America's Song Book

This book was the play of the musical Pacific Overtures. Having never seen the musical I did not really enjoy the play. It is about the Japanese becoming aware of the United States coming in for a visit. However, it was against the law for non-Japanese people to walk on their homeland. The leaders select Kayama to go out and order the Americans away. When they refuse, he sets up a "meeting" at a place that is technically not Japanese land, in the hopes that they will thereafter go away. Much to the chagrin of the Japanese, the Americans come back, along with the British, Russians and other country representatives. The play then goes on to show the repercussions of having first allowed the Americans to "open the door" to Japan.

This is not a bad book, though trying to read a musical I have not seen left me unfulfilled when I finished the book, which is why I rated it only 2 stars. I feel like I missed things, and did not have a complete understanding as to what was going on during the scenes, and would therefore recommend it only to people who have seen the play.