Customer Reviews

The Flame Keepers: The True Story of an American Soldier's Survival Inside Stalag 17

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My Dad was a POW in Stalag 17 during the same period of time as Handy. Dad had a hard time of it and it really was difficult for him to talk much about it. I now know that it would have been much better for him, and us, if he had been able to talk about it. He died in 2004.

Many of the things he did tell me in bits and pieces over the years about his experiences Handy described also. The Kregie who killed imself by deliberately crossing over 'the wire', the tunneling efforts, the dirt in the rafters, the sawdust bread, the interrogations, solitary, the bunks, the cold, the hunger, the frightened guards, the end in the forest. Lot and lots of pieces of the puzzle.

Dad was a most devout Catholic and, as it turned out, the only prisoner in camp who had been trained to be an Altar Boy. He gave lessions in Latin to train many other prisoners who were 'getting religion' in those desperate times. Dad described the Christams Mass in great detail, and it was striking to read Handy's account of that sermon. It was erie to read Handy's account of it all and how identical it was to Dad's. It was a very uplifting sermon that Dad and Handy never forgot.

My Mother told me about this book and I ordered it immediatly from Amazon and couldn't put it down until I had read all the way through. It was as if Dad was sitting in the room and describing the whole horror, step by step, and in chronological sequence for the first time which enabled me to put it all together for the first time. Now I have an even deeper understanding and appreciation for what Dad had endured, and how tragic his ongoing suffering had been, what it meant for his life, how much he had sacrificed, not only for those 16 months as a POW - but throughout the remainder of his life. I also got some insights regarding how it impacted mine life and my family's. I wish Dad could have read it him self 50 years ago. Thanks, Ned for getting it out for all of us to understand.

If you have any POWs in your immediate family, especially if that POW is or was your father - or you were a POW and you have children, I would say that this is required reading.

The Flame Keepers gives more than a good story. It sets up a counterpoint of the men's reflections on home-life, their daily confrontations with danger in the camp, and the reflections of the young Ned Handy growing older, lonlier, and self-reliant in order to survive. A deep perspective on the character of the USA in the 40s and the nature of men in desperate circumstances. This book is a keeper. Worth passing around to friends, rereading for yourself.

It is not hyperbole to say that The Flame Keepers is an excellent, well-paced book that will captivate readers of all ages and backgrounds - from teens to seasoned citizens. Not only about World War II, or even strictly a "war story," the book covers the effects on human behavior of war, imprisonment and defiance of one's enemies -- all well beyond the armored battles that raged.

Author and protagonist Ned Handy tells the unvarnished story through his eyes of a network of men and comrades-at-arms whose sudden imprisonment brought out their individual and collective ingenuity, bravery, stamina and perseverance in ways they could not have imagined. These qualities possessed by so many "ordinary" sergeants came to the fore when they faced the stark choice of surviving or giving up behind a wire, while watched by armed guards, deep in enemy territory, and in spite of brutal weather and a starvation diet. The incredible story of a brash and brilliantly conceived escape attempt from Stalag Luft XVII-B plays a major part in the narrative, and it is spell-binding.

Mr. Handy employs simple but eloquent language that takes the reader on a hard-to-put-down journey through five seasons in the life of a 21-year-old B-24 flight engineer and top turret gunner, who survives a shoot-down only to be imprisoned in infamous Stalag XVII-B. Events inside Stalag 17 are interwoven with interesting vignettes that bring to life Mr. Handy's memories of home, family and early life, which inform his ability to survive the prison ordeal. He ascribes well-deserved credit to his colleagues, from his crewmates to POWs with whom he lived in extremely close quarters for more than a year. He describes how each POW used the talents he had to their utmost, such that they were able to survive, defy the enemy at times, and create a vital internal safety net for their fellows when it mattered most. For a man imprisoned and isolated for a time due to circumstances that are movingly presented in the text, Mr. Handy presents a fair-minded view of the individual human beings behind the generic descriptors, "soldier," "prisoner," "enemy," "guard," and "civilian."

It is easy to get "lost" while reading this book, and is a challenge to return, during the intervals one puts it down, to the regular and occasionally mundane tasks of everyday living. For it is the ability to do these tasks, and to take advantage of all the small and large freedoms we have today, that was denied the prisoners of war like Mr. Handy and those whom he describes so vividly. And although the author doesn't indulge in self-praise, the reader cannot help but thank God for stalwart men like Mr. Handy and his comrades, who sacrificed so much for the liberty and prosperity we all enjoy today. It's a must-read for all ages.

I finished reading this book around the anniversary of my father's death. Sixty years earlier, he had flown with the American forces based in England and the parallels to the the men of Stalag XVII moved me considerably. My emotions surged.

Take "The great escape", "Stalag 17", and mix in "Band of Brothers" and you will have a good sense of the story. In April 1944, a young, optimistic flier loses his plane and two comrades in one of the "last, big" Nazi efforts to thwart American daylight bombing. The crippled plane struggles to make it back to safe territory, but fails. Local people and soldiers round up the dispersed crew for a harrowing journey by rail to a camp for American fliers -- Stalag XVII -- in Austria. Kindness and cruelty quickly become evident and random.

The camp has a history, and the older 'kriegies' resent the newly arrived, only recently shot down fliers. Some of the 'old' men have been there a year or more already. In a stroke of luck, Handy finds a link that leads him to the leadership of a tunnel detail. While the escape attempt loses steam, the tunnel plays a critical role in saving the life of a famed escape artist and sabateur who owes his life to Handy. This leads to a second escape attempt, only with audacity abd a twist. Read the book to see who gets out, who dies, and who hangs on to April 1945 when the Nazis march the remaining prisoners west, towards Patton and the Americans.

The beauty of the book can be found in Handy's stories of the men, their lives, their dreams, and their consistent efforts to stay alive and to stay focused on home, if not escape. From the Native American sage, watching over all the comings and goings from his quiet perch, to Young, who while despised by the men, makes Handy a keepsake that lasts the duration, Handy shows how men in terrible crises -- each day meant a struggle for food and warmth -- band together, develop freindships, and work to fight the enemy in the only way they possibly can.

Scrounging becomes an art. Nothing is wasted. Mundane activities take on new roles. A detailed description of a mouth-watering meal helps postpone some of the longings and deter the hunger pangs, if only for a short time. The men are disciplined, respectful mostly of expertise and professionalism (even from the enemy), and at the same time bond in a dark humor sort of way you would expect from dire circumstances.

There is also a remarkable amount of luck involved. But was it hard work and opportunity, or was it luck? Did the soldiers late in the war owe their lives to an enterprising prisoner who alerts the oncoming Patton army of the prisoners' location in an area about to be bombed by the American forces? Does the kindness of one guard show luck, weakness, or just that -- kindness?

This is an underpublicized, underappreciated, deserving-to-be-read history of men at war on a daily basis, and about the lessons they learn for a lifetime. Read it and give thanks.

The Flame Keepers is a riveting description of some pretty tough times. An important story well-told, it brings into focus the trials of not just Ned, but all those who became prisoners of war and effectively illustrates why war is something to be avoided if at all possible.

This book is especially timely given the anniversary of D-Day and would make a great addition to anyone's summer reading list.

Loved this book. It grabbed my attention from the very start and never let it drift...housework and commitments be damned! Knowing it was a true story made it all the more gripping. I highly recommend it.

One of the heroes in this book, Gene Meese, is a friend of mine. He no longer talks much about his war experiences but he does say that Ned Handy tells the story with great accuracy. Oh, sure, much was omitted -- some of it quite bad -- but the core and substance is there and treated well.

Knowing Gene and reading the book deepened my appreciation for all the terror our troops, past and present, have endured for our country.

The Flame Keepers is a magnificant book about a young man, Ned Handy, who is shot down over Germany and ends up in Stalig 17. The survival of Handy and the rest of the "Kreiegies" while in Stalig 17, and during their march to freedom is a testament to the strength and character of the "Greatest Generation." This is a book that must be read.

I purchased this book and recieved it in less than a week. The condition of the book was as stated. I am satisfied with my purchase and the company I ordered through.

The story gripped me, and even though the story took place decades ago, I feared for those men. My heart broke for the families and comrades of those who died. Though the last two decades have made admitting to foreigners that I am an American embarrassing, the bravery of these men made me proud to be an American for the first time in a long time. I had forgotten that while we were never completely altruistic as a nation in getting involved in the Second World War, our brave soldiers saved the world from an unspeakable horror. I won't forget again.