Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Everyone loved our March selection, a debut novel by a western author.  The title was perfect for this bitter sweet story.  The basement of the real Panama Hotel in Seattle was a place where many Japanese families stored their belongings before they were taken to internment camps during WWII.  During renovations in 1986, an older Chinese man searches through the storage to find a jazz album and other belongings of his lost love.  There were so many things to discuss:  patriotism, China/Japan relations, prejudices, father/son relations, first loves, forbidden love, cafeteria ladies, friendship, loyalty, WWII, Minidoka, traditions....and more.  Here's a quote from a reviewer that I liked:

Ford expertly nails the sweet innocence of first love, the cruelty of racism, the blindness of patriotism, the astonishing unknowns between parents and their children, and the sadness and satisfaction at the end of a life well lived.

Besides a great book, the potluck was pretty yummy too.  I'll be bugging people for their recipes - chicken salad, pasta salad, big shell caserole - mmm mmm good!