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MEMOIR
The Way It Was:
Growing Up in Wartime Holland
Sid Baron
Exxel Publishing Company
18 b/w photos
171 pages
Softcover, $14.95
978-0-9785582-0-8
4 Stars
”History is the ship carrying living memories to the future.“
-Stephen Spender
The problem with the art of the memoir is perception. Readers must decide if they are being shown a true representation of the past or a facsimile created by the passage of time that taints the memoirist’s observations with the jaded wisdom of life experience. Thus one never knows the truth and must take the memoirist’s words at face value even while questioning their validity, like James Frey’s discredited memoir, A Million Little Pieces.
Sid Baron’s memoir, The Way It Was: Growing Up in Wartime Holland, is in the same vein as such books as The Diary of Anne Frank (new revised version, The Diary of a Young Girl) and Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place. Like the aforementioned memoirs, Baron paints a picture of a semi-idyllic time of simple and undisturbed innocence in contrast to the sheer immensity of the evils committed in the name of the ”The Final Solution“ in Nazi-occupied Europe.
Baron’ boyhood was a simple agrarian existence on the cusp of industrialization in rural Holland. Baron writes, ”When I was seven years old, sitting at the kitchen table and drawing on a piece of paper with a pencil was a favorite activity of mine...I could stare out the window and watch the wind...I could lazily dream about all the things little boys dream about.“
The idea of daydreaming during Nazi occupation seems ludicrous and any semblances of child-like wonder must have been buried down deep in the heart of survival. Such trivialities as maintaining the family farm, shopping, and going to school became more of a need to keep up the appearance of an accepted norm. Remaining inconspicuous to nosy neighbors as well as the enemy weighed heavily in importance. Baron continued to try to be a child even while his parents were part of the Holland resistance. Thrust into an insane situation, he was guilty by association. His chores became surreal: Hiding an unregistered illegal radio, carrying a pistol and barely avoiding being searched, denying to a known Nazi sympathizer that an ally soldier and his family were living in his home, and dodging machine gun bullets. Baron writes, ”My few remaining steps to the house were interrupted by the sound of screaming fighter plane engines...Instantly, I dropped face down on the ground, clasping my hands around the back of my head to protect myself. Empty heavy-caliber machine gun shells rained down from the sky all around me and on the ribbed aluminum roof covering the pump house.“
While reading Baron’s lyrical prose, one cannot help but think how lucky he was to have come out World War II unscathed and able to tell his story. Some sixty years later, in 2007 there are countries on our planet where children must deal with enemy occupation and the stench of degradation and death everyday. How lucky our children are not to have to experience ethnic cleansing and war zones in their front and back yards.
Sid Baron is a successful business entrepreneur, sought-after public speaker, and author of the novel, Dawning of A New Day.
Lee Gooden
Foreword Magazine
”The Way it Was“ is engagingly told as the experiences and feelings of a youth, yet the specter of Nazi occupation is never absent. Would the Germans discover the hidden radio and the pistol that had not been turned in? Would they discover the man they wanted, dead or alive, the family was hiding? What would happen if they did?
Cal Bratt, Tribune Editor
”The Way it Was“ provides a unique view of place, time and events our generation knows little about“.
J. Smith, Attorney
”I started reading the book in late afternoon. I couldn’t put it down. After laughter and a tear, it was 2AM when I finished“.
Mrs. Ruiz
California
”You’ve got me hooked from the first page. This is an exceptional story and your writing is so good“.
Brion Sausser
California
I really enjoyed reading "The Way it Was".
You had some incredible experiences growing up in Holland during the Second World War. I sure do admire the sacrifices your parents made as part of the resistance. I was fascinated with your ingenuity in using a windmill and bicycle to generate power for lights to milk the cows. Wow! You showed your ingenuity early in life.
The "life and death" secrets your parents shared with you at such an early age showed their full trust in you. You described your memories very well and I almost felt that I was living through your experiences.
R. Williams
Olympia, WA
”The Way it Was“ provides a unique view of place, time and events our generation knows little about“.
Jake Smith
Bellingham
The Way it Was offers a clear picture of life in the Netherlands. More importantly, it demonstrates the important role faith and family must play in ensuring our freedom. In an era when fascism appears to be on the rise once again, it’s a lesson that today’s advocates of an ”anything goes“ society should pay close heed.
James Nolan
Virginia
Thank you for writing this wonderful book. I couldn’t imagine what it was like living under occupying forces and I admire what you and your family did during the war.
Susan Theisen
Dawning of a New Day Book Reviews
This is the romantic novel I had been waiting for—Dawning of a New Day provides excitement and intrigue then warms your heart to tears. From the first page and I was spellbound to the very end. Childhood friends, John and Joan, re-discover each other fifty years later in a beautifully written book that had me laughing and crying throughout. As John tries to discover the reason for Joan’s profound sadness, she finally shares her tragic and troubling past. Love comes softly then deepens. It took me through a myriad of emotions while healing and hope proved triumphant. Every generation can identify with this World War II setting to the present. God’s grace is woven through this enchanting story that will stay with me long after I close the book—we all should be so blessed.
R. Tadema
Spokane, WA
”I really enjoyed Dawning of a New Day. I couldn’t put it down. The ending absolutely floored me. A very well written and interesting book.“
Harold Voorhees
Grand Rapids, Michigan
I just finished reading your book "Dawning Of A New Day" and I found it very entertaining and moving. Once I started reading it I could not put it down because I wanted to find out "Joan's story.
Larry Vander Giessen
I could not put ”Dawning of a New Day“ down until I was finished. It kept me in suspense wondering, how is this or that situation going to be resolved? I kept reading snippets to my husband.
The surprises in it were many, it is very readable, and is a great Christian story without being blatantly in-your-face. More people should be reserved listeners in communicating with others.
Thank you for this book. I am going to share it with others at the school where I am doing a long-term sub job for November and December.
I hope you will write some more books!
Sincerely,
Shirley Allert
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