About the Author

Felice Benuzzi was born in Vienna in 1910 and grew up in Trieste, doing his early mountaineering in the Julian Alps. He studied law at Rome University and represented Italy as an international swimmer in 1933-35. Following the conclusion of the war he worked as a diplomat, including with the United Nations. He died in Rome in 1988.

Reviews

Felice Benuzzi's tale is a real joy. An extraordinary adventure written with a light, deft, humorous touch that makes it irresistibly readable. And it certainly shows that the British don't have a monopoly of eccentricity. - Michael PalinThe book crackles with the same dry humour as its title. It contains the prison-yard bartering and candlelight stitching that mark a classic jailbreak yarn; the encounters with wild beasts in Mount Kenya's forest belt are as gripping, and the descriptions of sparkling glaciers as awe-inspiring, as any passage in the great exploration diaries of the early 20th century. - The EconomistDeeply moving, this beautifully written book almost reads like a novel and provides a unique perspective on the effects of war and the power of imagination - GuardianThis classic adventure story is a gloriously readable celebration of courage, humour and the human longing for freedom - Daily MailMr. Benuzzi's paradoxical mixture of pride and self-mocking humility is attractive: his courage is amazing; his story, dramatic - New York TimesA most extraordinary prisoner-of-war and escape story - New YorkerMore electrifying than anything a person with a nose for real adventure could hope to read - RepubblicaA mad venture and a gallant tribute to man's deep yearning for freedom - Kirkus Reviews