Accidental Journey: A Cambridge Internee's Memoir of World War II
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Book Overview
A Cambridge Internee's Memoir of World War II Tells the amusing and amazing story of Mark Lynton, born Max Otto Ludwig Loewenstein, a German Jew from a privileged background who attended Cambridge... This description may be from another edition of this product.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0879515775
ISBN13:9780879515775
Release Date:April 1995
Publisher:Overlook Books
Length:276 Pages
Weight:1.20 lbs.
Dimensions:1.2" x 6.4" x 9.3"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
From Cambrdge to Berlin Without Prejudie
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
A remarkable story from a man who had all the reason in the world to be angry but chose not to be. Removed from Cambridge and interned as a resident alien, despite being a German Jew, he is eventually released and joins the Pioneer Corps and the British Army. He becomes a tank commander fighting in Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and on in to Germany, but harbors no personal anger against the Germans who are trying to kill him. In fact, he is highly complimentary of their martial skills. This is no ordinary memoir. It is written by a man who clearly loves history, who recognized the importance of what he was doing, but kept his humanity and sense of humor. It was a terrific read.
Not your usual World War II memoir...
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
This has to be one of the most original memoirs of WWII that I've come across. Lynton's prose is striking, balancing sarcasm and acidity effortlessly with the horrible events that he witnessed and participated in, and some of the most comical moments of a lifetime. It's a wild and wooly ride, and this is another one I could not put down. Highly recommended!
Amazing story and a fun read!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
I really enjoyed this book. The author has a great gift in recognizing irony when he see's it, and a very sharp wit. It was very different than the many other WWII biographies I have read. The situations and circumstances Lynton found himself in during those years are almost unbelievable. At times his casual, dry approach towards what would seem like a tramatic or dramatic event is puzzling, although he does state on a couple occasions that many of those circumstance have been covered in so many other books that he didn't feel the need to go into depth with them. His description about what it was like to be an "alien" (German Jew) in Great Britain was interesting, and very ironic that he couldn't become a British citizen, but was good enough to serve in their military. The chapters about his time in the secret service was fascinating, with a lot of insight on what everyday life was like for civilians and servicemen in post-war Europe.The book is filled with amazing twists and turns, and even humor in the way he sarcastically explains a situation. Even though the ending was a little weak (reason for 4 not 5 stars) I would still highly recommend this book and had a hard time putting it down.
I enjoyed this book so much
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
that when I closed the final page, I fantasized about writing to Mark Lynton and telling him so! Insightful, humorous and thought provoking about WWII and life in general. Mr. Lynton is the kind of person I would like to sit next to at a dinner party!
A British raconteur's delightfully wry look at World War II.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 28 years ago
Couldn't put it down. The author is a marvelous storyteller, and writes in a wonderfully humorous and detached manner about his part in the War in Europe. As a native German speaker, he found himself initially interned and shipped to Canada for security purposes, and later involved in many improbable situations throughout his service with the British tank corps. It reads as if the author is sitting in the living room relating his tales. Incomparable
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