Voyage From Shame: The Cowra Breakout and Afterwards by Harry Gordon

Book Description

Secondhand. Good condition. Wear to book corners and edges. Creasing on front cover near spine. Interior and binding are still very good.

In the early morning of August 5, 1944, more than eleven hundred Japanese prisoners of war attempted to break out of their prison camp near the New South Wales town of Cowra. Two hundred and thirty-five died, including four Australians, and hundreds actually escaped. It was the largest prison break in history.

At the time and for years afterwards, the facts of the affair were not disclosed. It became a sleeping secret. Then, in the 1960s, Harry Gordon set out to discover the truth. The book that resulted, Die Like a Carp! published in 1978, was hailed as the definitive account of the incident.

With this book, Harry Gordon has revisited the Cowra Outbreak. When he began work on this book, he intended to revise and expand his earlier work. He has done much more than that, unearthing fresh truths and exploring new themes.

Voyage From Shame tells the stories of the Australians who died and their families. It examines the emotional transition - from overwhelming shame to a sense of pride - that many former Japanese prisoners have undergone. In doing so, it contributes to history, understanding, and reconciliation. (back cover)