Focusing on Marine Lt. Bill Harris, the narrative jumps around a bit and provides somewhat of an overview of WW II in the Pacific. Lt. Harris was a Marine who just wouldn't quit in his quest to escape and avoid captivity and rejoin his beloved Marine Corps. The story pays off with some amazing incidents which I had never read about in this way. ( )

I found this story thoroughly fascinating. There was so much here to absorb. For one we have the story of Bill Harris, a young man whose fierce attitude served him well as he fought against the Japanese across the Philippines and was ultimately captured and sent to a POW camp in Japan. A dreary place, where he survived beatings and starvation that slimmed him down to a delicate 120 pounds. There is also fascinating background information weaved in about the war in the Philippines, a war I will be honest I didn’t really know much about. There is so much coverage on the war in Europe, I can’t really recall anyone really bringing up the fierce battles in the the Philippines as a Japan set on domination made several attempts, with many fatal errors , to cut off trade routes to Australia. If you are a guru of WW11 information like me this is a must read, if you are not this is still a fascinating historical account, about a remarkable man living at an extraordinary time. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )