Today, Most of us have a soft, comfortable and safe life. We are confident that we are in control. It is most likely the people featured in this book felt the same way at one time. Yes, this is a true story about several innocent individuals leading normal lives until the Second World War came along. Then, through the toss of the dice, they found themselves together in a Russian prison camp in Siberia.
I felt they would perish many times over before they arrived at the prison compound. They not only survived up to this point in time, but after their escape, went on to suffer hardships many times greater than all previous. This is not a sob story about people feeling sorry for themselves. No, it is about determination, miracles, grit and attitude.
My Father introduced this book to me. I now have passed it along to my son. When I first read it, I could not put it down. I read through the day, into the evening and finally finished it in the early morning hours. I have never experienced this passion for a book. I wish a movie was made based on this hardship. The best part is that it is told by Slavomir Rawicz, who was one of the escapees. I feel certain that after this humbling and shattering life experience, he told it from deep within his soul. I do not feel there was any fluff added.
I liked it as I have never liked a book, ever. It was as if I got on board a roller coaster, strapped myself in, and took off on a scary but thrilling journey, completly safe, yet somtimes a little frightened at what I saw. I came away with the feeling that today, in America, there is truly no cause for anyone to complain about their petty problems. Relatively speaking, we have no problems. We are pampered. I used it as a learning experience. I tucked it away in my memory. For today we too, are comfortable, safe, and confident. Who knows what the dice hold in store for us?
