Blue Skies, Troubled Waters: a WWII Story of Resilience

Join Northwest author Brian Kimmel for a powerful presentation on his grandmother's incredible true story of survival. 

Blue Skies, Troubled Waters begins with a dramatic leap into Brooklyn Harbor and follows an American twin's journey through deportation, a WWII POW camp in Indonesia, and her family's ultimate return. Using historical photos and a short video introduction from his 95-year-old grandmother, Brian will share this profound story of resilience and a side of Pacific War history rarely told.

Brian Kimmel is a a second-generation multi-heritage Indonesian American and co-authored this book with his grandmother. He is an artist and award-winning author and currently lives in Seattle with his family. 

This program is part of the One Book, One Coast program led by LA County Library, a collaborative community reading initiative uniting library systems across California, Oregon, and Washington.