PERILS AND PEARLS by Hulda Bachman-Neeb

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Book Details:

Book Title:  Perils and Pearls: In World War II, a Family's Story of Survival and Freedom from Japanese Jungle Prison Camps by Hulda Bachman-Neeb
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction, 190 pages
Genre:  Memoir / Japanese History
Publisher:  BristleCone Press
Release date:   September, 2019
Content Rating: PG: There are mentions of decapitation and ugly jail or camp scenes and murder. No bad words, no expletives, no drug use and no drinking.

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"The story of our Dutch family being ripped apart isn't unique. Millions suffered beyond description during the war. However, today, I have the opportunity to share our story with others so that they may know just how priceless their freedom is. That is my sincerest wish in bringing this book to the general public." - Hulda Bachmann-Neeb

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Book Description:

In World War II much of Asia fell under Japanese control after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. All non-Asians were imprisoned in concentration camps until August of 1945, the end of the war in the Pacific. This is the story of a Dutch family, resident in the Dutch East Indies, that fell victim to the Japanese occupation and was interned in jungle camps throughout the war. It tells the journey from riches to rags, from fear and suffering, to the joy of freedom and recovery.

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Meet the Author:

What are my main interests?

First and foremost ranks my love of classical music. Many a Sunday my husband and I have a midday lunch, so we have the afternoon and evening to play our music. More often than not, we watch a DVD of a Mozart opera. The more we listen, the more we know we cannot possibly fathom his creations. We traveled to Vienna and Salzburg with our book: ”In Mozart’s footsteps.” We grew closer to him, but not anywhere closer to understanding his talent. My husband says: “It comes from Above”. A conductor was once asked which composer he loved most: Beethoven or Mozart. He answered: “Beethoven takes us to heaven, Mozart comes from there.” Traditionally, we listen to Bach’s Sint Matthew’s Passion on Palm Sunday. These interests answer to my interest in the Beyond. 
On my travels with the Netherlands Foreign Office, I had come across strange phenomena. In Sri Lanka pilgrims walked on beds of coal without blisters or hung themselves from hooks on trees without shedding too much blood. All for penitence and enriching the subconscious.
This got me into books, into Sufism, into Buddhism and finally into Christianity, where I belong.

In between music and study, I play lots of golf, and have been playing since my early twenties. While in the Foreign Service on my assignments the game enabled me to join local clubs and get acquainted with the people of the country. It is a great game, played always in the most spectacular surroundings on meticulously kept green fairways with beautiful grass. A typical round takes about 3 to 4 hours, spent in nature and fresh air with friends. I don’t play a musical instrument, I don’t sew, I don’t cook (other than getting a simple meal on the table), I don’t draw or paint, but I read, listen to music and play golf. And I volunteer where and when I can.

Hulda Bachman–Neeb was born in Indonesia of colonial Dutch parentage two years before the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Because much of Asia fell under Japanese control, all non-Asians were imprisoned in concentration camps until August of 1945, the end of the war in the Pacific. As a member of the Dutch Foreign Service in her adult life, Hulda held assignments in twenty-five countries over a period of thirty-six years, retiring in 1996. She is married to an American, James Bachman, a historian and author, and has dual citizenship. Hulda and her husband live in Estes Park, Colorado.

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Told from the recollections and journal entries of the author's parents' points of view, along with historical fact, this book will appeal to nonfiction readers who want both the historical as well as personal aspects of war. The beginning has a poetic feel, I believe influenced by the author's father, who seems to have been not only a man of medicine but who appreciated history and, from the language, literature alike. It calls to me like works I have discovered via our own local historical society presentations and library talks. Quotes at the beginning of each chapter, maps and photographs add to that appeal.
The author's grandfather had entrepreneurial leanings, which meant never resting after one endeavor, and her mother had a love of nature and the natural environment, even when it scared her. The strength of this woman was incredible! Her family was her focus and even when tortured or raped, she did what she had to in order to not only survive but push the limits of what her captors allowed. In some cases I felt this earned her a bit more respect but it made me hold my breath to fear retaliation.
Squalid and uncertain conditions during a time of forced encampment did not break their human spirit. I am not saying luck did not play a role, but mindset and determination were, I believe, the deciding factors. Regardless of how a reader interprets the political ramifications of this book, overall it is a fascinating read.