Book Description

Loyalty to family. Trusting instincts. The will to survive. These virtues are deeply embedded in a mature Dutch teenager, Annika Wolter. Her attributes prove useful as she navigates typical coming-of-age insecurities and a blossoming romance with a handsome lieutenant in 1939 Batavia, Java. Nothing prepares her for the distress of Hitler’s attacks on European countries followed by Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor, toppling her idyllic life in the Dutch East Indies colonial society and separating her from the man she loves. Uplifting events from a true story showcase how determination, nursing basics, and language skills keep a young woman and her mother alive in the worst Japanese internment camp in the Pacific. If you admire clever women and unfailing love in a tropical wartime setting, you will be captivated by Sapphire Promise. Here's what readers are saying: "This coming-of-age story occurs during a time of great turbulence. The author takes such care in reminding the reader about what it means to be human, love, care, survive, and heal." Jamie Stern-Member at Large, Director of Research, The Indo Project "I’m excited to share the compelling story of The Sapphire Promise with my book group! The study questions at the end will ensure a lively, thoughtful discussion of this fascinating memoir." Pat H. Member of 3 Book clubs “Don’t Despair.” Until 1950 this was the motto of the coat of arms of Batavia, once called the Queen of the East! The life of Annika Wolter, and the life of everyone else in Dutch East-India changed dramatically after the invasion of the Japanese in 1942. Sally Brandle carries us into Batavia’s pre-war daily life and into its architectural beauty. However, she also carries us, with Annika, into the darkness of Batavia’s Japanese camp Tjideng. This loss of her idyllic life caused despair but also hope." Dirk Teeuwen MSc, Nieuwpoort, The Netherlands