Whether you are a prisoner of war, a prisoner of nature's fury, or a prisoner of society, one word smashes your thoughts against a blockade of desperation: Escape! The stakes are higher than freedom itself-chains unshackled, steel doors opened, gunfire avoided. At stake is life itself, and the odds against winning the struggle are immense. The stories in this collection are pulse-pounding accounts of escape attempts of soldiers trapped on battlefields, outdoor adventurers facing nature's darkest hours, and POWs of all nationalities. The pain of wounds, loneliness, and defeat are captured in prose that makes these stories come alive.

Lamar Underwood is the former editor in chief of Sports Afield and Outdoor Life, and also the editorial director of the Outdoor Magazine Group of Harris Publications in New York City. Among the many books he has authored and edited for Lyons are Classic Survival Stories, The Greatest Flying Stories Ever Told, and War Stories.