December 7th is America’s
National Pearl Harbour Remembrance Day, commemorating the attack of 1941, which merged the Second Sino-Japanese War with World War II.
To mark the
anniversary, Bondfire
Books is
releasing Two Sons of China, a richly detailed historical saga set against the
backdrop of Japan's invasion and occupation of parts of north eastern China, and
the struggles of the Chinese, both Communist and Nationalist, to overthrow
them.
Two
Sons of China pivots on an unlikely friendship
between Lieutenant David Parker, an American soldier, and Lin Yuen, a Chinese Communist
guerilla fighter. Parker was brought up in China, where his father was a missionary,
and he speaks fluent Mandarin. Despite
their deeply held, clashing convictions, Parker and Lin form a brotherhood in
battle.
The author, Andrew
Lam, now based in Massachusetts, is a 3rd generation
Chinese American, which means his grandparents immigrated to the United States.
His family’s story was directly impacted by the war in China. When the Japanese
invaded in 1937, his paternal grandfather, Wing Ching Lam, left China for America. His maternal grandfather, Chung Tam, was
the only son of a prosperous family in southern China. Chung became a civil
servant in the Nationalist government in Chungking (Chongqing). When the
Communists took over in 1949, he fled with his family to Hong Kong, leaving all his possessions and property behind. His family left China for the U.S. in
1968.
Lam has a history degree from Yale, but he
did not pursue a career as an historian.
Instead, he became a retinal surgeon.
His first book, Saving Sight,
profiles medical innovators whose inventions were ridiculed but ultimately
saved the sight of millions around the world. Now, with his debut novel, he has
returned to his first love, history. He
says: “I wanted to write a sweeping, romantic novel of the Second World War, and
to set it in a place that would surprise many American readers: China.”
The novel was inspired by the little-known,
true story of the Dixie Mission of 1944, in which American soldiers ventured to
Mao Zedong’s northern stronghold of Yenan (Yan’an) to investigate reports that
the Chinese Communists were effectively fighting the Japanese, and to consider
arming Mao’s troops with U.S. weapons.
The Americans became involved in the Sino-Japanese conflict because they wanted to prevent the Japanese soldiers
tied up in China from being freed for deployment in the
Pacific. Thousands of American soldiers served in China.
Yet Lam feels this has been overlooked, or even forgotten, by many: “Too few people are
aware of America’s role in China during World War II. I wanted to
correct that, and to do it in an entertaining way. I hope Two Sons of China succeeds in both aims - entertaining and informing. It is an action-packed,
romantic war novel that shines a light on unsung American heroes who served
with honor in a distant, difficult land.”
Readers in Asia are less likely to think of
China as distant, difficult land than are those in Cincinnati, but I think it
fair to say the Dixie Mission is as little known in much of Asia as it is in
the West - I for one knew nothing about it until I came upon Two Sons of China.
William Martin, New York Times best-selling author of The Lincoln Letter, and other novels of historical suspense, is
enthusiastic about Lam’s novel. He writes: “Prepare to be captivated. Two Sons of
China takes you to WWII China, introduces you to a fascinating cast of
characters, and spins a terrific tale of adventure and romance. If you love
historical fiction, or any fiction, don’t miss it.”
Two Sons of China will soon be available as a print version. It is currently available as an ebook here at Amzon.com, and here at iTunes. If you
have trouble purchasing from these sites with an Asian credit card, you can also try buying direct from www.TwoSonsofChina.com
Lam is
already at work on his next novel, Repentance. It is a story about
the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Japanese-American soldiers who
fought in Europe during WWII while many of their families were incarcerated in
internment camps at home. Says Lam: “Many are not aware that the 442nd became the most decorated unit in U.S.
military history and I hope this book helps spread their story far and wide.”
