Dr. Song Nai Rhee, NCU professor and academic dean emeritus, publishes an inspirational romance novel, Beautiful as the Rainbow, by Inspiring Voices, a service of Guidepost.
Moved after learning about the extraordinary life story of Nashimoto Masako, a beautiful
Japanese princess of noble character, Dr. Song Nai Rhee felt compelled to pen Beautiful as the Rainbow: Nashimoto Masako, a Japanese Princess Against All Odds for Life, Love, and Happiness, a historical novel about an engrossing love story.
Based on true events, Beautiful as the Rainbow takes readers back to early 20th century Japan and Korea in mortal conflicts, where they follow a beautiful Japanese princess and Korea’s crown prince being brought together by forces beyond their control.
While being groomed to become the wife of Crown Prince Hirohito, future emperor of Japan, Japan’s military rulers suddenly decided to give Princess Masako to Yi Eun, Korea’s crown prince, for political purposes.
Like a fish in a net or a bird in a snare, Princess Masako turned and twisted to live, to be free, and to be happy. Painfully aware that events in her life were beyond her control, however, she decided to accept her destiny. Even so, the imposed destiny would not control her, for she decided to become a heroine, not a victim of her misfortunes.
“Masako’s story is about the power of human spirit transforming misfortunes, adversities, and unwished destinies to patches of paradise as beautiful as the rainbow,” says Dr. Rhee.
Masako was born a Shintoist, practiced Buddhism during Japan’s postwar turbulence, and became a Christian toward the end of her life. Thus, ultimately her story is that of a life-time personal journey toward Christ, the Savior of the world and her own life.
As the readers follow Princess Masako in her calm but determined pursuit of life, love, and happiness with courage, faith, hope, dignity, and honor in the midst of cruelties, treacheries, tragedies, and misfortunes, Beautiful as the Rainbow will have them both cheering and weeping with its heroine along the way.
Dr. Rhee will be donating royalties from the sale of the book to support an NCU scholarship fund and charity works begun by Masako.
The book is available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book versions and may be ordered through InspiringVoicesBookStore.com; Amazon.com; BarnesandNoble.com; or your local bookstore.