Women Beyond the Wire: Story of Prisoners of the Japanese, 1942-45
by Lavinia Warner (Author), John Sandilands (Author) Format: Paperback
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (28)
Publisher : Arrow Books Ltd 1987
Print length : 304 pages
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Paul D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Harrowing but a must read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 October 2021
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A brilliant account of the treatment of the issues in the Far East; written with heartfelt emotions. I first read read this many years ago when it was first published. And a current reading does not disappoint - a must read. Despite the awful nature of the subject, the barbaric treatment of women in SE Asia in the 2nd World War by the Japanese, good humour and forgiveness still shine through - this is a brilliant book
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Maggie Berg
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Non-Fiction Pairing for Lord of the Flies
Reviewed in the United States on 27 May 2023
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I read this book just after it was published in the late 90s. When I read it, it reminded me of a novel I read in my ninth grade year about boys stranded on an island during a war and how they reenact the savagery, William Golding's Lord of the Flies (LoF). Fast-forward many years and my daughter just read LoF. I bought her Women Beyond the Wire so that she could see the great civility that women displayed when given a premise similar to the one Golding created in LoF. Golding embodied the male world and I can only appreciate the imagination that comes with having that perspective, but Women Beyond the Wire is based on historical fact with the patriarchy in control as usual (though in a Japanese military extreme). More teachers should pair this non-fiction text with Golding's fictional text for richer course discussions. In fact, in writing this review, I hope more teachers of high schoolers will consider this idea.
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O.KAY
5.0 out of 5 stars best overview of wwii women in internment camps
Reviewed in the United States on 31 October 2010
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This was a replacement book for one lost in the lending circles of my church. I had found it in the British Imperial War Museum and snatched it up as the TV series Tenko had been much enjoyed by the teachers of the Armenian school where I worked as secretary for 18 years. Print is small for those of us with presbyopia- old eyes, only available in paper back now when it can be found. Tends to fall apart easily due to an inserted but invaluable pictorial section. I have since learned that a relative of the wonderful missionary, Margaret Dryburgh is a member of my choir. She goes by Peggy, but has her relative's full name.
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Blanchetta
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2015
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A very moving and difficult emotional read but an insight into the human spirit to survive when against all odds and lets never forget these women from all walks of life who died in the camps in the east far from home and loved ones its a story of love becasue at the end of the day the only thing these women like us all was love to give Love to each other and to feel Love
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nix1234
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 November 2020
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This is the third time I've bought this book, I've lent the previous two copies to friends but not had them returned. Its a tragic story about a group of people so often overlooked by history and was the inspiration for the series Tenko. That series can be watched in its entirity on YouTube. Such a shame its out of print.
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Ann Mayers
5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 October 2024
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Gift very suitable for recipient
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melanie strong
4.0 out of 5 stars Women who deserve to be remembered
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2013
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I bought this after getting fascinated by the story of these women from watching Tenko and reading the Remembering Tenko book which talked a lot about the lives of the real women prisoners. It is a story that is hard to read. The biggest difference between the real life story and that of the television show was the sheer number of women in the camps at any one time and the much higher death toll.
The book was a detailed account of the lives of some of the women. The only problem was that it was written by a journalist not a historian. Nothing was cited, and even though the author mentioned having interviewed the women, at the end it appeared that many of her direct quotes were in fact from other published books. As it is now over 30 years old in places it comes across as being rather old fashioned, not racist or sexist but there are definitely some viewpoints and terminology that would be questionable now.
That said it is an amazing tale of survival and an important piece of history that is written in an easy and accessible way. There are stories of courage and strength that you wouldn't expect that really put into perspectives problems of every day life.
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Victoria Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book written by the wonderful Lavinia Warner - one of the best writers ever!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 August 2014
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Excellent book which is emotional and inspiring. If you enjoyed Tenko you will love this book and if you have never seen Tenko then read this, we need to remember this time in history even if the powers that be wanted us never to know about it.
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Mrs C A Hodges
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellently written account of the women POW’s
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 November 2020
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Excellent insight into this little reported subject. Although a factual account, it is very well written which enables the reader to absorb both the horror and friendships borne of such hardships. More needs to be written & remembered of the remarkable women POW’s
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pianojan
5.0 out of 5 stars Women beyond the wire
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 March 2013
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Having read the 3 Tenko novels and avidly watched the entire DVD set of Tenko, I was interested to read this book. It is informative, moving and often amusing, yet highlights the appalling way in which women were treated in the WW2 camps. Not too harrowing, and a very enjoyable, well-written book.
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Isabella Howat
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes you feel how lucky we are to live on a democracy.First class reading.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 August 2016
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I had already read this book lent to me by a Dutch lady of my own age who was interned by the Japanese while Ibwas enjoying a reasonably safe life in Glasgow.I returned a book to your warehouse in east Scotland some time ago as Itvwas not fit for purpose .No one contacted me and do far I have heard nothing.This is the only way I know to complain.
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ED Farr
3.0 out of 5 stars Have some history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2019
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I struggled with this. It's well written, but I know little - to nothing - about the Japanese invasion of Malaysia.
The book is about the evacuation, prison camps etc. But at the beginning there is no "introduction" (as it were) to what happened in Malaysia, why it happened etc.
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Muff Young
5.0 out of 5 stars Women beyond the wire
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 September 2014
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I found this book very interesting maybe because I had an aunt in this camp who was a missionary and was mentioned a few times, also a picture of her sadly she died 2weeks before the war ended. Thank you for sending it so quickly
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J S Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Illuminating book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 June 2020
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Very interesting book, highlighting events which are not as widely known as some others.
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Ziggy54
2.0 out of 5 stars Take descriptions with a pinch of salt
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 June 2018
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Book is discoloured with age. It is as well as I van tell, intact but looks old.
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S. K. Perks
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2015
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Despite it looking rather worn, this volume holds a fascinating true account - very moving.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 December 2015
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Quick delivery will use again
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Joanna Jennings
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2016
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A captivating book.
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Community Reviews
4.06
52 ratings10 reviews
5 stars
19 (36%)
4 stars
19 (36%)
3 stars
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2 (3%)
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Philip Lane
534 reviews
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October 21, 2013
I was very disappointed with this book. The subject matter is very interesting and the portrayal of the unacceptable aspects of war is one which I am very pleased to see being broadcast in this way. Having said that I found the format highly eccentric, but then maybe I just don't read this type of book very often. It felt to me like a scrap book with a variety of memories and musings from a variety of sources put vaguely into chronological order so that it appears to tell the story of how a group of women were treated during WWII.
I was continually unsure about who was telling the story, what were facts and what was opinion or memoir. I got strange 'out-of-time' experiences when information was given that the protagonists were unaware of at the time, or what effect it had on them years later. For example one person is referred to as Harry, because they reminded someone in hindsight of Harry Worth (surely it was the other way round).
It felt to me like it was written for people who had taken part in the action or who were related to them in some way, a way to catch up with bits they might have missed. I personally prefer a novel - in this case Empire of the Sun I enjoyed with its personalised story of a boy going through similar circumstances, where you can understand whose point of view you are getting - or a proper history which could provide more context and balance.
I did think the epilogue showed quite well that this sort of experience is bound to have an everlasting effect on the participants but that effect is not necessarily purely negative. Of course the book did make me shake my head once again at the sight of humans behaving at their worst - how wafer thin is the veneer of civilisation!
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Lucynell
489 reviews
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April 17, 2018
It seems for a long time the experience of the western women captured by the Japanese after the total defeat and irrevocable fall of the British Empire was not really told. It's kind of understandable of course. To be captured by the Japanese was bad enough, to be a woman captured by an army whose culture mostly considered women perhaps a little bit above farm animals was something else. Still, many survived and true to their Anglo-Saxon roots did not dwell much upon it, at least not in public. This story is of course horrifying and as most that had a sort of a happy end also inspirational. The Australian war nurses. God. I wish I had half their resilience, half their bravery. The prisoners were of varied backgrounds, from comfortable living viola playing school teachers to the aforementioned nurses. Yet when the shit hits the fan and survival is the one and only objective many, even to their own surprise, will find the strength to hold themselves and others up. The writing is good but there's something that holds me back from rating the book 5/5. I'm not sure what that is, I wish I could but I can't. Still, pretty much essential.
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Sharon
65 reviews
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June 20, 2026
I would give this book 3.5 stars . It was really interesting to hear about life in a Japanese prisoner of war camp and the women endured some truly atrocious conditions.
However , although this book was well researched and based on interviews with women who endured the camp, it misses the mark for me from an emotional point of view. The writers try to give as many people as possible their place in the story, which leads to a whole lot of names and trying to remember who is who. It also hinders you connecting with the women , as we learn a little bit about a lot of lives , rather than getting to know one or two people really well. I preferred Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand if you are looking for a story set in a prisoner of war camp.
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Linda
294 reviews
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July 30, 2023
This book follows a large group of Allied civilian women and gives insight into the combination of mental toughness and flexibility many showed while prisoners of the Japanese during WWII.
Readers also gain insights into the differences between how they may have fared better emotionally than the men imprisoned in nearby camps as it unravels a little of the phycological warfare the Japanese waged on their civilian prisoners.
We also read some lovely poetry, more profound when we know the conditions under which it was written.
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Margaret Stickland
157 reviews
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May 26, 2024
Although a time in history that brimgs out the atrocities men can make on women it is outstanding in the fight tenacious spirit women will have.
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James Crawford
6,450 reviews
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January 16, 2016
The book is about women who ended up in Japanese camps from the Singapore/Malaya area.
Early on it describes the incredible lack-of-reality among the people who lived in Singapore and the Malaya area. They were part of a society dominated by whites, particularly British whites, and who had Chinese and natives as servants. The whites led a very posh existence and were totally contemptuous of the Japanese army that was reported landing.
One can see how the Japanese used the argument that they were “freeing the native peoples from white domination” when you read about how the white society basically lorded it over everyone else and were so sure of themselves and their superiority that they waited until too late to actually get people away from the danger.
Unfortunately, the Japanese were even worse masters than the colonial powers, as the natives of the countries they “liberated” soon found out.
The book tells the story of the various men and women who fled Singapore and other areas but, for one reason or another, failed to escape and became prisoners of the Japanese. There is no doubt whatever, no possibility of question, that the Japanese internment camps were of the nature of atrocities.
The book describes the hardships that the women and the men had to suffer, the book concentrating mainly on female prisoners. Lack of food leading to virtual starvation; filthy living conditions that helped lead to the spread of a variety of diseases; primitive medical care, if even that much, and, all the time, the behavior of the Japanese guards who could, on occasion, show kindness, but who would more often show a bestial side of human behavior.
The book points out that the male prisoners had a 55% death rate, and the female prisoners had a death rate of about 25%, but the figures depended upon nationality somewhat.
The fact that must not be overlooked is that all of these people were innocent civilians, people who had nothing to do with the war being waged. These were all people who should have simply been sent back to their own countries or to a neutral country but who, instead, ended up in disease-ridden, bug-infested filth holes that killed many of them.
This is a well-written book but very, very upsetting.
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Mel
3,608 reviews
231 followers
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May 30, 2013
I bought this after getting fascinated by the story of these women from watching Tenko and reading the Remembering Tenko book which talked a lot about the lives of the real women prisoners. It is a story that is hard to read. The biggest difference between the real life story and that of the television show was the sheer number of women in the camps at any one time and the much higher death toll.
The book was a detailed account of the lives of some of the women. The only problem was that it was written by a journalist not a historian. Nothing was cited, and even though the author mentioned having interviewed the women, at the end it appeared that many of her direct quotes were in fact from other published books. As it is now over 30 years old in places it comes across as being rather old fashioned, not racist or sexist but there are definitely some viewpoints and terminology that would be questionable now.
That said it is an amazing tale of survival and an important piece of history that is written in an easy and accessible way. There are stories of courage and strength that you wouldn't expect that really put into perspectives problems of every day life.
20th-century-non-fiction
asian-history
bought2012
...more
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Terri Durling
599 reviews
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February 22, 2013
I got interested in the subject of this book after watching a movie on television starring Glenn Close. It's about the women who were prisoners of war during WWII, taken by the Japanese and the horrific conditions they lived in during that time. The book fell a little flat compared to the movie so for that reason I would not recommend it. However, the subject matter is riveting and educational. There are other books out there on the subject that are probably better written and I would highly recommend the movie. I believe it was called "Paradise Lost" but not sure.
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Wendy
107 reviews
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July 30, 2011
this was brilliant a true story, women captive by the japs
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Rachel Lewis
103 reviews
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March 21, 2012
Moving, informative, important, factual without ever being boring or making you suffer from information overload. Everyone should read this book.
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