One of Eric Newby's classic works, this tells the story of his experiences in an Italian prison camp in 1943, and his escape and evasion of the advancing German army. He was sheltered by an informal network of Italian peasants in the Apennines, and the book is a tribute to those idiosyncratic characters whose courage allowed him to evade capture. During this time he meets and falls in love with Wanda, who would later become his wife. It's an evocative book, beautifully written, and provides an insight into a way of life little known by the outside world. A deserved classic.