Hans Koning (born Hans Koningsberger in Amsterdam), was a sergeant in the British Army during World War II. In 1951 he came to the United States from Indonesia. He reported for The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The New Yorker, Harpers Magazine, The Nation and The Atlantic Monthly, and his many books have received much critical praise."There has always been something recognizably distinct in Hans Koning's novels: a ruthless spareness in the manner, a kind of passionate desperation in the plot" - Alastair Reid"Koning is that rare combination - a masterful story teller with a sense of history" - Howard Zinn"One of America's most accomplished writers" - George Plimpton"His style works like dry ice on the mind" - Newsweek"Extraordinarily stirring" - The New Yorker"One of the most beautiful (novels) I have read for a long time" - Keith Waterhouse