The greatest escape stories ever told : twenty-five unforgettable tales / edited by Darren Brown.

Originally published: 2002.

To reach freedom, the most famous escapers of all time have been willing to endure the most horrific conditions - and the direst consequences if caught. The collection of tales in The Greatest Escape Stories Ever Told is gripping as only true life-and-death struggles can be: Papillon fighting through the jungles of Guiana only to commit himself to the open ocean in a sixteen foot boat rather than face a life in exile; Rocky Gause dodging bullets as he swims through shark-infested waters to escape the Japanese at Bataan, while those around him simply quit; Latude battling against the dreaded Bastille; Baron Trenck - with chains covering almost every inch of his body - digging and digging to free himself from wrongful imprisonment; Andre Devigny, so weak from starvation and poor treatment that he could barely lift himself, shimmying across a rope only yards above a German sentry during WWII on the eve of his execution. These are just a few of the twenty-five bold and ingenious tales of escape included in this collection. The greatest escape stories ever told will hold readers captive for years to come!