“A book that I absolutely could not put down . . . and one that I will never forget.” —Stephen E. Ambrose“One of the great escape stories of our time.” —Chicago Sun-Times “We Die Alone is a spine chiller. It may well become a legend.” —Boston Post Here is one of the most exciting escape narratives to emerge from the challenges and miseries of World War II. In March 1943, a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos sailed from northern England for Nazi-occupied arctic Norway to organize and supply the Norwegian resistance. But they were betrayed, and the Nazis ambushed them. Only one man survived—Jan Baalsrud. This is the incredible and gripping story of his escape. Frostbitten, blinded by the snow, and pursued by the Nazis, Jan dragged himself forward until he reached a small arctic village. He was near death, delirious, and a virtual cripple. But the villagers, at mortal risk to themselves, were determined to save him, and—through impossible feats—they did. We Die Alone is an astonishing true story of heroism and resilience. Like Slavomir Rawicz’s classic The Long Walk, and the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the crew of the Endurance, it is also an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit.

"Jan Baalstrud encountered some of the most harrowing adventures yet recorded about the survivors of the Second World War . . . A mere outline of Jan's adventures cannot possibly suggest the emotional impact that Mr. Howarth creates by his sharp selection of revealing details and his terse skill in telling a plain, unvarnished tale. We Die Alone fills one with humber admiration for the stubborn courage of a man who refused to die under circumstances that would have killed ninety-nine men out of a hundred and with almost equal admiration for the many men and women who never hesitated to help him as best they could, knowing full well that death was the mildest punishment they could expect for their heroic 'crime.'" --The New York Times "One of the great escape stories of our time." --Chicago Sun-Times "Almost unbelievable. We Die Alone is a spine chiller. It may well become a legend." --Boston Post