Description
Robert Akkerman is born into difficult circumstances in Holland at the outset of the 20th Century. The social conflicts and economic reverses of the pre-Great War period teach him the value of money. Emerging from grinding poverty and continual setbacks, he experiences firsthand the paradox that loss may be his most valued asset. He finds that he has the power to make his own choices and it brings him a glimpse of the fulfilment that he seeks in life. But he must first make a crucial decision—how will the forces that shaped him influence his choice?
Marinus J. van Prattenburg was born in the Netherlands. At the age of thirty-two he immigrated to Canada where, after living and working in St. Catharines, Ont., he set up a piano restoration shop in Surrey on the west coast of British Columbia. His life-long passion for writing led him first to create short stories, and then his book of memoirs, “People and Pianos”. Soon, two novels followed, “Mr. Sebastian” and “Waayenborgh Castle”. Marinus and his wife, Marie, presently live in the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.
