I read the book at the age of when the companion book club edition. So taken was downing with the epic story of slavs escape from a siberian labour camp in 1941. The book is 95 pages long and yet the impact it leaves on the reader is stunning. I have read the book more than a dozen times and have given gifts of as many copies. May 18, 2009 today while visiting a thrift store in my area in search of odd books, i found a copy of the long walk by slavomir rawicz. The long walk the long walk audiobook, by slavomir rawicz. After a three month journey to siberia in the depths of winter he escaped with six companions, realising that to stay in the camp meant almost certain death. A gamble for life, by slavomir rawicz and ronald downing well, this was certainly an interesting read, and not for the reasons i thought it would be. Twentysixyearold cavalry officer slavomir rawicz was captured by the red army in 1939 during the germansoviet partition of poland and sent to the siberian gulag. In a ghostwritten book called the long walk, he claimed that in 1941 he and six others had escaped from a siberian gulag camp and begun a long journey south on foot. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
It was released in the uk in 1956 and has sold over half a million copies worldwide and has been translated into 25 languages. The film the way back, starring colin farrell and ed harris, is based on this amazing true story. A book filled with the spirit of human dignity and the courage of men seeking freedom. Across the transsiberian railway adventure library essay. This page contains details about the nonfiction book the long walk by slavomir rawicz published in 1956. They travelled through the gobi desert, tibet, and the himalayas to finally reach british india in. The long walk by slavomir rawicz book about facebook. The book covers their trek of over 3000 miles to india. Biography, concentration camp escapes, description and travel, escapes, polish personal narratives, prisoners of war, russian prisoners and prisons, world. Inspired by slavomir rawicz s acclaimed book, the long walk. Published in 1956, slavomir rawiczs the long walk told of a group of siberian labor camp prisoners at the beginning of wwii and their escape by walking from siberia to india in 19411942. Slawomir rawicz was a polish army lieutenant who was imprisoned by the soviets after the germansoviet invasion of poland.
Slawomir rawicz, ne le 1 septembre 1915 a pinsk alors en russie, avant detre en territoire. It was every bit witolds story and became an international bestseller, but the man who claimed to have made the epic journey was slavomir rawicz, a former polish officer. The long walk must be readand reread, and passed along to friends. Since it was first published 1956 it has sold more than 500 000 copies and been translated into 25 languages. The story of seven men who escaped from a soviet labor camp during world war ii, it has within it both pathos and small slices of humor, and primarily adventure, adventure, adventure.
Dec 25, 2010 slavomir rawicz never actually made the epic trek described in his classic book the long walk, but peter weirs movie version is utterly convincing philip french sat 25 dec 2010 19. Several people recommended it to me and it was simply awesome. The long walk is a book that i absolutely could not put down and one that i will. Slavomir rawicz takes the reader on a most extraordinary journey. Smith 2010, book by linda willis, documenting her research into the story behind the long walk and her. The long walk by slavomir rawicz book home facebook. Slawomir rawicz was a polish army lieutenant who was imprisoned by the nkvd after the germansoviet invasion of poland. In a ghostwritten book called the long walk, he claimed that in 1941 he and six others had escaped from a siberian gulag camp and began a long journey south on foot about 6,500 km or 4,000 mi. Many people questioned the validity of such an epic tale of survival and i wanted to see if such a journey was possible. With 7 companions, including one mysterious american, he escaped and journeyed to the south, crossing mongolia, the gobi desert and tibet before making it to british india. Written in a most personal style and not pulling any punches, the long walk is an fascinating retelling of a story demonstrating true human spirit and strength. There were, unfortunately, many parts of the book that were clearly untrue, for example the yeti sighting, his claim that his party walked well over a week across the gobi desert without water, etc.
On september 9, 2004 lauren ditolla, ant chapin and keri bean and i flew to moscow to begin an 8,000. Slavomir rawicz was a polish calvary officer, who was imprisoned by the soviets and eventually taken to a prison in siberia. Mar 22, 2019 but only a madman could entertain any serious hopes of a break on this wintry trek to the north. Although the veracity of the tale has been called into question based on recently released soviet records and internal inconsistencies in the book itself to say nothing of the partys sighting of a pair of yeti, rawiczs narrative remains an inspiring and unforgettable reading experience. In 1956, a polish officer called slavomir rawicz caused a sensation with the long walk, his account of a his dramatic escape from the soviet gulag and a 4000mile trek on foot to india. In the early 1950s, slavomir slav rawicz, who has died aged 88, met a journalist, ronald downing. Also laid in is a note about the long walk and the author slavomir rawicz. A modest mans struggle against the tides of war and oppression john b adams, may 5, 2004, the guardian book related and general links. Ferdynand antoni ossendowski, an author of an account of escape from siberia during the russian civil war in the 1920s. A st sunday the long walk, by slavomir rawicz, was discussed. The monumental adversity that faced slavomir rawicz was unbelievable, and he told. The trek from moscow to the upper india border lasted over eighteen months.
In the long walk, slavomir rawicz described how, during the second world war, he and a group of prisoners broke out of a gulag in the soviet union in 1941. I especially liked the part about the sighting of the possible yeti, or the. Slavomir rawicz never actually made the epic trek described in his classic book the long walk, but peter weirs movie version is utterly convincing philip french sat 25 dec 2010 19. In the long walk 1956 slavomir rawicz describes being arrested, tortured and sent to a siberian prison camp, after the soviet invasion of poland in 1939. Slavomir rawicz in 1941, the author and six other fellow prisoners escaped a soviet labor camp in yakutska camp where enduring hunger, cold, untended wounds, untreated illnesses, and avoiding daily executions were everyday feats. Jul 03, 2005 slavomir rawiczs the long walk has replaced james freys books as the best book of the year. Squeezed tight with hundreds of other prisoners in a box car he traverses the remote country of siberia. In 1956, a book called the long walk claimed to tell how seven prisoners escaped from a labour camp in siberia and walked to india.
The long walk by slavomir rawicz is the most unforgetable book i have ever read, which i read for the first time in about 1959. The long walk is a book that i absolutely could not put down and one that i will never forget. On 19th november 1939 he was arrested by the russians and after brutal interrogation he was sentenced to 25 years in the gulags. This is the easton press collectors genuine decorated leather edition. This book is the 1017th greatest nonfiction book of all time as determined by. The book itself doesnt focus on the anomalous, instead dealing primarily with the story of rawicz, who at the time had been a prisoner who escaped with a small group of men from a soviet prison camp in 1941. The book was written by a ghost writer ronald downing. Slavomir rawiczs the long walk has replaced james freys books as the best book of the year. Mar 17, 2006 slavomir rawicz was a polish calvary officer, who was imprisoned by the soviets and eventually taken to a prison in siberia. In the long walk, slavomir rawicz described how, during the second world war, he and a group of prisoners broke out of a. The long walk by slavomir rawicz overdrive rakuten. Slavomir rawicz books list of books by author slavomir rawicz. The long walk is so cinematic that you have to wonder why it has never been made into a movie. Slavomir rawicz in 1941, the author and six other fellow prisoners escaped a soviet labor camp in yakutska camp where enduring hunger, cold, untended wounds, untreated illnesses.
Il est lauteur dun ouvrage unique publie en 1956, a marche forcee titre originel en anglais. Right after i was done with reading the book, i looked up the web for the original book and its author. The long walk is a book that was penned in 1955 by a man named slavomir rawicz. In a ghostwritten book called the long walk, he claimed that in 1941 he and six others had escaped from a siberian gulag camp and begun a long journey south on foot about 6,500 km or 4,000 mi. Since its publication at the height of the cold war, slavomir rawiczs account of his 1941 midblizzard escape from a soviet labor camp in siberia with six fellow prisoners has won legions of devoted readers. The book the long walk a true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz, has inspired generations of arm chair readers and explorers world wide. After his ordeal of the long walk he settled in england in 1944 were he remained for the rest of his life working in. In a ghostwritten book called the long walk, he claimed that in 1941 he and six. Laid in is easton press certificate of authenticity signed by rawicz and publisher. The book is a translation of the english version the long walk by slawomir rawicz. In the long walk, slavomir rawicz described how, during the. Slavomir rawicz booklist slavomir rawicz message board. The long walk by slavomir rawicz the 1017th greatest.
Next sunday this programme is in its turn to be discussed by the critics. Oct 30, 2006 in 1956, a polish man living in the english midlands published an extraordinary book that became one of the classic tales of escape and endurance. Long walk by slavomir rawicz overdrive rakuten overdrive. Today while visiting a thrift store in my area in search of odd books, i found a copy of the long walk by slavomir rawicz. But only a madman could entertain any serious hopes of a break on this wintry trek to the north. The long walk, by slavomir rawicz, purports to be the true story of an heroic flight to freedom. Rawicz tells the story of his arrest, interrogation, trial, and sentencing for espionage in russia in 1939. Slav and his fellow escapees went through torturous degrees of human degradation.
Ihad to tel my story as a warning to the living, and as a moraljudgment for the greater good. Based on a true story, it is one of several ultimate accountings of human perservance, fortitude,and survival against overwhelming odds. Along their journey they face starvation, receiving only a small ration of bread. A modest mans struggle against the tides of war and oppression john b adams, may 5, 2004, the guardian bookrelated and general links. In a ghostwritten book called the long walk, he claimed that in 1941 he and six others had escaped from a siberian gulag camp and walked over 6,500 km 4,000 mi south, through the gobi desert, tibet, and the himalayas to finally reach british india in the winter of 1942. I shall not, therefore, be out of the vogue if i return to a subject with which i originally dealt in these pages on april. From there he and six companions escape, with the help of the commandants wife. Nov 16, 2010 slavomir rawicz takes the reader on a most extraordinary journey. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The long walk by slavomir rawicz hoax like many of you i read the book the long walk and thought it was very interesting. A st sunday the long walk, by slavomir rawicz, was.
The long walk is a book that i absolutely could not put. Slavomir rawicz is wrongly accused of being a polish spy and is, after weeks of torture, finally sentenced to 25 years in a soviet gulag. Inspired by slavomir rawiczs acclaimed book, the long walk. Later rawicz published a book about his trek the long walk. It came across the book donation table, and i thought it looked interesting. Dec 05, 2010 in 1956, a polish officer called slavomir rawicz caused a sensation with the long walk, his account of a his dramatic escape from the soviet gulag and a 4000mile trek on foot to india. After his ordeal of the long walk he settled in england in 1944 were he remained for the rest of his life working in education. Slavomir rawicz books list of books by author slavomir. Slawomir rawicz from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia this article needs additional citations for verification. Slavomir rawicz was a young polish cavalry officer. In 2006 the bbc released a report based on former soviet records, including statements. In 1956, a polish man living in the english midlands published an extraordinary book that became one of the classic tales of escape and endurance. The true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz isbn. Rawicz allows the reader a sense of what life was like in the gulags and imprisonment under a russian regime.