Wonks

By: William Reese Hamilton

Narrated by: William Reese Hamilton

World War II, the Philippines. Johnny Oldfield tells what it’s like to grow up in a Japanese prison camp, his pivotal teenage years filled with danger and defeat, adventure and intrigue, cruelty and betrayal, starvation and death, survival and liberation.

Johnny calls himself a Wonk (from the Chinese won gau, yellow dog), a mongrel running with a pack of rebellious kids and viewing his society from the ground up. Separated from his father by the Japanese invasion, he gets his life lessons from a diverse cast of characters: his mother, Ruth, a nurse with a strong and independent spirit; Harry Barnes, a storyteller who arrives from China carrying the urn of a friend’s ashes; Southy Jack, an ex-pro boxer who trains boys in the manly art; Polecat, a mestizo pal with an all-consuming hatred for the Japanese; the Colonel, a wise old plantation owner who gives advice on survival; Haverford, a disgruntled alcoholic from Manila’s high society; and Abiko, the feared officer of the Japanese camp guard.

This dramatic tale is played out in the heart of Manila, a city once called “the Pearl of the Orient”, now being destroyed by massive bombing, strafing, artillery barrages, and mortar attacks.

©2019 William Reese Hamilton (P)2019 William Reese Hamilton

Truly remarkable story with characters that come alive in the pages.

This was a really memorable book. Most impactful was the wonderful detail in these characters and the many rich images and stories about their lives in a crisis. Not just another war story, the author brings to life the realities of life as a prisoner of war through the wise eyes of a young boy as he comes of age in the most extreme of circumstances.
I highly recommend this book for anyone fascinated by how WWII stories continue to tell us more about the human condition - but are looking for real detail and understanding from the characters in the stories . In addition, this audible recording really benefits from the wonderfully sensitive reading by the author Bill Hamilton.
Fair warning: Johnny Oldfield, Polecat and Harry Barnes and their exploits will stay with you long after the end of the book.