Sophie and the Rising Sun

By: Augusta Trobaugh

Narrated by: Rue McClanahan

In sleepy Salty Creek, Georgia, strangers are rare. When a quiet, unassuming stranger arrives - a Japanese man with a secret history of his own - he becomes the talk of the town and a new beginning for lonely Sophie, who lost her first love during World War I.

Middle-aged Sophie had resigned herself to a passionless existence. That all begins to change as she finds herself drawn to the mysterious Mr. Oto. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Mr. Oto's newfound life comes under siege; his safety, even in Salty Creek, is no longer certain. Sophie must decide how much she is willing to risk for a future with the man who has brought such joy into her life. Visit the author at: www.AugustaTrobaugh.com

©2001 Augusta Trobaugh (P)2001 BelleBooks, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Trobaugh depicts in aching detail the isolation that racism occasions, and once again suggests the small but heartwarming triumphs made possible by human dignity and courage." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Trobaugh ( Resting in the Bosom of the Lamb) has written another Southern novel featuring a beautiful and unusual love story. Recommended for all public libraries." ( Library Journal)

"An unforgettable story of an extraordinary love and a town’s prejudice during World War II. Sophie and the Rising Sun suggests the small but heartwarming triumphs made possible by human dignity and courage.” ( Publisher’s Weekly)

Sweet story

I read this sweet story for book club. Glad I did. Beautifully told and narrated.

I think i prefer the movie

Listened to the book because i had seen the movie. Quite enjoyed the narration, but found the author’s writing style to be a bit jarring at times and wanting at others. Additionally, certain story points could have done with more focus or investment. The ending, for me, is too vague and rather disappointing when it comes to the main couple. Overall though, not a bad story. Probably won’t read more of the author’s works though.

Southern to the Bone, Yet Beautifully So

Oh, my gracious, what a lovely southern tale of a middle aged woman in Georgia before and during WWII . . . beautiful Sophie, painting along the creek, secluded . . . and admired by Mr. Oto . . . having already lost her first love in WWI . . . Sophie's childhood friendship with little Sally, that ended because her mama said that the little black girl was "dirty", broke my heart . . . and mean old Ruth who was in everybody's business, yet she was in the church pew every Sunday . . . Miss Anne, Sophie's friend who is telling the story, and who eventually breaks every rule of polite society . . . Mr. Oto's sighting of the crane, the story that his father told him as a boy and his painting of the crane wife gave the story a fairy tale feeling . . . the narration was first rate . . . perfect . . . what Miss Anne did was extraordinary for the time, and made the book absolutely wonderful . . . and her dressing down of Ruth was long overdue . . . its been a long, long time since I've felt so satisfied after listening to a book . . . BRAVO!

BEAUTIFUL!

I purchased this book after watching the movie on Netflix. The movie was so special that I just didn't want it to end, so I purchased the audiobook. It's such a wonderful story and is one that will be in my heart and thoughts for years. It's so heartwarming and sweet. Rue McClanahan does a PERFECT job of narration. There couldn't have been a better choice. I loved the book and highly recommend it.

very good story

This was narrated by Rue McClanahan of Golden Girls fame and she did a good job but sometimes with someone so recognizable her voice almost gets in the way of the story because you are picturing her as all the characters instead of the characters speaking for themselves.


I am not sure what I was expecting when I started this book but what I got was a beautiful chaste love story between southern belle Sophie and Japanese American Mr. Oto. This was a beautifully written look at the south during the time of Pearl Harbor and everything changed for Mr. Oto and the women in his life his boss Miss Ann and his friend (and woman he loves) Miss Sophie. But this was so much more than a love story; it’s a friendship story and also a historical look at a very tough time especially for Japanese Americans and the people who cared about them, and the people who blamed them for everything.

This was a sweet story and even the “bad guy/woman” was redeemable she wasn’t so much a bad guy just an old busybody. My favorite character was Big Sally, or Queen Sally as she’d rather be called, she took such good care of everyone. I liked the friendships in this book between Sally, Sophie and Miss Ann.

This is a short, but good story , if you are a fan southern fiction and/or friendship stories I would recommend this one.