{"product_id":"the-escape-artists-a-band-of-daredevil-pilots-and-the-greatest-prison-break-of-the-great-war-a-spellbinding-true-story-of-ingenious-allied-airmen","title":"The Escape Artists: A Band of Daredevil Pilots and the Greatest Prison Break of the Great War – A Spellbinding True Story of Ingenious Allied Airmen","description":"“Bascomb has unearthed a remarkable piece of hidden history, and told it perfectly. The story brims with adventure, suspense, daring, and heroism.”\n—David Grann, New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon\n\nNeal Bascomb, New York Times best-selling author, delivers the spellbinding story of the downed Allied airmen who masterminded the remarkably courageous—and ingenious—breakout from Germany’s most devilish POW camp.\nIn the winter trenches and flak-filled skies of World War I, soldiers and pilots might avoid death, only to find themselves imprisoned in Germany’s archipelago of prison camps, often in abominable conditions. The most infamous was Holzminden, a land-locked Alcatraz that housed the most troublesome, escape-prone officers. Its commandant was a boorish, hate-filled tyrant named Karl Niemeyer who swore that none should ever leave.\nDesperate to break out of “Hellminden” and return to the fight, a group of Allied prisoners led by ace pilot (and former Army sapper) David Gray hatch an elaborate escape plan. Their plot demands a risky feat of engineering as well as a bevy of disguises, forged documents, fake walls, and steely resolve. Once beyond the watchtowers and round-the-clock patrols, Gray and almost a dozen of his half-starved fellow prisoners must then make a heroic 150-mile dash through enemy-occupied territory toward free Holland.\nDrawing on never-before-seen memoirs and letters, Neal Bascomb brings this narrative to cinematic life, amid the twilight of the British Empire and the darkest, most savage hours of the fight against Germany. At turns tragic, funny, inspirational, and nail-biting suspenseful, this is the little-known story of the biggest POW breakout of the Great War.\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 0358118220\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: DBV.0358118220.A\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Acceptable\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Bascomb, Neal\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: This copy has clearly been enjoyed—expect noticeable shelf wear and some minor creases to the cover. Binding is strong, and all pages are legible. May contain previous library markings or stamps.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Dream Books Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41475512696890,"sku":"DBV.0358118220.A","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/6011\/0138\/files\/0358118220-0.jpg?v=1781804835","url":"https:\/\/shop.dreambooksco.com\/products\/the-escape-artists-a-band-of-daredevil-pilots-and-the-greatest-prison-break-of-the-great-war-a-spellbinding-true-story-of-ingenious-allied-airmen","provider":"Dream Books Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}