2009 (my review can be found on the LibraryThing page linked)
http://www.librarything.com/topic/68641#1629173 ( )

Even after the war, life is difficult for Gen and his family. There are plenty of tearful moments, including one which nearly undoes the indefatigable Gen. ( )

This has probably been my favorite of the Barefoot Gen series so far. The first two books in the series, dealing with the bombing and the immediate results, are easily the most "forever seared into my brain." In them were images that I cannot shake. These were strong for their visual storytelling and I'll likely always think of the first two volumes when I reflect on this series.

Of the first four volumes, Out of the Ashes has the most well-rounded story, however. It touches on many aspects that are much more personal, including the spiritual, and questions of loyalty and honor. The beauty and horror of the few deaths in this fourth volume are as unforgettable and heartrending as the mass casualties in the first three volumes.

Out of the Ashes is nearly perfect, but it does still rely on way too much comic violence for my taste. I've complained about that before with this series, but frankly, I don't care for the every-other-page hitting for the sake of comedy. I understand it may be part of the style, but personally I find it detracts from the heart of the story. ( )

Gen saga in postwar Hiroshima continues. When you think you have seen the last appaling thing something worst is awaiting for you about the corner. The dreadfulness of it all is counterbalanced by Gen's will to live and the common support between him and his remaining family members.

This should be mandatory reading about the dreadful consequences of nuclear weapons. To think modern weapons are many times more powerful than the one dropped in Hiroshima is a most horryfying thought. ( )