HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance (1955)

by David Howarth

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
1,0824118,552 (3.99)71
Jan Baalsrud's escape from Nazi-occupied arctic Norway is one of the most exciting escape narratives to emerge from the challenges and miseries of World War II chronicles . In March 1943, a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos sailed from northern England for Nazi-occupied arctic Norway to organize and supply the Norwegian resistance. But they were betrayed and the Nazis ambushed them. Only one man survived - Jan Baalsrud. This is the incredible and gripping story of his escape. Frostbitten and snowblind, pursued by the Nazis, he dragged himself on until he reached a small arctic village. He was near death, delirious, and a virtual cripple. But the villagers, at mortal risk to themselves, were determined to save him, and - through impossible feats - they did. We Die Alone is an astonishing true story of heroism and endurance. Like Salvomir Rawicz's, The Long Walk, it is also an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit.… (more)
  1. 01
    Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival by Joe Simpson (srdr)
    srdr: Although this book is about mountain climbing rather than WW II, it is an equally gripping survival story.
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 71 mentions

English (40)  Danish (1)  All languages (41)
Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)
A biography of Jan Baalsrud. Jan was a Norwegian who was a British trained commando in WWII. A group of 10 left the Shetlands and landed in Norway to disrupt the Nazi's who had entrenched themselves. Jan's group was betrayed and he was the only survivor. Through amputating his own toes and suffering the interminable cold, he finally was taken by charitable Sami (Northern Scandinavians), who were fired at, across Finland into Sweden. He found the Norwegians very gracious and they helped him even though to do so put themselves and their families in peril. A great survival against all odds story. 257 pages ( )
  Tess_W | Feb 26, 2024 |
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. ( )
  MickeyMole | Oct 2, 2023 |
Truly and epic tale of endurance! Well written and an engaging read. This is a very obscure bit of WWII action, though there is almost no military action at all. A fascinating story. ( )
  Karlstar | Nov 16, 2021 |
The Publisher's review on the book jacket compares this saga favorably to Shackleton's miraculous survival story at the South Pole, and to Krakauer's Mt. Everest adventure tale "Into Thin Air". I wouldn't go that far, and would recommend both Krakauer's book and Caroline Alexander's "The Endurance" over this. But those books are both highly regarded adventure stories, and coming in third to those two is no slight. "We Die Alone" is still a drammatic story of hardship and endurance, detailing the escape to Sweden by Norweigan commando Jan Baalsrud in WW II. A resistance fighter in occupied Norway, Baalsrud is reported to the Nazi's, and alone and ill-equipped, struggles across the frozen land to find his way to freedom. ( )
  rsutto22 | Jul 15, 2021 |
We Die Alone, by David Howarth (pp 231). This is the story of a lone survivor of a WWII team of Norwegian saboteurs who escaped German pursuers, survived severe frostbite, and stayed alive several weeks while immobilized and effectively abandoned mid-rescue sheltering in a snow cave. His story was so fantastic that it was not initially believed, until verified by some of the Norwegians he met along the way. Amazing story. ( )
  wildh2o | Jul 10, 2021 |
Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)
no reviews | add a review

» Add other authors (24 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
David Howarthprimary authorall editionscalculated
Kontio, MattiTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Odd Bang-HansenTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ringnes, HaagenAfterwordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tossey, VerneCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
On mourra seul - Pascal, 1623-1662
Dedication
First words
Even at the end of March, on the Arctic coast of northern Norway, there is no sign of spring.
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
We die alone was later published as Escape Alone.
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (2)

Jan Baalsrud's escape from Nazi-occupied arctic Norway is one of the most exciting escape narratives to emerge from the challenges and miseries of World War II chronicles . In March 1943, a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos sailed from northern England for Nazi-occupied arctic Norway to organize and supply the Norwegian resistance. But they were betrayed and the Nazis ambushed them. Only one man survived - Jan Baalsrud. This is the incredible and gripping story of his escape. Frostbitten and snowblind, pursued by the Nazis, he dragged himself on until he reached a small arctic village. He was near death, delirious, and a virtual cripple. But the villagers, at mortal risk to themselves, were determined to save him, and - through impossible feats - they did. We Die Alone is an astonishing true story of heroism and endurance. Like Salvomir Rawicz's, The Long Walk, it is also an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3.99)
0.5
1
1.5
2 3
2.5
3 41
3.5 12
4 71
4.5 14
5 45

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

Canongate Books

An edition of this book was published by Canongate Books.

» Publisher information page

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 202,645,619 books! | Top bar: Always visible