Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror by Frank Ephraim

I decided to take a break from In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner in order to read a book that I had never heard before about a topic that I never knew about written by an unknown author. The book is entitled Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror by Frank Ephraim highlighting the journey of a young German boy under Hitler's reign who finds safety in the strangest place: the Philippines.

You could say that I found out about this book by chance. Last weekend I, along with my brother and my cousin's cousin and aunt, journeyed to a Connecticut Filipino-American association annual dinner/dance. The guest speaker happened to be a German Jew by the name of Ralph Preiss who shared his story of the freedom, safety and hospatality found in a country his family had never heard of before a newspaper advertised it. When most of the world's countries refused to allow Jews across their borders, the Philippines implemented an Open-Doors Policy and allowed for 10,000 visas to be given out.

This story really struck me because I was not familiar with it as I'm sure most people aren't. As I left the building, books were being sold. It was the book written by a boy Ralph Preiss met in the Philippines all those years ago and by buying it I would be donating to the association's surgical trip. It was two for one: a good cause and a good book.

Although the book has many names and facts, I actually really enjoy it. Ephraim describes in detail the situation during the WWII period as well as the subtler facts about being a German Jew in the Philippines.