The Last Escaper
The Untold First-Hand Story of the Legendary World War II Bomber Pilot, "Cooler King" and Arch Escape Artist
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- ¥1,600
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- ¥1,600
発行者による作品情報
"A remarkable memoir of a British lad's salad days flying bombers against the Nazis and then repeatedly escaping their prison camps" (Kirkus Reviews).
The product of a lifetime's reflection, The Last Escaper is Peter Tunstall's unforgettable memoir of his days in the British Royal Air Force and as one of the most celebrated British POWs of World War II. Tunstall was an infamous tormentor of his German captors. Dubbed the "cooler king" on account of his long spells in solitary, he once dropped a water "bomb" directly in the lap of a high-ranking German officer. He also devised an ingenious method for smuggling coded messages back to London. But above all he was a highly skilled pilot, loyal friend, and trusted colleague. Without false pride or bitterness, Tunstall recounts the hijinks of training to be a pilot, terrifying bombing raids, and elaborate escape attempts at once hilarious and deadly serious—all part of a poignant and human war story superbly told by a natural raconteur. The Last Escaper is a captivating final testament by the "last man standing" from the Greatest Generation.
"Right up there with Stalag 17 and The Great Escape." —New York Post
"The historical account of behind-the-scenes drama makes this a valuable addition to the period literature." —Publishers Weekly
"The stark reality of war is ever present in his detailed accounting of life as a prisoner of war. We are taken through the highs and lows of not only each failed attempt but the psychological effects of imprisonment on himself, others in the camps and ultimately how it changed each person involved." —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this posthumous memoir, Tunstall (1918 2013) relates his experiences as an RAF pilot during WWII. Captured early on, he spent the duration of the war at several different POW facilities, and he offers gripping details of his prison life, especially his many harrowing escape attempts. There is no doubt that he was an innovative escape artist, pioneering many tricks of the trade including the immediate costume change and helping intelligence operations with his use of "split photographs" combined with codes, in which he hid information between the layers of paper photographs. Tunstall also shares some impressive methods for manufacturing the clothing, documents, and other items needed for a successful escape. He spends the book's closing pages defending the Allied bombing offensive that may have hastened Germany's surrender, perhaps due to the postwar outcry against it. Tunstall's informal prose reads like a letter home and is heavily flavored by the author's perceptions. But the historical account of behind-the-scenes drama makes this a valuable addition to the period literature.
