Introduction They say a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. The same is true for any escape. Unfortunately, sometimes victims are unable to take that crucial step in time to save themselves; others try mightily but fail to defeat the force that holds them. It is often only the luckier ones who can and do escape from something truly monstrous. This book is about Great Escapes -- notable, amazing, incredible, inspiring tales of individuals who are thrust into a life-or-death crisis situation -- a natural disaster or man-made hell -- and who prevail against enormous odds to get away. What makes them all so extraordinary is that they are true stories, based on authentic accounts. Some are famous episodes in recent history; a few incidents are not so widely known. But all of them involve real individuals, caught in a terrible bind, many with life-or-death decisions to make. Each story seeks to describe how the fly caught in the cobweb managed to break free, and in some instances, save others. How did anyone escape from Auschwitz or survive inside the collapsing World Trade Center towers? What happens when a hapless and lone individual is faced with the most gigantic tsunami of modern times or the crash of his balloon from 30,000 feet (9,144 m)? Whether it is an Australian kayaker trapped underwater, or a Middle East terrorists' hostage faced with imminent execution, many of these predicaments entail a split-second decision or an instinctive, conditioned response that makes the difference between survival and death. Others, such as a breakout from an "escape-proof prison" or the return of a crippled spaceship to Earth, require exceptional intelligence, planning and execution of a complex series of actions all of which must be done to perfection under great stress. All involve an element of good fortune that sometimes appears almost miraculous in its beneficence. These stories span every continent, as well as some of the seas and space. People of many nationalities and groups are also represented. The settings range from mountain peaks and arctic wilderness to teeming jungles and sun-baked deserts, modern cities and primitive villages. The protagonists are soldiers, fire fighters, rock climbers, adventurers, tourists, runaway Aboriginal children, Chinese orphans and Cambodian refugees from Pol Pot's genocide -- and many more. There are examples of conflict and resistance that remind us how much some individuals will struggle against adversity to try to control their own fate. There are prisoners of war who defy their captors and risk everything to bust out from their dismal camp; slaves who hunger for freedom and devise bold schemes to break the chains that bind them; a terrified captive of a serial murderer or rapist who refuses to capitulate to demonic abuse. In some instances, the escapee manages to extend a helping hand to others -- to save another person as well, maybe even a stranger and perhaps even an oppressor. Without accomplices, mission control, fellow members of the underground or good samaritans, many of these trapped individuals would never have escaped. Sadly, it is sometimes the bravest and most virtuous who are lost trying to rescue others. Sometimes it is not the noblest that get away. Each of us must at some time confront our own close call or near-disaster, our dangerous or horrifying bind. Perhaps there is something to be learned from reading about what someone else has done to affect his or her great escape. Excerpted from Great Escapes: The Stories Behind 50 Remarkable Journeys to Freedom by Scott Chrisitanson All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.