Great Escapes and Rescues

The daring escapes that have captivated our imagination in fiction, television and movies pale in comparison to real-life exploits described in this work. From the slave revolt led by Spartacus in the first century BCE to the recent Peruvian Embassy siege, each story in this resource serves as a tribute to the ingenuity, perseverance, courage and indomitable will of those who fled or were rescued from dangerous political, religious or social circumstances. The entries, many of which are illustrated, also include suggestions for further reading. Topics include the escape of Mohammed, the founder of Islam, from his enemies in 622 AD; Jacques Casanova who fled from an "escape-proof" prison in 1775; and members of the Danish underground who smuggled more than 8000 Jews into Sweden in 1943.