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Summary: I can't believe it really happened.....
Review: I havn't finished reading the book, but so far, the most I can say is "This really happened?" No, not in a sarcastic way, in an amazed way. I mean, wow! I'm sure amazed at what people can do when they're truly devoted to it. Everything they did is amazing, and if anything like this ever happened again (heaven forbid) I don't think it could be done again. It, being eveything those people did to get out of prison to freedom. Oh, yah....maybe a kids reveiw isn't the best one to read....better stop reading mine then...but...I'm just trying to say....if you read this book, you might think the same. It's one of the best books I've read, way up there with Sleepers (some other book).......Sleepers was way more confusing...I can sort of relate to this book. You can practically picture yourself in this book (The Great Escape, not Sleepers), and that makes the book even better.
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Summary: (The Great Escape) don't watch the movie, read the book.
Review: I love both the movie and the book but they can't be compared to each other. The book gives a true look into the civility of regular German guards and captured Allied aircrews. With only a few prisoners succeeding in the escape, the book shows a true spirit of freedom.
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Summary: my dad was one of the pow's who escaped
Review: I'm writing you about a man named Steve Martin who came to my house last evening to show me his collection of 'Great Escape' original material. As you know, my father was the first Canadian Prisoner of war and was #68 of the 76 who escaped. This is how he came to call me up for this meeting. I was completely blown away by his collection. He has a rare letter from BIG X, Roger Bushell, who of course was the leader of escape. He has a tile from the Harry tunnel, that the stove was resting on, tons of stuff on Wally Floody, who engineered the escape and became friends with Steve. Also pictures of George Harsh, if you're a historian you should know this name or research it, and Johnny Dodge [the artful dodger]. The list go on. He even has sand from the tunnel. He's 42yrs old and when he was 12 he read Paul Brichman's 'The Great Escape' and got hooked and has been collecting ever since . He's gone to their reunions and has several letters and autographs. He has a museum of history pertaining to the 'Great Escape'. I can't even get close to telling you what he showed me and he said that was nothing compared to his complete set. I urged him to get a web page set up to which he has very little experience with computors. This man has a gold mine and needs direction. I don't know how interested you'd be in this project but if you know of someone who would be please let me know. His phone number is#905-824-7367. If this amazing part of history is at all intriguing to you, you'll be as blown away as I was. Nonie Crete
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Summary: great exmaple of war
Review: I'vve not read it
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Summary: Better than the film
Review: If that's possible! The movie of the Great Escape is one of my favorite all-time movies. So I was excited to read the book, and it did not disappoint. It was fascinating to read after having seen the movie, to match up the characters with their real life counterparts, to read what had really happened and what was embellished (not much!). I highly recommend the book.
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Summary: The Great Escape
Review: In this installment British and American prisoners are trapped in a Nazi POW camp, and takes place in Germany during WWII. Of the group that trys to escape is the books author himself, Paul Brickhill. Led by fearless Englishmen named Roger Bushell, both British and Americans come together and plan an escape from the Nazi camp. The task is hard, digging tunnels under the camp's grounds, while creating their clothing and/or weapons needed to dig the tunnels and escpape. The men are faced with many different turnpoints and struggles like: they would have to restart digging a tunnel everytime they made a little mistake or they would have to go without any sleep night after night. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for ages 6th grade and up. Thank You!
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Summary: The Great Escape
Review: In this installment British and American prisoners are trapped in a Nazi POW camp, and takes place in Germany during WWII. Of the group that trys to escape is the books author himself, Paul Brickhill. Led by fearless Englishmen named Roger Bushell, both British and Americans come together and plan an escape from the Nazi camp. The task is hard, digging tunnels under the camp's grounds, while creating their clothing and/or weapons needed to dig the tunnels and escpape. The men are faced with many different turnpoints and struggles like: they would have to restart digging a tunnel everytime they made a little mistake or they would have to go without any sleep night after night. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for ages 6th grade and up. Thank You!
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Summary: Great story, weak presentation
Review: It's a rare thing indeed to discover a movie adaptation is actually better than the book that inspired it, but here it is: Paul Brickhill's THE GREAT ESCAPE is a great plot with no characters to speak of.Brickhill gives a firsthand account of the escape of 76 men from Sagan, a German prisoner-of-war camp, during World War II. Through tireless efforts and disheartening setbacks, the men managed to dig a lengthy tunnel 30 feet down into the earth, and 300 feet towards possible freedom. The plan, which originally called for three such tunnels, was the single largest escape in WWII history, and the efforts, patience, and bravery of the men secures their escape as one of the most noble efforts of man. What a pity, then, that THE GREAT ESCAPE is a fairly badly written first-hand narrative, related with all the style of a person making a grocery list. Brickhill has provided the bones of an amazing story, but he neglected to provide any meat along with them. The story couldn't help but lend itself to a fascinating read. The actions of these men could never be anything less than remarkable. But all Brickhill does is tell the story. He doesn't add any true characterization to the hundreds of people who pop in and out, resulting in a lack of empathy for these men. The reader is left wanting to know more, but is frustratingly denied the opportunity. Even the leader, Roger Bushell, is a cipher, easily interchangeable with any other character. It is easy to see why this story makes such fertile ground for a movie. The plot is astonishing, and the complete absence of any true personality leaves the filmmakers free to make up any character they want. Roger Bushell didn't escape from Sagan, Richard Attenborough did. So did Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. I don't want to seem as if I am making light of the situation. THE GREAT ESCAPE was a shining example of what humanity can achieve under the most strenuous circumstances. But Brickhill doesn't provide us with any reason to care. The story unfolds with all the excitement and tension of someone telling of their day at work. Simplicity in storytelling can be a fine thing, but not where the story demands so much more.
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Summary: A Great Escape - A Great Story
Review: It's really amazing that these POWs could actually go through all of this. I was completely saddened when I read about the fifty men who were shot. It was totally depressing that all that hard work, perservance and risk taking ended in such a lost of life. I can't believe it is true. People today just don't have the same type of endurance, patience nor resourcefulness. We could all learn a lesson from this book. It is a bit long . . . almost a How-To guide for prison camp escape but the information is really interesting and it was really intelligence how the men were able to make something useful out of nothing. They were really able to draw on their skills. Although, my people were never in the war, this story reminded me of the Inuit's way of finding what they need out of nothing. Resourcefulness and creative thinking are very important skills for any culture.
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Summary: Great Adventure Story
Review: No idea how many times I read this, growing up. You should see the thing. No boy should be allowed to grow up without the opportunity to read this book.
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