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The Wind Cannot Read
Winner of the 1948 John Llewellyn Rhys PrizeA poignant novel of forbidden love, The Wind Cannot Read is the story of Michael Quinn, an English airman, who falls in love with Sabby, his Japanese teacher, in India during the Second World War. "Enemies" in the eyes of his friends and fellow soldiers, they must keep their romance a secret in the face of great danger. And tragedy awaits them both when Quinn is sent behind enemy lines in Burma . . .Cinematic in both its scope and depth of feeling, The Wind Cannot Read was made into a film starring Dirk Bogarde and Yoko Tani in 1958. Richard Mason's descriptive powers are at their zenith in this touching wartime romance, which is a must-read for anyone who loved his timeless bestseller, The World of Suzie Wong.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1946
12 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Richard Mason
37 books12 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Richard Mason was an English novelist. Born near Manchester, he was educated in Dorset, then worked first on a film magazine and later for the British Council. The Second World War gave him a chance to learn Japanese and he became an interrogator of prisoners of war.
Mason wrote The Wind Cannot Read which was finished during the Burma Campaign; The Shadow and the Peak (filmed as Passionate Summer, starring Dirk Bogarde); and The Fever Tree, a story of espionage set in India and Nepal.
His experiences while living in Hong Kong inspired him to write The World of Suzie Wong. This was adapted into a Broadway play in 1958 and a film in 1960.
Mason died of throat cancer in Rome, where he had lived for nearly 40 years.
Richard Mason was an English novelist. Born near Manchester, he was educated in Dorset, then worked first on a film magazine and later for the British Council. The Second World War gave him a chance to learn Japanese and he became an interrogator of prisoners of war.
Mason wrote The Wind Cannot Read which was finished during the Burma Campaign; The Shadow and the Peak (filmed as Passionate Summer, starring Dirk Bogarde); and The Fever Tree, a story of espionage set in India and Nepal.
His experiences while living in Hong Kong inspired him to write The World of Suzie Wong. This was adapted into a Broadway play in 1958 and a film in 1960.
Mason died of throat cancer in Rome, where he had lived for nearly 40 years.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 29, 2023
New Review
Read this for the second time. Because I had only read his Suzie Wong before (since, I've read all his work), some patterns eluded me. Sure, the comparison between two exotic women was there. But with Sabby, in Wind, she is often cloying. Suzie is of course much more world weary but also much more endearing. That may be a problem for some people worrying about Orientalism. And there is no doubt this novel revives some of the Madama Butterfly imagery of an earlier generation. Nonetheless, I enjoy Richard Mason more and more. Just sorry that he burned out after Suzie and hadn't anything else to say in book form.
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Old Review
Of Richard Mason's other novels, I have only read The World of Suzie Wong, but it makes for some good comparisons with The Wind Cannot Read. Of course, there is the similarity between the two sets of protagonists, the somewhat misplaced Asian woman, in this case, Sabby, a Japanese woman marooned in India during World War II. There is also the hero, a Briton unmoored in Asia, with Michael Quinn, in this novel, being an RAF airman recovering in Bombay from wounds received on the retreat out of Burma. And stylistically you can also see that Mason has a tendency to cocoon his characters. Most often literally into each others' arms and in exotic locales.
And that brings up another matter. Mason has a good sense of atmosphere in his two books. But usually he comes about it indirectly, almost tangentially. Rarely does he paint outright descriptions of his places. Rather, the feel of houses, cities, trains, and hotels emerges as a reflection of his characters' desires. There are a couple of exceptions, the visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal and Quinn's capture by the Japanese in Burma during the last third of the story.
The latter part of the book might be the best. For not only do the confines of the jungle seem to strangle and starve Michael, they also have something of the same effect on the reader. As with many good writers, Mason creates the conditions for urgency that overwhelm the senses along with the physical obstacles in Quinn's path. Along the way, Mason also does something remarkable for a novel written barely one year after the conclusion of World War II. His description of his Japanese captors often allows them to be humanized. Yes, the brutal side is there. But so is the experience of the wartime Japanese soldier simply drafted into a situation he has no control over. In doing this, Mason anticipates similar efforts that would not take place in literature and cinema until a decade or more later.
Then, there is Sabby herself. The wartime romance between a British officer and a Japanese woman being depicted in a 1946 novel must have created a challenging situation in the minds of many readers for whom Japan's wartime atrocities were still a fresh memory. Yet if the story of Sabby and Michael is at the heart of The Wind Cannot Read, it is also a weak point. Simply put, Sabby doesn't have much to say or think about other than doting over Michael. Because of that, she seems shallow, if not trivial. Even the brief exchanges between Michael and his Japanese captors have more depth. Mason has a gift for dialog involving repartee. He is at his best when it is between Michael and other soldiers in the zone of war. But for some reason, he can't carry this over into the conversations between Michael and Sabby. It's something he did manage to perfect in Suzie Wong, which makes that latter novel something of a masterpiece.
Finally, note that there is a filmed version of this novel, made in 1958, with Dirk Bogarde and Yoko Tani. It's largely successful in adapting the atmosphere of the novel. This is due in no small part because of the significant photography made on location in India. Alas, the film stumbles at the end. This melodrama is turned into saccharine soap opera. So much so that it's almost painful to watch. Mason had the ability in the novel, however, to put a harder edge on things. His conclusion doesn't disappoint. It has a philosophical bent to it. The wider vista of life yet to be lived conflicts with the lingering sense of sorrow, each trying to win permanency in the soul.
Read this for the second time. Because I had only read his Suzie Wong before (since, I've read all his work), some patterns eluded me. Sure, the comparison between two exotic women was there. But with Sabby, in Wind, she is often cloying. Suzie is of course much more world weary but also much more endearing. That may be a problem for some people worrying about Orientalism. And there is no doubt this novel revives some of the Madama Butterfly imagery of an earlier generation. Nonetheless, I enjoy Richard Mason more and more. Just sorry that he burned out after Suzie and hadn't anything else to say in book form.
-------------------------------
Old Review
Of Richard Mason's other novels, I have only read The World of Suzie Wong, but it makes for some good comparisons with The Wind Cannot Read. Of course, there is the similarity between the two sets of protagonists, the somewhat misplaced Asian woman, in this case, Sabby, a Japanese woman marooned in India during World War II. There is also the hero, a Briton unmoored in Asia, with Michael Quinn, in this novel, being an RAF airman recovering in Bombay from wounds received on the retreat out of Burma. And stylistically you can also see that Mason has a tendency to cocoon his characters. Most often literally into each others' arms and in exotic locales.
And that brings up another matter. Mason has a good sense of atmosphere in his two books. But usually he comes about it indirectly, almost tangentially. Rarely does he paint outright descriptions of his places. Rather, the feel of houses, cities, trains, and hotels emerges as a reflection of his characters' desires. There are a couple of exceptions, the visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal and Quinn's capture by the Japanese in Burma during the last third of the story.
The latter part of the book might be the best. For not only do the confines of the jungle seem to strangle and starve Michael, they also have something of the same effect on the reader. As with many good writers, Mason creates the conditions for urgency that overwhelm the senses along with the physical obstacles in Quinn's path. Along the way, Mason also does something remarkable for a novel written barely one year after the conclusion of World War II. His description of his Japanese captors often allows them to be humanized. Yes, the brutal side is there. But so is the experience of the wartime Japanese soldier simply drafted into a situation he has no control over. In doing this, Mason anticipates similar efforts that would not take place in literature and cinema until a decade or more later.
Then, there is Sabby herself. The wartime romance between a British officer and a Japanese woman being depicted in a 1946 novel must have created a challenging situation in the minds of many readers for whom Japan's wartime atrocities were still a fresh memory. Yet if the story of Sabby and Michael is at the heart of The Wind Cannot Read, it is also a weak point. Simply put, Sabby doesn't have much to say or think about other than doting over Michael. Because of that, she seems shallow, if not trivial. Even the brief exchanges between Michael and his Japanese captors have more depth. Mason has a gift for dialog involving repartee. He is at his best when it is between Michael and other soldiers in the zone of war. But for some reason, he can't carry this over into the conversations between Michael and Sabby. It's something he did manage to perfect in Suzie Wong, which makes that latter novel something of a masterpiece.
Finally, note that there is a filmed version of this novel, made in 1958, with Dirk Bogarde and Yoko Tani. It's largely successful in adapting the atmosphere of the novel. This is due in no small part because of the significant photography made on location in India. Alas, the film stumbles at the end. This melodrama is turned into saccharine soap opera. So much so that it's almost painful to watch. Mason had the ability in the novel, however, to put a harder edge on things. His conclusion doesn't disappoint. It has a philosophical bent to it. The wider vista of life yet to be lived conflicts with the lingering sense of sorrow, each trying to win permanency in the soul.
July 1, 2018
A treasure discovered.
Like most readers, my reading behavior says more than words. I forced myself to not read the novel in one gulp. There were enough similarities between the novel & some of my life’s experiences that I remembered & felt some of my old bittersweet emotions return. The writer regularly revealed keen observations of humanity & the skill to describe them with transparency.
Like most readers, my reading behavior says more than words. I forced myself to not read the novel in one gulp. There were enough similarities between the novel & some of my life’s experiences that I remembered & felt some of my old bittersweet emotions return. The writer regularly revealed keen observations of humanity & the skill to describe them with transparency.
December 28, 2020
Just beautiful. Have read at least 10 times so far in my life
February 22, 2024
Sub-"Love is a many-splendoured thing" weepie that may be best remembered as the source of the line "I don't want to go to Chelsea."
December 2, 2020
I read this because it was one of my Mum's favs but it's quite dated. I didn't like the ending: Michael came through being captured, and escaping, being shot, hunger, thirst, despair and rescue only to race back (in time) to Sabby's side who is in hospital having undergone brain surgery. So she gets to die happy that he still loves her!
I don't know - he lost his girl, he nearly lost his arm, and his life but she dies happy. Unsatisfactory ending for my liking. Won't be recommending.
I don't know - he lost his girl, he nearly lost his arm, and his life but she dies happy. Unsatisfactory ending for my liking. Won't be recommending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2020
A lot of details with a great description of feelings and situations. Some things repeat all over, but in general it's worth reading.
February 24, 2010
Life's too short for this book. Boring. Giving up.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews