Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told: Twenty-Five Unforgettable Tales

By: Darren Brown

Book Overview

To reach freedom, the most famous escapers of all time have been willing to endure the most horrific conditions-and the direst consequences if caught. The collection of tales in The Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told is gripping as only true life-and-death struggles can be: Papillon fighting through the jungles of Guiana only to commit himself to the open ocean in a sixteen-foot boat rather than face a life in exile; Rocky Gause dodging bullets as he swims through shark-infested waters to escape the Japanese at Bataan, while those around him simply quit; Latude battling against the dreaded Bastille; Baron Trenck-with chains covering almost every inch of his body-digging and digging to free himself from wrongful imprisonment; Andre Devigny, so weak from starvation and poor treatment that he could barely lift himself, shimmying across a rope only yards above a German sentry during World War II on the eve of his execution.
These are just a few of the twenty-five bold and ingenious tales of escape included in this collection. The Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told will hold readers captive for years to come

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592284809
• ISBN13: 9781592284801
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating Collection

Reviewed by Rebecka Vigus for Reader Views (7/06) Mr. Brown has found a fascinating collection of escape stories. Each story has it's own place in history. While the earlier stories in the book deal with escapes in Europe, the middle section deals with Native Americans who took captives, and the Civil War in America. You are then plunged in to World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Viet Nam, and of course those who were held as political prisoners. Each tale holds its own suspense and action. The people in each of these stories held freedom above all else. They dug, clawed, ran, crawled, and swam to escape their prisons. Each individual believed enough in their own abilities to make the break for freedom. I found it amusing that Mr. Brown chose to include fictional escapes as well as those that were true. The infamous Scarlet Pimpernel and the exploits of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were a pleasant change from the harrowing escapes of war prisoners. I found it very easy to read one and take time to enjoy it before moving on to the next. It was entertaining. At times I found it to be full of nail biting suspense. There were other times when I just could not put it down. If you have any interest at all in how ways people find to escape and the human sacrifices they make this book is a must read.

A unique and compelling anthology

The Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told: Twenty-Five Unforgettable Tales compiled and edited by Darren Brown is a remarkable compilation of the most famous, desperate, death-defying and inspirational escapes throughout history which were undertaken by prisoners of war, sentenced criminals, including classic tunnel escapes, and even escapes captured in immortal prose by the likes of Mark Twain and Alexander Dumas, -- which were based on true events in history. A unique and compelling anthology, The greatest Escape Stories Every Told is enthusiastically recommended reading.