The Adventures of Hiram Holliday

In this classic from the author of The Poseidon Adventure, a New York copyeditor embarks on a heroic journey in Europe at the dawn of World War II.

Who is Hiram Holliday?

On the surface, Hiram is a bespectacled, middle-aged copyeditor at an esteemed New York City newspaper. Punctual and polite, he leads a mundane existence behind a desk with a well-sharpened pencil in hand. The only excitement that he ever sees is in the news stories that pass beneath his fingers.

But on the inside, he longs to travel to Europe and be a man of action. Over the years, he saved his money and studied hard to learn all the skills of a romantic hero. He has become a crack shot, a skilled boxer, an expert swordsman, a poly-linguist, and an analyst of disguises and facial expressions. Then, after his knowledge of the comma is rewarded at work with a hefty bonus and vacation time, Hiram decides to fulfill his life's dream and head across the pond.

Excitement soon finds him after his arrival in London. An international kidnapping plot envelops him, spies and Nazis spar with him, and he rescues a beautiful princess. Traveling to Paris, Prague, Berlin, Vienna, and then Rome, he tackles one challenge after another. But with the clouds of war looming over the country, Hiram must remember his studies if he wants to end his vacation in one piece . . .

Originally published in 1939.