Great Escapes and Rescues: An Encyclopedia - Softcover

Roger Howard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1576071901 ISBN 13: 9781576071908

Publisher: ABC-CLIO (UK), 1999

Synopsis

True stories of exciting escapes and rescues have always been popular. This encyclopaedia presents escapes and rescues from the earliest times to the late-1990s in an A-Z format. Roger Howard describes the events themselves, the reasons why they were successful, and what motivated the escapees. Some of the escapes described are simple but ingenious, such as that of Hugo Grotius, the Dutch jurist and political philosopher. In 1619 Grotius had been condemned to life imprisonment, but he escaped in 1621 concealed in a small chest less than four feet in length. The entries relate to topics as varied as Colditz, John McVicar, the Russian Revolution, Stalin, and the Titanic. Also covered are instances of people who evaded capture altogether and escapees who, like Lord Lucan, have "disappeared".

About this title

Review

."..a useful, focused historical encyclopedia. Recommended for public reference librarians." -

Library Journal

."..this is an interesting and informative volume for beginning researchers or general readers." -

Choice

"The material in this book ... is ideally suited for browsing, and public libraries might want to consider an additional copy for their circulating collections." -

American Reference Books Annual

..".a useful, focused historical encyclopedia. Recommended for public reference librarians." -

Library Journal

..".this is an interesting and informative volume for beginning researchers or general readers." -

Choice

"The material in this book ... is ideally suited for browsing, and public libraries might want to consider an additional copy for their circulating collections." - American Reference Books Annual

..".this is an interesting and informative volume for beginning researchers or general readers." - Choice

..".a useful, focused historical encyclopedia. Recommended for public reference librarians." - Library Journal

From the Publisher

In this entertaining and informative encyclopedia, disguises, ruses, stratagems, capers, devices, rescues and plots abound. From a papier-mch POW substitute, to Bonnie Prince Charlies successful 1746 masquerade as a maid, to a British airman's short lived escape from a German hospital wearing a nurse's cap and cape- and enormous flying boots and a luxuriant moustache. Each story is a tribute to ingenuity, perseverance, courage and indomitable will.

Entries include

* Mohammed, Founder of Islam, who in A.D.622 effected an escape from his enemies, the Meccans, who were sworn to put him to death on recapture

* Jacques Casanova, who in 1755 fled an "escape proof" Oventian prison and the audaciously hid in the house of a local police official who was looking out for him.

* A burial detail of Union prisoners who escaped when a ventriloquist among them made a corpse "protest" his burial- and the Confederate guards fled in terror.

* Members of the Danish underground, who in 1943 smuggled more than 8,000 Jews to Sweden under the very noses of the Germans.

* The Israeli commandos who in 1976 undertook one of the most remarkable rescue operations in history in a bid to free fellow nationals being held hostage in Entebbe, Uganda.

Edition details

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO (UK)
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1576071901
• ISBN 13: 9781576071908
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240