Heart of a Samurai

I do love when an author takes historical fact to form the base of a beautifully woven story. Margi Preus did just that with Heart of a Samurai, taking the true story of a young Japanese boy in the 1800s who becomes stranded with fellow fisherman on an island after a storm. Japan was closed off from the rest of the world at that time and he knows even if he survives he will never be allowed to return home.

So starts the story of Nakahama Manjiro, who joins a whaling crew and travels the world. This is a great historical novel with plenty of adventure and heart.