(s) Martin Booth
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre(s) Adventure novel
Publication date 1997
Published in
English
1997
Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback)

Music on the Bamboo Radio is a novel written by Martin Booth that was first published in 1997. The story revolves around Nicholas Holford, the main character and minor relations can be made to Martin Booth's life during the Second World War.

Plot summary

The story begins with the Japanese army’s defeat of the British forces occupying Hong Kong on 25 December, 1941. Nicholas is an eleven-year old boy whose parents have both suddenly disappeared in the chaos of war breaking out. As the Japanese come to do a home to home search, three loyal family servants, Tang, his wife Ah Mee, and the gardener Ah Kwan take Nicholas and they escape to Kowloon as Hong Kong Island is no longer safe. Upon reaching the shore of Kowloon, Tang and Ah Mee disguise Nicholas as a Chinese boy and the trip continues to Tang's home village, the village of Sek Wan.

Nicholas passes the years of the war here with Tang and his family. He is given the Chinese name Wing Ming. During this time, many events happen. Nicholas makes a dangerous journey back to Kowloon to get quinine cure to the malaria Tang has contracted. He also helps the Communist partiasn army – The East River Column Fighters- to translate instructions for using heavy explosives. Nicholas joins the partisan army on a mission to Kowloon where they blow up a railway bridge and weaken the position of the Japanese army. Yet his most dangerous job would have been to deliver a medicine into the prison of war camps (POW camps). Taking news or items to prison camps is nicknamed "playing music on the bamboo radio". Nicholas does more than expected by entering the camp itself because the person who he was supposed to pass the medicine to had the fever. Exhausted and worried, Nicholas narrowly escapes the clutches of the Japanese with the help of the prisoners and finally reaches the safety of Sek Wan village.

As the war comes to an end, Nicholas returns to his home on Hong Kong Island, and when he returned, everything is ruined, his home is badly damaged. As he walks through the house he finds his mother. Nicholas does not recognise her, she seems much older and exhausted, but he knows it is his mother. It is nearly four years since he was last at home. At first he introduces himself as Wing Ming, then he remembers that he is Nicholas Holford.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Music of the Philippines — Music of Southeast Asia Brunei Cambodia …   Wikipedia

  • Music of the Maldives — Music of South Asia Bangladesh Bhutan …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Barbados — The music of Barbados includes distinctive national styles of folk and popular music, including elements of Western classical and religious music. The culture of Barbados is a syncretic mix of African and British elements, and the island s music… …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Indonesia — Gongs from Java Timeline • Samples Genres Classical …   Wikipedia

  • Music of China — Timeline General topics Traditional Chinese instruments …   Wikipedia

  • The Beach Boys — The Beach Boys, de arriba a abajo: Dennis Wilson, Al Jar …   Wikipedia Español

  • Music of Japan — The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 (ongaku), combining the kanji 音 ( on sound) with the kanji 楽 ( gaku fun, comfort).[1] Japan is the second… …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Hawaii — Music of the United States AK AL AR AS AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA GU HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Mali — Music of Mali: Subjects Jeli Bajourou Kora Pop music Wassoulou Folk music Timeline and Samples Francophone Africa …   Wikipedia

  • Music of Puerto Rico — The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe. Native popular genres include bomba, plena, and seis, while …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”