Accidental Journey: A Cambridge intern's memory of World War II [Paperback]

Mark Lynton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1998

During the early years of World War II, the author--a German Jew from a privileged background--was suddenly catapulted from his idyllic student elite life at Cambridge into a turbulent seven-year odyssey in an internment camp. This acerbically witty memoir follows the "Cambridge Gang" of internees as they exchange privilege for privation and become part of the war effort.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the early days of World War II, the British rounded up and interned German and Austrian "friendly aliens," first in the English countryside, then in Canada. Max-Otto Ludwig Loewenstein, a student at Cambridge when war broke out in Europe, was interned in England, then shipped to Canada with German POWs. He was released to work in the Pioneers in England and eventually allowed to join the Third Royal Tank regiment (where his name was involuntarily changed to Mark Lynton). Being fluent in German, French, and English, he was promoted to major in the Political Section, Intelligence Division, Third Army of the Rhine. His humor is a bit overdone, though one would do well to dull the horrors of war a bit, and his self-deprecation is unnecessary. His opinions about the political constitution of postwar Germany are fresh if unsubstantiated. Recommended for a well-rounded World War II collection in academic or public libraries.?Harry Willems, Kansas Lib. System, Iola
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Lynton, ne{‚} Max Otto Ludwig Loewenstein, was a Jewish, German-born student at Cambridge when the Second World War broke out. He blithely continued his bon vivant lifestyle until suddenly, in 1939, he and other Cambridge students of German and Austrian birth were rounded up and sent to detention camps in England and Canada. Lynton was speedily released once his presence in the Canadian camp was discovered by an old family friend who held a high-ranking position in the British government. Internment was only the beginning of his wartime experiences. Upon his return to Cambridge, Lynton discovered that his domestic servant had destroyed his thesis notes (in case they were evidence of spying activities). When he decided to join the British military service, he was assigned to the Pioneer Corps (being determined by the government too dangerous an alien to serve in the military). However, Lynton was later transferred to the tank division, participated in the invasion of Germany, and by the war's end found himself working in intelligence, helping to interrogate high-ranking German prisoners. This wartime comedy of errors shares some funny, thoughtful insights into the Brits at war. Denise Perry Donavin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP; First Edition edition (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879518480
• ISBN-13: 978-0879518486
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,098,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A British raconteur's delightfully wry look at World War II., January 30, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Accidental Journey: A Cambridge Internee's Memoir of World War II (Hardcover)

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

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Cambrdge to Berlin Without Prejudie, November 6, 2007

By 

Mary Lydon Simonsen "Author-The Perfect Bride... (Valley of the Sun, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Accidental Journey: A Cambridge intern's memory of World War II (Paperback)

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.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this book so much, May 6, 1999

By 

Debora C. Cascino (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Accidental Journey: A Cambridge intern's memory of World War II (Paperback)

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!