The Emperor's Guest
by Titia Bozuwa

In the Emperor’s Guest, Titia Bozuwa gives a riveting account of her husband’s WW II experiences, when, as a sixteen -year -old, he finds himself in what was then called the Dutch East Indies.

After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese invade the island of Java where his father is commander of the Dutch Naval Air Force. The ensuing tale of this Dutch family is a spellbinding account of the transition from colonialists to captives in a country far from an equally war -torn motherland. The story chronicles shipwrecks, escape attempts, military and national honor, and the way in which people coalesce in difficult times. It is at once a disturbing account of wartime atrocities and a rollicking tale.

At age seventeen, Gijs was interned in a men’s camp. For almost three years he is separated from his family, and he has no choice but to fend for himself. New friends, unforgettable characters like Pieter Donk and Keereweer, cross his path. Together they face painful beatings, illness and hunger.

Unbeknown to him the atom bomb saves his life.

The reader can’t help but admire the resilience and compassion of this story’s characters, who refuse to have their spirits broken by humiliation and degradation.

Click here to read an excerpt from the book.

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ISBN 978-097548254-4 $18.50

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