About this item
On his 81st birthday, without explanation, Karen Fisher-Alaniz's father placed two weathered notebooks on her lap. Inside were more than 400 pages of letters he'd written to his parents during WWII. She began reading them, and the more she read, the more she discovered about the man she never knew.They began to meet for lunch every week, for her to ask him questions, and him to provide the answers. It was through this process that she discovered the secret role he played in WWII. Karen's father was part of a small and elite group of men who were trained to copy and break top-secret Japanese code transmitted in Katakana.Through this journey, with painful memories now at the forefront of his thoughts, Karen's father began to suffer, making their meetings as much about healing as discovery.
About the Author
Hello, and welcome to my page! I'm so glad you're here. I was born and raised in Washington state (the real Washington). I taught special education for 14-years before embarking on a new path. I've been writing for fun since first grade. But I never considered writing a book until my father began to tell me his story. Writing, Breaking the Code was a very long process. Initially, I was simply going to transcribe the (WWII) letters he gave me. But the more I read, the more questions I had. My dad and I started having breakfast together every Wednesday so I could ask questions. What emerged, slowly, haltingly, was a life-story I could never have imagined.Update: My father and I are overwhelmed with the support our readers have offered. Things have happened so fast, it seems. Dad joins me when he is able, to sign books at bookstores and other events. I swear he never tires of it. We were even interviewed by NPR's, Audie Cornish, which you can listen to on the NPR.com website by finding, Weekend Edition, Sunday, on 11/6/11. We look forward to meeting you at a signing or on the web some time. A huge thanks to our readers! ~Karen
