Blue Skies, Troubled Waters
by Martha Walandouw Lohn, Brian Kimmel
Rights Sold
Description
Awards & Endorsements
Author(s)
Martha Walandouw Lohn
Brian Kimmel
Related Titles
| Publisher | Together Mapalus Press |
| Publication | Apr 29, 2025 |
| Format | EBook |
| ISBN | 979-8218537548 |
| Pages | 320 |
| Age | 18 - 99 |
| Price | $9.99 |
Blue Skies, Troubled Waters
An Independent Press Award–winning memoir
Blending vivid history with deeply personal memory, Blue Skies, Troubled Waters speaks to those interested in historical memoir, Asian American history, and World War II civilian experiences.
In the 1930s, twin sisters Ath and Kath live a carefree childhood in New Jersey until their family is deported to the jungles of Indonesia. Life in their new homeland is already a world apart when the Japanese invasion of 1941 changes everything. At just eight years old, the girls and their family are captured and imprisoned as civilian prisoners of war.
Told through the innocent yet unbreakable voices of two children—and coauthored by Ath’s grandson—this memoir immerses readers in a forgotten chapter of the Pacific war. Through hunger, fear, and captivity, Ath and Kath discover courage, endurance, and the unwavering bonds of family. Blue Skies, Troubled Waters is not only an intimate story of sisterhood but also a testament to the hope and humanity that can endure even in the darkest of times.
Richly illustrated with family photographs, maps, and newly unearthed historical documents, this beautifully reconstructed narrative stands as a tribute to survival, memory, and the unyielding strength of the human spirit. Readers of Unbroken and When Broken Glass Floats will be drawn to this powerful true story of family, resilience, and survival.
Praise
“Uncovering overlooked Asian WWII stories—and their modern echoes…” Northwest Asian Weekly
“A compelling tale of lost innocence and survival updated for a new generation.” Kirkus Reviews
“Powerful WWII narrative of family love and survival under Japanese occupation.” BookLife Reviews for Publishers Weekly
“Beyond the harrowing details of wartime, the book is a testament to the strength of family and community.” Falcon Review
“…an affecting memoir.” Clarion Reviews
“…a unique perspective on a pivotal moment in history through the eyes of those who lived it, resulting in a historyrich narrative that will appeal to fans of World War II literature and
AsianAmerican narratives alike.” James Weiskittel, IndieReader
“Ath and her family’s story remains relevant to our times, demonstrating how our stories intertwine across the world, and how the tremors of history continue to shape lives today..." Jeddie Sophronius, author of Interrogation Records.
Reviews, Awards & Endorsements
The First Indonesians in the Tri-State Area: A Hidden History of Migration & Survival
Blue Skies, Troubled Waters is the incredible true story of an American-born twin who was deported with her Indonesian immigrant father from New York in 1940, only to be trapped in a Japanese POW camp in Minahasa, Indonesia, for the duration of WWII. It is a rare, first-hand account of the civilian experience of the Pacific War, a story of profound resilience, and a testament to the enduring bonds of family.
Takeaway: Powerful WWII narrative of family love and survival under Japanese occupation.
Comparable Titles: Nick Golodoff’s Attu Boy, Dieuwke Wendelaar Bonga’s Eight Prison Camps.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Authors
Martha Walandouw Lohn
Martha Lohn was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey to a naturalized American Polish Mama who escaped the Russian occupation of Poland in the 1920s and an undocumented Minahasan-Indonesian Papa who disembarked a Dutch military ship in New York and never reboarded—Lohn is not just an author; she’s a living testament to resilience and the human spirit.
As a survivor of World War II’s Japanese occupation of Indonesia, formerly known as the Dutch East Indies, and as a child who saw her father getting deported from the United States, Lohn’s experiences have become a wellspring of inspiration for her writing. Her evocative storytelling captures the nuances of history, weaving together the threads of personal experience with the grand tapestry of global events.
She is an avid gardener. Much like the strong ties she has cultivated with family, both by blood and by heart, anything she puts into the ground — even a twig — will grow and flower. She is a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother of multi-heritage descendants and a Tanta (Auntie) and great Tanta to many family members in the United States, the Netherlands, and Indonesia. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family, and has continued to find inspiration, healing and hope through gardening.
Brian Kimmel
Brian Kimmel is an award-winning author, artist and guide who teaches that our unique stories are the essential threads that weave our world together. As a second-generation multi-heritage Indonesian American and the grandson of a storyteller, Brian inherited a legacy of music and narrative. This lineage led him on a journey to co-author his grandmother’s WWII memoir, a profound experience that revealed how sharing one personal story can create a bridge for collective healing.