Donbas: A True Story of an Escape Across Russia (Paperback)

by Jack Herman (Author)
Key Phrases: turnip brew, sixteenth level, thirteenth level, Jacques Sandulescu, Red Cross, Soviet Union (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Excellent portrayal of a youth's indomitable spirit and will to survive." -- Library Journal

Product Description
“A boy becomes a man of truly heroic dimensions in this stark story of escape across Russia in the dead of winter.”

—The Fresno Bee

“Riveting suspense…Once started I could not stop, once done could not forget it. Ever.”

—Lael Wertenbaker, The Berkshire Eagle

“Simply written, direct and extraordinarily moving…a very old-fashioned, very personal story that, in this most negative of ages, is an unassuming statement of deep affirmation.”

—John Leonard, The New York Times Book Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc (November 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595150438
• ISBN-13: 978-0595150434
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #875,866 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stranger than the truth, September 17, 2001

By	Robert B. Lorentz "Redbeard_NV" (Boulder City, Nevada USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had first heard about Jacques Sandulescu through my father, after he loaned me the book, "The Carpathian Caper", a novel by Sandulescu and Anne Gottleib. It was a Topkapi-esque adventure, about a man's return to his homeland behind the Iron Curtain after being kidnapped by Russian soldiers as a youth and shipped off to a Soviet slave labor camp, escaping after a mine cave-in crushed his legs, escaping to freedom, working his way West from black marketeer in the Middle East and Europe, to prize fighter in the midwest to nightclub owner in New York. It deals with his friend's plans to embarass the Russian Government by the very high profile heist of priceless religious icons right from under their noses.

The lead character, Jack, was one of those impossible men, like Indiana Jones, Dirk Pitt, Jack Ryan or James Bond. Who knew that he was for real?

Donbas is his story, the true tale of a 16 year old boy's decent into the hell of the mines in the Donbas region of the USSR. His torture, his survival, his escape and his life since then is the stuff great movies are made of. So why is Hollywood sitting on their hands on this one?

Read the adventure, then rent movies like "Moscow On The Hudson", "The Owl And The Pussycat" and "Trading Places". Watch for a big, burly man with a thick Russian accent and say hello to Jacques.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Donbas, February 14, 2001

By A Customer

This is a surprising tale of human survival and the spirit to go on. In unbearably harsh conditions a young man fights a battle of survival with an uncommon strength of will that sees him battle through a nightmarish world we could only vaguely imagine in our darkest moments. Very insipring. If you think things are tough and you have the whole world on your shoulders, have a read of this and feel sorry for yourself no more!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the will to survive, June 6, 2005

By	Ron Peterson "MTNMAD" (Garland Utah) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I first read donbus in my sophmore year in high school. It was a 1st edition copy quite tattered and worn. I figured it looked easy enough to read to get my credit for the book report that would follow. In the week that followed, I became attached to the book. Every free moment was spent reading it. His story facinated me. I couldn't put it down. Needless to say, the book never made it back to the school library. I re-read it every year and enjoy it more and more. I contacted the author a few years ago and told him of my enjoyment of his work and how i had permanently borrowed the book. To my surprise, i recieved an autographed copy from him i treasure! This book is incredible. Read it and enjoy the story of one mans will to survive. You wont regret it!