YARDVILLE, N.J., Dec. 2, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Four men, who had been hog-tied to bamboo, set in the brutal sun, beaten and starved for two days finally gave in. They asked to be shot rather than endure more abuse. At the top of the hill the four men were shot. One of the men did not drop right away. It took four different commands to kill him. All the men fell in the graves they had just dug for themselves. Such is the horrible fate that American prisoners-of-war (POW) endured during World War II in Charles Balaza's novel, "Life as an American Prisoner of War of the Japanese" (now available through 1stBooks Library).
A brave attempt to relive the dark memories of the World War II Life as an American is based on the personal account of the author. Being a prisoner himself, Balaza vividly brings to mind how he and other prisoners suffered in the oppressive hands of the Japanese and how they fought a seemingly endless struggle with themselves to make it one more day. Balaza unsparingly paints the gruesome events from the time of his capture until the day he was rescued.
An engaging, yet shocking story from start to finish, "Life as an American Prisoner of War of the Japanese" is a gripping novel of fear, death, pain, suffering, hope and, ultimately, freedom. It effectively portrays the lives of thousands of POWs during World War II, as seen through the eyes of Balaza. With this novel, Balaza perfectly captures the grisly images of war while deeply evoking empathy for his fellow prisoners and survivors.
As a retired U.S. Army veteran, Charles Balaza has come face-to-face with worse than death -- surviving the Great Depression, and going through the rigors and the horrors of war, and overcoming strings of personal disappointments. Following the fall of Corregidor Island in the Philippines, where he was stationed, he spent three and a half agonizing years as a POW of the Japanese. His horrendous war experiences inspired him to write "Life as an American Prisoner of War of the Japanese" and urged him to continue working with other service personnel even after retirement. He lives Yardville, N.J.
ABOUT 1STBOOKS LIBRARY
The only profitable print-on-demand and eBook publishing company of its kind, 1stBooks Library was founded in 1997 and has helped more than 7,000 authors publish their works. For more information, visit www.1stbooks.com and click on the "Media" image at the top of the page.