The Mushroom Years: Reviews and Reader Comments

REVIEWS		READERS' COMMENTS
"In The Mushroom Years [Pamela Masters] 'tells it like it was,' in the best tradition of literary journalism. The exciting quality in her writing is her uncanny ability to make you a participant-of-the-moment as she takes you through her years in the Japanese prison camp at Weihsien in North China. "Hats off to Pamela Masters! This is a book you'll refer to time and again, and a book you will never forget." William Rowan Cenografix.com "Masters'...memoir, The Mushroom Years, documents her privileged life in China, and details her family's history dating back to 1895, when her grandfather pioneered railroading in that country. The book presents a sharp contrast when Masters, her two sisters and her parents enter Weihsien Prison Camp in March '43. Masters vividly describes the hardships the prison inmates suffered...and keenly portrays the variety of characters inhabiting the camp. Masters' tale is well paced with incidents of sadness and loss being balanced by moments of humor and hope." George Lloyd The Mountain Democrat "A book worth reading...I urge every Chefoo student who lived through the Weihsien Concentration Camp experience to get a copy of Pamela Masters' new book, The Mushroom Years. I couldn't put it down. Major Stanley Staiger, who led the rescue mission that liberated the camp, says he read The Mushroom Years nonstop-to-the-end for three days and says it should be on the bestseller list." Mary Taylor Previte* Chefoo Magazine *Assemblywoman Mary Previte (New Jersey Legislature, Sixth District), who wrote this book review for Chefoo Magazine (alumni publication of Chefoo School, alma mater to many of our best known statesmen and China scholars), was herself a survivor of Weihsien Prison Camp. "In covering an aspect of World War II that has received scant attention, Masters' story has historic value. But it will be appreciated mostly by most readers as a clear-eyed account of a young girl who manages to keep her wits and her humane perspective in threatening circumstances." Henry Berry Small Press Book Review		"The Mushroom Years...is an excellent book, well-written, very readable and engrossing. For anyone like myself who lived through the years recalled in the book, it gives a sense of that era that is real and, at the same time, enjoyable. It seems to me it is a story that has not been told before and should be given serious attention." Newton Baird Publisher (ret.) "As an historian of the Greater East Asia and Pacific War...I am normally rather worried when I read an eyewitness account of that time where the writer makes free use of direct quotations in inverted commas. Pamela Masters, however, has managed to fuse together a tremendous amount of historical detail, atmosphere and artistic license. "Although the names of some have no doubt been changed to protect a few sensitive, diffident souls, or the reputations of others who were venal, mad or bad, the author has not found it necessary to invent a cast of characters to represent the kinds of people she encountered in those days. And so I found myself yearning to know more about these individual people and their experiences, completely captivated by this extraordinarily honest and evocative story. "There is a good deal here about the nature of fear, privation and loss. But most memorable of all are the affection that the author and her family had for China and the Chinese; the clarity with which she portrays the relationship between the Chinese, Japanese and British and other expatriate foreigners in North China. "I am happy to recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 12 and 102. It is an authentic voice from a long-vanished era, and if there be any real justice in this life, it will one-day become the basis for a truly splendid full-length feature film. I, for one, will want to see that, too. "Summary: Destined to be a classic in its genre" Dr. R. John Pritchard Author/Historian "The Mushroom Years...is a valuable addition to our collection of material relating to the Far East." Imperial War Museum, London World War II Archivist "The Mushroom Years so gripped me that I finished it at one sitting. I especially liked the Amelia Earhart opening. It is certain to capture the attention of a wide range of readers." Desmond Power Author

REVIEWS

READERS' COMMENTS

"In The Mushroom Years [Pamela Masters] 'tells it like it was,' in the best tradition of literary journalism. The exciting quality in her writing is her uncanny ability to make you a participant-of-the-moment as she takes you through her years in the Japanese prison camp at Weihsien in North China.

"Hats off to Pamela Masters! This is a book you'll refer to time and again, and a book you will never forget."

William Rowan
Cenografix.com

"Masters'...memoir, The Mushroom Years, documents her privileged life in China, and details her family's history dating back to 1895, when her grandfather pioneered railroading in that country. The book presents a sharp contrast when Masters, her two sisters and her parents enter Weihsien Prison Camp in March '43. Masters vividly describes the hardships the prison inmates suffered...and keenly portrays the variety of characters inhabiting the camp. Masters' tale is well paced with incidents of sadness and loss being balanced by moments of humor and hope."

George Lloyd
The Mountain Democrat

"A book worth reading...I urge every Chefoo student who lived through the Weihsien Concentration Camp experience to get a copy of Pamela Masters' new book, The Mushroom Years. I couldn't put it down. Major Stanley Staiger, who led the rescue mission that liberated the camp, says he read The Mushroom Years nonstop-to-the-end for three days and says it should be on the bestseller list."

Mary Taylor Previte*
Chefoo Magazine

*Assemblywoman Mary Previte (New Jersey Legislature, Sixth District), who wrote this book review for Chefoo Magazine (alumni publication of Chefoo School, alma mater to many of our best known statesmen and China scholars), was herself a survivor of Weihsien Prison Camp.

"In covering an aspect of World War II that has received scant attention, Masters' story has historic value. But it will be appreciated mostly by most readers as a clear-eyed account of a young girl who manages to keep her wits and her humane perspective in threatening circumstances."

Henry Berry
Small Press Book Review

"The Mushroom Years...is an excellent book, well-written, very readable and engrossing. For anyone like myself who lived through the years recalled in the book, it gives a sense of that era that is real and, at the same time, enjoyable. It seems to me it is a story that has not been told before and should be given serious attention."

Newton Baird
Publisher (ret.)

"As an historian of the Greater East Asia and Pacific War...I am normally rather worried when I read an eyewitness account of that time where the writer makes free use of direct quotations in inverted commas. Pamela Masters, however, has managed to fuse together a tremendous amount of historical detail, atmosphere and artistic license.

"Although the names of some have no doubt been changed to protect a few sensitive, diffident souls, or the reputations of others who were venal, mad or bad, the author has not found it necessary to invent a cast of characters to represent the kinds of people she encountered in those days. And so I found myself yearning to know more about these individual people and their experiences, completely captivated by this extraordinarily honest and evocative story.

"There is a good deal here about the nature of fear, privation and loss. But most memorable of all are the affection that the author and her family had for China and the Chinese; the clarity with which she portrays the relationship between the Chinese, Japanese and British and other expatriate foreigners in North China.

"I am happy to recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 12 and 102. It is an authentic voice from a long-vanished era, and if there be any real justice in this life, it will one-day become the basis for a truly splendid full-length feature film. I, for one, will want to see that, too.

"Summary: Destined to be a classic in its genre"

Dr. R. John Pritchard
Author/Historian

"The Mushroom Years...is a valuable addition to our collection of material relating to the Far East."

Imperial War Museum, London
World War II Archivist

"The Mushroom Years so gripped me that I finished it at one sitting. I especially liked the Amelia Earhart opening. It is certain to capture the attention of a wide range of readers."

Desmond Power
Author