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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
As stories of survival go, this one is incredible. It's the story of Jan Baalsrud, a Norwegian spy who was the lone survivor in a botched anti-Nazi mission during WWII. Pursued by the Nazis, Jan has to rely on the charity of others to keep him alive. Jan changes your perspective on what you thought a human being can actually endure. Left alone on a mountainside for weeks, buried alive - twice, amputating nine of his own toes - it's beyond comprehension.
The hearty, tough Norwegians who help Jan are the true heroes of the story - risking their lives to keep a man they've never met safe. My favorite quote comes from a 72-year old man who rowed Jan ten miles across freezing waters: "In my day, it was wooden ships and iron men, and what is it now? Iron ships and a lot of wooden men."
The hearty, tough Norwegians who help Jan are the true heroes of the story - risking their lives to keep a man they've never met safe. My favorite quote comes from a 72-year old man who rowed Jan ten miles across freezing waters: "In my day, it was wooden ships and iron men, and what is it now? Iron ships and a lot of wooden men."
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Outstanding! David Howarth is not the best writer, but he is certainly a phenomenal story teller. Fastest work of nonfiction I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys survival nonfiction and is particularity interested in WWII.
Not a very good title for an excellent book. The title sounds like the gruesome reminder of our earthly end. But, I think it was probably meant to say that "ALONE--we die". As the book is as much about the people who helped Jan, as the man himself. We all need people in this life, and it is never more apparent as when we are in grave trouble. This book will renew your faith in your fellow man. The film, "The 12th Man", which was based on the book, is also excellent.
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An amazing story, but I didn't think the book was written very well. This had to have been the worst editing job I've ever seen though as there were so many grammatical errors.
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What an amazing survival story! Surviving being chased by Germans, an avalanche and being buried for a week by snow storm whilst waiting for rescuers, cutting off his toes, suffering from frostbite and gangrene- how this man survived is incredible. His sheer will to live plus the help from so many Norwegian villagers just an incredible story!!
I had no clue about the German occupation of Norway or the struggles in Scandinavia during WWII. Not only that, but I had no clue someone could survive any of what this man did. Definitely a crazy story worth telling!