How The Burma Railroad Shaped The Life Of An Ex-POW Of World War II is the story of an amazing man, Fredrich Klutzow, and his life experiences, Fate, refers to things beyond his control such as his involvement in World War II and his three and one-half year imprisonment in Japanese prison camps. Faith, as it relates to his belief in God who was the source of his Fortitude to overcome the atrocities of war and surviving prison camps against all odds.

This life story skillfully told by Merlene Hutto Byars, a noted artist, historian, genealogist and author recounts the horrors of World War II and his experience as a POW but is so much more. Stories of his ocean journey from Holland to colonial Dutch East Indies and big game hunting with his Grandfather, Uncle and Aunt in the Indonesian jungles cover the days of his youth. Drafted into military service at the beginning of WW II he was imprisoned by the Imperial Japanese Army shortly after the Dutch surrender in March of 1942. He describes in detail POW camp conditions and the terrible abuse of the Japanese guards during these years. As a prisoner he was involved in the building of the Burma railroad that the Japanese would try to use to invade India.

Surprisingly, the majority of this book covers Mr. Klutzow’s five decade long medical career. The true story begins with his medical school years in Holland. He describes his struggles as a student and introduces us to the individuals that help him through these times. He learns of a severe shortage of doctors in the United States and immigrates in 1953. His odyssey begins at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts as a young physician gaining the practical knowledge and skills that will serve him well later in his career. Later in private practice he relates the difficulties of a foreign-born doctor in small-town America. He continues to build on his career becoming a respected physician, surgeon and obstetrician. In the late 60’s he decides to switch career paths beginning study in neurologic disease. No small consideration for a man in his mid-forties, with a wife and three teenage children. Displaying his faith and fortitude he goes on to become a leading researcher and lecturer in the enhancement patient care suffering from neurologic disease.

How The Burma Railroad Shaped The Life Of An Ex-POW Of World War II is an interesting biography of an impressive physician. The story of the life of Fredrich Klutzow is well worth reading.

SH Fontanna
Author Celebrity Associates

How The Burma Railroad Shaped The Life Of An Ex-POW Of World War II is the detailed auto-biographical story of one man’s life journey. Friedrich Klutzow is a man with a dramatic and unique history. From the start of his life, he found himself traveling several nations. He was in a war, taken as a POW, and he was a doctor, but throughout his life, he maintained a tempered and unshaken faith. This story takes you through the hard times and the fun times and dispenses some of Klutzow’s own personal wisdom and reflections.

Merlene Hutto Byars has found, in her husband, a remarkable subject and she has recounted his story dutifully and respectfully. The writing reads like a personal conversation, and you can almost hear Klutzow’s words as you read it. The level of detail on events that happened so long ago is remarkable, and much of the information available is interesting and even, at times, quite gripping. That said, the work can sometimes be too detailed, to the point of being laborious, and at times the work can be too much tell, and too little show. As a personal memoir, however, that’s rather par for the course.

There are few POW’s stories that fail to grip the audience, and it’s always the life that follows such events that is the most interesting and the most dramatic. Klutzow’s life is no exception. How The Burma Railroad Shaped The Life Of An Ex-POW Of World War II is a fireside chat with an experienced and adventured man, if you have the patience and interest to listen.

TB Koskie
T&R Reviews

Author Biography

Merlene Hutto Byars

Merlene Byars is no stranger to preserving history. As an artist, publisher and writer, all that she creates reflects in some way her love for the state of South Carolina. Merlene belongs to several literary societies associated with the University of South Carolina. Her fascination with history and genealogy goes back to the time she was twelve years old. She has since traced her family back to Adam and Eve through Royal families in Europe and the Middle East. Merlene has lived in South Carolina most of her life and received her education in Accounting and Journalism. She has published five history books and produced a drama during the Columbia Bicentennial. She has shown her artwork, books and genealogy at Oxford University and Cambridge University, England, New Orleans, LA and Lisbon, Portugal.