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babyanimals's review
5.0
Get this book. Tell all your friends. It's crazy awesome. Just when you think the true! story can't get any epic-er, it does. It's amazing what this guy endured and survived. Great if you want to restore your faith in humanity and/or get a little perspective on your life.
dramagirl2003's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
4.0
HOW THE HECK DID THIS GUY SURVIVE???
man he really must've had some angels on assignment to protect him
man he really must've had some angels on assignment to protect him
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and War
specialk136's review
4.0
As stories of survival go, this one is incredible. It's the story of Jan Baalsrud, a Norwegian spy who was the lone survivor in a botched anti-Nazi mission during WWII. Pursued by the Nazis, Jan has to rely on the charity of others to keep him alive. Jan changes your perspective on what you thought a human being can actually endure. Left alone on a mountainside for weeks, buried alive - twice, amputating nine of his own toes - it's beyond comprehension.
The hearty, tough Norwegians who help Jan are the true heroes of the story - risking their lives to keep a man they've never met safe. My favorite quote comes from a 72-year old man who rowed Jan ten miles across freezing waters: "In my day, it was wooden ships and iron men, and what is it now? Iron ships and a lot of wooden men."
The hearty, tough Norwegians who help Jan are the true heroes of the story - risking their lives to keep a man they've never met safe. My favorite quote comes from a 72-year old man who rowed Jan ten miles across freezing waters: "In my day, it was wooden ships and iron men, and what is it now? Iron ships and a lot of wooden men."
jonnyrwhit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
3.5
jhalloran99's review
5.0
Outstanding! David Howarth is not the best writer, but he is certainly a phenomenal story teller. Fastest work of nonfiction I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys survival nonfiction and is particularity interested in WWII.
mickeymole's review
5.0
Not a very good title for an excellent book. The title sounds like the gruesome reminder of our earthly end. But, I think it was probably meant to say that "ALONE--we die". As the book is as much about the people who helped Jan, as the man himself. We all need people in this life, and it is never more apparent as when we are in grave trouble. This book will renew your faith in your fellow man. The film, "The 12th Man", which was based on the book, is also excellent.
jsburt's review
3.0
An amazing story, but I didn't think the book was written very well. This had to have been the worst editing job I've ever seen though as there were so many grammatical errors.