John Falch

The Yellow Bar John Falch 1st edition

Meet the Reynaldos, a simple country family living on their farm in 1940s American Philippines. Good luck has bounced their way and the family is climbing out of rural poverty to become successful entrepreneurs.
Say hello to Eric Lawson, the gay manager of the only five-star hotel in town. With all the luxury and celebrity that comes with the job, what's not to love about Manila?And have a listen to the beautiful Pinky del Rosario and her husband, Romeo. They're the hottest Big Band Swing act in southeast Asia. With her voice and his talent, the sky seems to be the only limit to their ambitions.But the sweet life turns sour when World War Two blows up explosively in their faces. The victorious Japanese Army arrives, bringing with them a new set of rules and other ugly surprises. For the Reynaldos, this means becoming servants in their own house. For Eric Lawson, it's fear, brutality, and the specter of starvation in a prisoner-of-war camp. And as for Pinky and Romeo, singing for the enemy puts them on a dangerous tight-wire between collaboration and sedition.As seen through the eyes of the Reynaldo's youngest son, Pepot, The Yellow Bar delivers a close up view of the almost forgotten history of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and the horrors of the battle of Manila, telling the story of a remarkable family that struggles to survive it all through quick thinking, faith, and a pinch of dark humor.