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. Slawomir rawicz was a polish army lieutenant who was imprisoned by the soviets after the germansoviet invasion of poland. This is one of the worlds greatest stories of adventure, survival and escape. They travelled through the gobi desert, tibet, and the himalayas to finally reach british india in the winter of 1942. The long walk by slavomir rawicz book about facebook. Their march over thousands of miles by footout of siberia and through. So taken was downing with the epic story of slavs escape from a.
Long walk by slavomir rawicz overdrive rakuten overdrive. 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. May 04, 2004 in the early 1950s, slavomir slav rawicz, who has died aged 88, met a journalist, ronald downing. That controversy has persisted ever since the book on the subject. Written by rawicz himself, apparently with no help from a professional writer, the long walk reads like a textbook. 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. Slavomir rawicz, the long walk, 64 my family selected this recommended book as our first read by an overwhelming majority for our 2019 siblings book club, and while most of us closed its pages with a look of skepticism, we all thoroughly. The long walk by rawicz, slavomir seller mw books ltd. Many people questioned the validity of such an epic tale of survival and i wanted to see if such a journey was possible. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the long walk. The story was the long walk, a gripping account of a polish officers. The long walk is so cinematic that you have to wonder why it has never been made into a movie.
Reilly 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. The long walk by slavomir rawicz, 9781845296445, available at book. Later rawicz published a book about his trek the long walk. The monumental adversity that faced slavomir rawicz was unbelievable, and he.
Aug 21, 20 my name is slawomir rawicz, and though not a native of nottingham, i settled here after the second world war, married a local girl and cowrote my account of the escape from the soviet gulag camp 303 here. The true story of a trek to freedom kindle edition by rawicz, slavomir. Slavomir s ill health led to an early retirement during which he gave many talks. That said, the long walk as literature is a disappointment. Jul 03, 2005 slavomir rawiczs the long walk has replaced james freys books as the best book of the year. Slavomir rawicz 19152004 lived in england after the second world war where he met and married his wife marjorie. The long walk is an odyssey through the wastelands of asia and the vastness of the soul a classic of. The long walk escape from the gulag camp and walk to indiaedit. The book is the true story of the author, slavomir rawicz, who. A modest mans struggle against the tides of war and oppression john b adams, may 5, 2004, the guardian book related and general links. The true story of a trek to freedom 9780330024976 by slavomir rawicz and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz, in good condition. Along their journey they face starvation, receiving only a small ration of bread.
The true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz isbn. On september 9, 2004 lauren ditolla, ant chapin and keri bean and i flew to moscow to begin an 8,000. The long walk is a book that i absolutely could not put down and one that i will never forget. While there is a mention of it in the times, quoted toward the end of this page, there is a much more detailed overview of the evidence at. A st sunday the long walk, by slavomir rawicz, was discussed. The chronicle of slavomir rawicz, a polish cavalry officer who escaped a soviet siberian forced labor camp in 1941 and completed an incredible yearlong journey on foot through china, the gobi desert and into india is also a testament to human survival and a comforting. 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. Oct 30, 2006 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. Book in very good reading condition with light wear. The long walk by slavomir rawicz the long walk combines a great story with outstanding writing and is spiced up with a dash of controversy. One of the books i read was the nonfiction story, the long walk by slavomir rawicz. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Slavomir rawicz takes the reader on a most extraordinary journey. They walked thousands of miles south from siberia, through mongolia, tibet, across the himalayas, to the safety of british india.
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. Published 1956 condition near fine cloth copy in a good if somewhat edgetorn with some loss and dustdulled dw, now mylarsleeved. The true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz. 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. Since it was first published 1956 it has sold more than 500 000 copies and been translated into 25 languages. 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.
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. Their march out of siberia, through china, the gobi desert, tibet, and over the. 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. Slavomir rawicz in 1941, the author and six other fellow prisoners escaped a.
The book is a translation of the english version the long walk by slawomir rawicz. The true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz in djvu, fb2, fb3 download ebook. There is a previous owners name on the inside cover. Slawomir rawicz from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia this article needs additional citations for verification. Rawicz allows the reader a sense of what life was like in the gulags and imprisonment under a russian regime. Rawicz was released in 1942 as part of an amnesty for poles. The true story of a trek to freedom paperback april 1, 2016. Released in 1955 and now translated into 25 languages, the long walk has remained in print ever. Apr 26, 2007 slavomir rawicz was a young polish cavalry officer.
But only a madman could entertain any serious hopes of a break on this wintry trek to the north. 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. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Incredibly popular, it sold over 500,000 copies and is credited with inspiring many explorers.
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. 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. The film is loosely based on a book titled the long walk by slawomir rawicz, depicting his alleged escape from a siberian gulag and subsequent 4,000mile walk to freedom in india. So taken was downing with the epic story of slavs escape from a siberian labour camp in 1941. Next sunday this programme is in its turn to be discussed by the critics. 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. At the outset of world war ii, 24yearold polish soldier slavomir rawicz is.
Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. It was the story of a good and gentle man caught up in the savageries that followed germanys invasion. 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. Apr 01, 2016 slavomir rawicz takes the reader on a most extraordinary journey. 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. But i just had one small throwaway question and i didnt expect the answer i. This works secondary title, the true story of a trek to freedom, is but a small clue to what lies between the covers.
Squeezed tight with hundreds of other prisoners in a box car he traverses the remote country of siberia. They had five children and lived in the countryside of derbyshire. 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. It was an incredible story of endurance that required walking across the gobi desert and over the himalayan mountains. The book is 95 pages long and yet the impact it leaves on the reader is stunning.
Slavomir rawicz was a young polish cavalry officer. On 9th november 1939, he was arrested by the russians and after brutal interrogation in moscows infamous lubyanka prison and a farce of a trial, he was sentenced to 25 years hard labour in the gulags, for spying. The long walk by rawicz abebooks shop for books, art. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Nov 29, 2010 originally released in 1956, the long walk is a survival bestseller about the an escape from a soviet labor camp, the 4,000 mile journey to freedom, and the limits of what humans can endure the. Right after i was done with reading the book, i looked up the web for the original book and its author. The film the way back, starring colin farrell and ed harris, is based on this amazing true story. Their marchover thousands of miles by footout of siberia, through china. New material from the bbc broadcast october 2006 the bbc broadcast revealed a great deal of new material about rawicz.
A book filled with the spirit of human dignity and the courage of men seeking freedom. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Slavomir rawicz books list of books by author slavomir rawicz. Rawicz tells the story of his arrest, interrogation, trial, and sentencing for espionage in russia in 1939. None of them, however, has achieved the extraordinary feat rawicz has recorded. A st sunday the long walk, by slavomir rawicz, was. Ihad to tel my story as a warning to the living, and as a moraljudgment for the greater good. The true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In the early 1950s, slavomir slav rawicz, who has died aged 88, met a journalist, ronald downing. The long walk is a book that i absolutely could not put down and one that i will.
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. The long walk by slavomir rawicz book home facebook. Across the transsiberian railway adventure library essay. Reilly the book the long walk a true story of a trek to freedom by slavomir rawicz has inspired. So that was disappointing, but by this time i was halfway through a short book and decided to keep going to see how it turned out.
Several people recommended it to me and it was simply awesome. The long walk, by slavomir rawicz, purports to be the true story of an heroic flight to freedom. Witold glinski, who has died aged 86, claimed to have taken part in the socalled long walk, in which a group of prisoners was said to have escaped from a. 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. The long walk by slavomir rawicz overdrive rakuten. The autobiographic book of polish soldier slawomir rawicz described his incredible prison break journey from the gates of the frozen siberian gulag prison camp to the 4000 miles distant safety in india. Although many modern historians dispute his claim, the story of his life remains popular in the minds of the worldwide audience. 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 bbc broadcast seems to have depended quite a bit on the work of linda willis. That controversy has persisted ever since the book on the subject first. 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. Cavalry officer slavomir rawicz was captured by the red army in 1939 during the germansoviet partition of poland and was sent to the siberian gulag along with. Mtv and millions of other books are available for instant access.
797 325 534 1061 1440 845 410 1496 1021 146 22 151 348 1329 676 957 303 571 1188 659 831 725 1178 1200 492 343 1144 545 1165 1028 1159 60 1281