Gifted Hands: Saino No Aru Te by Kenneth Fenter "A chance for love the second time around."

Author: Kenneth Fenter
Publisher: Arborwood Press

Amazon: Gifted Hands: Saino No Aru Te by Kenneth Fenter

Release Date: Available Now
ISBN: 978-1479168804, 1479168807

Page Count: 361
Genre: Romance Contemporary
Reviewer: Teresa

Rating: 5 Angels + RR

Gifted Hands by Kenneth Fenter explores the life of Charlie Kelly first in the trials of youth to adulthood.

This story begins in nineteen fifty three with a chapter from the earlier novel Pivotal Times when Charlie returns home after serving his time in the army in Sasebo, Japan where he met and fell in love with Keiko Shimamura, a Japanese English teacher. What began as a friendship, blossomed into a love that seemed to span the cultural differences between Keiko and Charlie. Keiko traveled to the USA to continue her education and quickly gained the love of Charlie’s family. When her father was tragically injured in a fishing accident, Keiko returned home and weeks went by without a letter forcing Charlie move on with the love and support of their mutual friend, Carla. Charlie’s life is full of love and family until Carla’s unexpected death threatened to spiral him into depression once again. Charlie decides to take a year to gain a new perspective while he travels around the world. His first stop is Japan where a series of misadventures lead him to new friends and maybe a love he never quite forgot.

The love between Keiko and Charlie was torn apart by distance and cultural differences that were incredibly difficult to overcome in the nineteen fifties. It was beautiful how Keiko asked Carla to look after Charlie so he would never be alone. The years for Charlie passed much easier than Keiko who struggled to build a life for herself after she discovered that it was her mother who kept them apart by destroying the letters they sent to each other. I was fascinated by the cultural differences between Japan and the USA as the many foreigners struggled to be accepted by the Japanese people. It was wonderful how the people gathered around Father Alverez for friendship and understanding in a society vastly different than they were used to. Seeing Japan through Charlie’s eyes brought its majesty and beauty alive for me. The cultural differences and the way the people in Japan look at things can be frustrating and fascinating to anyone who visits Japan. I actually spent time in Japan and found its people for the most part very accepting of other cultures, but there are always a few exceptions like Charlie saw. If for one enjoyed every second and enjoyed experiencing Japan through Charlie’s and Keiko’s eyes as they got their chance for love the second time around.   Teresa

Impressions of Gifted Hands: Saino no Aru Te by author, filmmaker, screenwriter - Rod Nave

Gifted Hands: Saino no aru te
By Kenneth Fenter

Review of “Gifted Hands”
By Rod Nave
Author . Filmmaker . Screenwriter

What I appreciate about Gifted Hands, the fourth in a series, written by Kenneth Fenter, is that the experience of reading this book, reminds me of savoring a fine dose of vintage wine. It’s difficult to replicate the intrinsic craft of a journalism teacher, who has spent decades of his life as a professional, perfecting the art of the word, but the author has very much done so.

We as the reader can always revel about today’s new trend in young writers, such as J.K. Rowling’s smash hit series, “Harry Potter” or Stephenie Myer’s horror-thriller paperbacks, “Twilight,” but can they really hold a candle to the expertise of a true literary pioneer, who has carefully orchestrated his experiences, honing them with gifted hands, into a piece of art, through his crafted-diligence of knowing Asian culture and creating narrative to the point the reader is saying, “I really think, see, feel and taste this fictionalized reality.”

I was taken by Kenneth’s story from the beginning of the book. During the occupation after World War II, the lead character, Charles, is besieged by his lingering, haunting memories of his old love, Keiko, who is native Japanese, during his tour of duty in Nagasaki, Japan, the town he met her. This reminds me of the haunting-passion staged in Jimmy Stewart, the lead character of the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, “Vertigo”, which moves this story forward, and captivates my interests in the writing intention, to draw the passion for Charlie, to relive his glory days, who is self-absorbed in Asian culture, which is expressed in grand detail, by my accounts and leads the reader into a greater experience of an enriched life when he returns to Japan 20 years later.

Many lessons of life and love are expressed in the following pages, lending credible journeys of family love, culture and religion. It’s this political-family’s camaraderie, that bonds us to a higher-spirit and awakens the mindset, that I felt was remarkably executed in Kenneth’s writing, that opens my insight to a greater understanding.

This story transcends the invisible likes of distinct race, creed and culture, that I became absorbed in “Gifted Hands,” which is a book that you can put in a special place for other great novels of classic literary works. I can read this book over and over again and still learn more in great detail, because the author a known teacher and as well as a journalist, craft maker, and adventurer, has lived and preached his work, like an experienced watch smith, who has perfected his art, to a greater way, whose every intricate cog, screw and gem is working precisely, in unison and near perfection.

The book in conjunction with the author, are a 2 in 1 achievement in grand story telling that still evokes and teaches you a thing or two about life, right when you have thought you heard it all and think you have it all figured-out. Kenneth takes you by the hand and guides you into a broader experience of life, seen through his life and intricately places oneself into the soul of Charlie’s travels and experience of Japan. The drama unfolds into a sortie “cat and mouse” espionage with those of “political significance” and their underground ties, that makes you breath and live what Charlie feels, whose true passion is love, which conquers all.

My Mother’s birthday is within 2 weeks and I can’t think of a better gift for her, than “Gifted Hands”, especially knowing that Kenneth Fenter is the same man who schooled my sister Denice, into becoming a yearbook editor, but also a fine lady she had become.     Rod Nave

 

Rod Nave is a 1972 graduate of Springfield High School who attended the University of Oregon School of Journalism. He is an author, filmmaker and screenwriter.

Here is a very early animation written and collaborated on by Rod on youtube. Adventures of Dynamo Duck Rod is now in Hollywood working on more serious film endeavors.

 

Good things happen when a master teacher thinks outside the box

The preceding post is a review of Gifted Hands: Saino no Aru Te by Rod Nave, author, screenwriter, filmmaker.

I first met Rod this summer at the reunion of the Springfield High School class of 1972. I didn't have the pleasure of having Rod in my journalism classes back during his days at SHS. However I did mentor his sister Denice. She was in my yearbook class and rose to the position of editor-in-chief her senior year. She was an advisor's dream. She was organized, had ideas, and all I had to do was provide a framework for her to operate within. Publishing a high school year at that time was a $7000 dollar operation and we had to be self sustaining, through subscriptions and advertising. Our goal was to have a maximum number of subscribers in a blue collar neighborhood so we had to produce a quality book at a minimum subscription rate. She understood that and rallied her staff to sell books, advertising and photographers and section editors to produce an outstanding product to justify everyone's effort. All her deadlines were met on time. And she was the type of individual that by her personality everyone wanted to work for her. She was a natural leader and set the example for them to follow.

At the reunion I asked Rod how she was doing and where she was. He acted surprised and then informed me that she had been killed in an auto accident about five years ago. He was gentle in the telling and told about the things he and the family had done to commemorate her remarkable but short life. He had brought a photo and plaque.

Separately, Rod shared that during high school he wasn't too interested in English until one of the teachers, Dale Canaday, had suggested that Rod try writing a short story. Rod had enjoyed that and from then on he became hooked on short story writing. Dale recognized his talent for story telling and suggested he look into the school of journalism at the U of O and that's where Rod ended up.

In his career Rod has become Author of numerous short stories, written screen plays, and become film maker. You can youtube him to see some of the fun things he has done including the live animation link the preceding link.

Master teachers like Dale Canaday recognized that some students, like Rod, needed a different approach than the traditional. The creativity kept them from sitting still long enough.

When I put out the word looking for reviewers for the novel Gifted Hands, Rod sent me a note saying he would like to give it a read. I was excited to see his reaction. I was honored that he did.

Kenneth Fenter 

Kakure Kirishitans, the Hidden Christians of Japan important part of new novel by Kenneth Fenter

I did a series of
Stained Glass Windows
about the persecution
of the Christians of
Kyushu. This is the one
of the Daimyō grave-
yard in Ōmura town of
Daimyō Ōmura.
Design by Ken Fenter
size 36"x12" 

In my new novel Gifted Hands: Sainō no aru te, the principal female character is a descendent of the historical Kakure Kirishitans of Japan. In the prologue she tells her the family of what she hopes will be her future parents-in-law the history of the Hidden Christians and of their leader Daimyō Ōmura (King Ōmura). Her connection is her ancestor who had been a retainer of the exiled king, exiled to his estate in the town of Ōmura near Nagasaki by the Tokugawa government in the mid 1600s. When Daimyō Ōmura died his retainers fled knowing they would be executed as they like their leader had never rejected their Christianity. In the middle of the night they fled to the Goto Islands off the western coast of Kyushu west of the mouth of the Bay of Ōmura. There they and their descendants lived not as Samurai but as fishermen. They continued to worship as "Hidden Christians - Kakure Kirishitans." To escape discovery and death, they carried no written Christian publications with them nor any Christian artifact. All text was passed down by memory from adult to child for 200 years until the Meiji Restoration in 1873.

Photo by Ken Fenter 1979

Shortly after the restoration the Catholic Cathedral was built at Urakami in Nagasaki (which was ironically the epicenter of the A-Bomb blast in 1945). The Oura Catholic Church was built shortly after the Urakami church was built. This brought an exodus from the islands of the Kakure Kirishitans to rejoin the church. Some didn't like what they saw and continued to practice.

In recent times weather and archeological examination discovered a small imperfection in a monument beside Daimyō Ōmura's gravestone and investigated it. Behind the stone they found an engraving of the cross.

This graveyard figures significantly and symbolically in the novel Gifted Hands: Sainō no aru te.

Kenneth Fenter

Suteindo Garasu: Stained Glass by Kenneth Fenter being re-released by Kenneth Fenter

Window design by Barboa of Hong Kong Stained Glass for
The Nagai Center, Nagasaki Japan by Kenneth Fenter, 1979 size 6'x6'

I'm in the process of re-releasing the non-fiction book Steindo Garasu: Stained Glass that I published under the imprint of Cross Cultural Press back in 1989. It is a trip down memory lane and also requires close reading and editing to remove scanning errors.
The preceding post of the photo from Junshin Junior College held up by Father Aguilar was prompted by that process.
I'm at the point in the book of arriving at the Nagai Center with my first batch of stained glass windows for the chapel in the Nagai Center. Part of that chapter tells about the name Nagai Center and the man it was named after, Dr. Takashi Nagai. Back up form the mid fifties to 1945 to see where Dr. Nagai came in. I'm going to lift a section from the book Suteindo Garasu.

The three story concrete building had been built about half way up the slope on Motohara Machi about a half mile from the Urakami Cathedral. Father Aguilar had named the Center after Dr. Nagai a famous figure in Nagasaki's struggle to recover from the effects of the atomic bombing.

One irony of the A-bombing of Nagasaki was the location of the epicenter of that blast, which was almost directly over the Urakami Cathedral. Japan had fewer than a million Christians out of a popu­lation of about 100 million at the time of the bombing. Most of them lived in the Urakami district surrounding the cathedral. When the bomb detonated, it had nearly wiped out the Christian population of Japan.

The mountainous terrain of Nagasaki saved it from the absolute destruction that the A-Bomb had done to Hiroshima, which is bowl shaped. Even with some protection, 175,000 people either died immediately, or within a short time, from the direct blast or radiation aftermath.

The U.S. Army projected the area would not be inhabitable for 75 years and Nagasaki and Hiroshima would be wastelands today if nature had not taken a hand and washed the area clean with a rain storm and a typhoon soon after the bombing.

Dr. Tatsuichiro Akizuki in his book Document of A-Bombed Na­gasaki (translated and published 1977 by Keiichi Nagata 1024 Narutaki-Machi, Nagasaki, Japan, 850) describes the storm and its effect on the radiation poisoning. According to him, people were dying by the hundreds every day until thirty days after the bombing. Medical supplies were practically non-existent. Mercurochrome was all the doctor had to treat victims whose flesh was falling away. For most people, shelters amounted to little more than holes in the ground covered with blackened, twisted sheets of corrugated tin. Dr. Akizuki and his surviving peers were almost powerless but worked endlessly. The doctors were themselves ill from the radiation. On the evening of September 2, a day Dr. Akizuki called the "210th Day, the storm day," it began to sprinkle. That night the rain poured. Makeshift shelters were washed away, people drowned in the flooding. Water raced down the denuded slopes and rushed to the ocean. The suffering of the burned and dying was intensified by the soaking and the "awful terror" of the storm. Because even surviving houses were severely damaged, there was no shelter from the deluge and wind. For two days, the storm raged and by the time it had passed more than twelve inches of rain had fallen. Two weeks later Nagasaki and Hiroshima were again inundated by Typhoon Mukurazaki the largest typhoon to hit that part of Japan since re­cords had been kept.

When the sun came out after each storm, the air "was changed." Much of the nausea that had been with everyone began to pass. The radiation in the top soil and the ashes had been washed out to sea. From that time onward, the people began to improve from radiation sickness and to make what recovery they could, according to Dr. Akizuki.

For years, the area had remained vacant even though the radia­tion readings were no longer at a dangerous level. Dr. Takashi Nagai, an influential Christian Doctor of Nagasaki, wanted people to move back into the area, but people were afraid and shunned it. Some institutions originally located in the destroyed zone, such as Chinzei Gakuin, a private school, had moved to Isahaya. The Junshin convent had moved to a mountain top several miles away.

Dr. Nagai believed that people would not move back into the area until the Urakami Cathedral was rebuilt. People would return to the area when they could hear the bells of Urakami. His prediction came true. When the Urakami Cathedral was restored, and the bells rang out reassurance to the people, they began rebuilding along the slopes and valleys around the church. The complete story is told in the book The Bells of Nagasaki, by Takashi Nagai, Kodansha, 1984.

In honor of Dr. Nagai's tireless dedication to the project of rebuilding the Urakami Cathedral, Jose Aguilar had named the youth center he supervised, the Nagai Students' Center.

Aguilar intended the Center to be a place where local youth could go to play table tennis, study languages, or have meetings, dinners or parties. The Center acted as youth hostel for the hordes of traveling students during the months of March and August while school was in recess. For 400 yen ($2.00 in 1980) they could sleep on a futon in one of the two dormitory rooms. The room on the fourth floor was for the women, third floor for the men. For an extra fifty yen they could have breakfast consisting of green tea, a bowl of rice, and a slice of bread with butter. Also on the fourth floor was a chapel for a small but dedicated congregation. The youth liked the Center because, although the rules were no different from numer­ous other youth hostels in temples around the country, Aguilar spent minimum time preaching to them.

For years we received a New Year's greeting form Father Aguilar. In recent years we have not. Attempts to reach him have been unanswered. When I google the Nagai Center nothing comes up. I have to assume he has retired. The last time I saw the good Father he was still there and as lively as ever in 1990.

Kenneth Fenter.

Stained glass in the library of Junshin Junior College, Nagasaki Japan

Stained glass window at Junshin College, Nagasaki Japan

In my just released novel Gifted Hands: Sainō No Aru Te the character Kathleen teaches at Junshin Junior College for women in Nagasaki Japan. Junshin college is run by a Catholic order and sits on the top of a mountain to the north of the city where it was moved after the original school's destruction of the atomic bombing in 1945.

In the fall of 1980, in preparation for the coming visit to Nagasaki by Pope John Paul II to Nagasaki and a possible visit to Junshin, I was asked to create a series of stained glass windows for the new library at the college.

This I did and delivered in time as the library was being finished. I came across one of the photos today and thought I would share it with you. The task was to show the Nagasaki city flower the hydrangea and the flower that grows in profusion on the slopes of the mountain on which the college was built, the poppy. In the center is the Madonna and the Christ Child. Holding the window on the left is Father Aguilar who ran the Nagai Catholic youth center where I stayed in Nagasaki and on the right is a teaching nun at Junshin. Father Aguilar and his center were the models for the priest and center for Father Alvarez and the Kokusai Center, fictional character and institution in Gifted Hands.

Kenneth Fenter

Writing a book the old fashioned way in longhand

Megane Bashi in Isahaya Park, famous for the Azalea Festival
in the Spring, featured in the novel underway.

I learned to touch type back in high school in 1956 and got quite good at it. When the IBM Selectric typewriters came out my speed got pretty respectable and for most of life I didn't have to rely on my poor handwriting.

I do believe that genes have something to do with handwriting. My mother had beautiful handwriting. My older brother and at least one of my sisters inherited that handwriting. It is a joy to read. My Dad's was very difficult to read. Sadly my handwriting took after his and my grade school teacher lost his patience with me many times as I tried to stay within the lined paper following the Palmer Method of penmanship.

I've edited my novels by hand but never tried writing them in longhand before. They have all been written on either typewriter or computer until now.

The one I'm working on now, so far is being written in long hand in notebooks and I have to say I'm enjoying the process. In some regards I'm finding it more creative than doing it at the machine because I'm not being interrupted as often. And I can keep the notebook with me where ever I go. If I'm waiting in the car, don't want to be tied to my desk, want to sit on the deck, etc. I've got the freedom to do that. Sometimes it is nice to have the mobility.

Now the act of getting it entered into the computer is done by speaking it into the headset. I can enter a chapter about as fast as I can read it. If the computer doesn't understand a word, I can spell it for the machine. In the process of reading the text, I can hear whether it makes sense and do some editing as I go along too. If I need to look something up, I can stop and look it up. But I didn't have to do it as I was going through the thought process. I can draw a line and put in a question mark and go on.

I know this isn't new to people who have been doing this for a while, but it has taken me a long time to come to this and thought I'd share it.

So far the book is coming along remarkably well using this process and interestingly enough my handwriting is improving in the process. How about that.

 Kenneth Fenter