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Defiant Courage
- A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance
- Narrated by: Peter Altschuler
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
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Defiant Courage
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Editor reviews
Some listeners might already be familiar with this amazing true story of survival during World War II. But even armed with the general knowledge of Jan Baalsrud’s escape from the Nazis into Arctic Norway after a failed sabotage operation, nothing compares to listening to this incredible tale as it unfolds moment by moment.
Peter Altshuler performs the diligently researched Defiant Courage with a keen ear not only for Norwegian names but also for texturizing and adding life to a story. Not that the story needs much embellishment. At one point in his escape, Baalsrud had been buried under an avalanche, had amputated nine of his toes, and was snow blind. His unlikely survival remains one of the great stories of World War II.
Summary
In late March of 1943, four commandos arrive in northern Norway with a mission of establishing a base for sabotage operations. Before they can unload their cutter, they are betrayed, as a German Schnell boat arrives and turns the quiet fjord into a battle zone. Only one man, Jan Baalsrud, surrvives the attack. This is the story of his perilous journey to freedom.
Wounded, the dauntless soldier swims icy fjord waters, climbs snow-laden granite peaks, endures violent snowstorms and is hurled off a mountain by an avalanche. Fleeing the Gestapo and battling the harsh Arctic cold, Jan suffers snowblindness and frostbite. Though he possesses raw courage and an iron will, they are not enough to deliver him all the way to neutral Sweden and safety.
The people of northern Norway's Troms district step forward to assist Jan. Selflessly defying Nazi dictates, more than 60 people risk their lives to help the fugitive commando.
What listeners say about Defiant Courage
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 20-09-22
superb and uplifting
a true story told as if you were there. very well written and absolutely captivating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joy
- 14-12-22
astonishing
Well this is an astounding account of a group of brave wonderful people. Norway must be a marvellous place and it's people full of courage. God bless those dear people
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- maggie
- 25-01-23
Fantastic
This is a heartwarming read men of great courage endurance bravery and hope unbelievable success
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-12-22
COURAGE BEYOND BELIEF
A Truly moving story, of not just one man, but of a community, who's sheer courage and determination triumphed over such overwhelming odds.
Well done to the author's for bringing this story to light, so that many people like myself can learn of the stories of the war.
Beautifully narrated by Peter Altscheuler.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chrissie
- 13-01-21
An amazing true story of real courage
This true story of real courage was gripping but for me I’m afraid spoilt by the narration. The narrator has a strange and annoying way of emphasising certain words and syllables that take away from the text. His Norwegian pronunciation was good but it would have got 5 stars if it had been better read
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MRH
- 14-11-23
A miracle of endurance
Bravery at its finest from the people who helped this soldier escape to tell his story of betrayal and his miracle of survival.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-07-22
A Truly Remarkable Story of Real Heroes
A tale of incredible bravery and determination to survive and escape after an operation goes wrong, in occupied Norway during the Second World War.
The story brings to life the terror of living under Nazi occupation; particularly if you, or your family, helped or supported anyone who was involved fighting against the occupation.
The risks Norwegians, both men and women, were prepared to undertake knowing their whole family could be killed in order to help their compatriots is humbling!
This book offers a glimpse into real bravery.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Craig
- 22-08-22
Bloody awful narration!!!
Am sorry, really, what is it about Americans and narration!!.... Cant string proper sentences together, fail to observe comas or full stops. Your left trying to put the story together as the person rants on and literally destroys perfectly good story. I failed to get past chapter 12. I would rather buy the actual book and read rather than listen to this botched attempt.
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