We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance

first read this incredible tale of one man's refusal to die alone forty years ago--have been recommending to people ever since. jan baalsrud--a norwegian patriot during wwII--captured my imagination in the page's of david howarth's riveting book, and his story of survival under the relentless pursuit of the nazi's, is maybe the best to come out of that war. page after page, the twists and turns, the chance meetings and narrow escapes, the unrelenting suspense...a book you simply can't put down. and written well enough that it doesn't matter if you're a seventh grader, as i was four decades ago, or a senior citizen, as i'm rapidly becoming. its just a great read. you'll never forget jan baalsrud..guaranteed.

This astounding account of survival gives the reader a perspective Americans are not generally familiar with--life within a country occupied by a ruthless enemy. Jan Baalsrud's uncanny survival story is told within the context of the north Norwegian underground resistance, and in that account is as inspiring as Soldiers of the Night and other volumes devoted entirely to the European resistance to the nazis. The only thing more terrifying than the German occupation forces are the impossible Arctic conditions Baalsrud and those who helped him to escape somehow survived. This true story is first-rate adventure and is highly recommended.

Not at all a book about WWII combat action, We Die Alone is a gripping account of a Norwegian commandos race for the Swedish border agoinst the Nazis and some horrificlly overwhelming odds. This one is a fast-paced page turner, as time after time it might seem as though the escape is complete and then the story throws another twist that truly turns this story of escape into an unforgettable epic. Anyone who enjoys survival or adventure or even war reading will likely cherish this story that tells a true story of all three of those subjects. It also proves to be a superb discussion of the Nazi occupation and ruling of Norway, an area of WWII that is often forgotten but was in reality a key area for the Germans and one the British truly paid for losing. I can't say anything truly negative about this book.