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Defiant : The POWs Who Endured Vietnam's Most Infamous Prison, the Women Who Fought for Them, and the One Who Never Returned by Alvin Townley (2014, Hardcover)
AlibrisBooks (464703)
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherSt. Martin's Press
ISBN-101250006538
ISBN-139781250006530
eBay Product ID (ePID)166626216
Product Key Features
Book TitleDefiant : The POWs Who Endured Vietnam's Most Infamous Prison, the Women Who Fought for Them, and the One Who Never Returned
Number of Pages432 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicMilitary / General, Military / Vietnam War, Military Families
Publication Year2014
IllustratorYes
GenreFamily & Relationships, History
AuthorAlvin Townley
FormatHardcover
Dimensions
Item Height1.3 in
Item Weight21.5 Oz
Item Length9.6 in
Item Width6.4 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
Dewey Edition23
ReviewsDefiant is a must read for those who seek to understand and honor the very best of America and its heroes. Alvin Townley's exhaustive research shows us how our prisoners of war in Vietnam served with inspired bravery and unrelenting courage. We can now know in detail how the most abused of them all survived years of brutality and solitary confinement., Defiant is a page-turner. ... Defiant focuses on the prisoners -- 'war criminals' to the Vietnamese -- who were upgraded from bad (Hanoi Hilton) to worse (Alcatraz). 'No one group endured any more than the 11 brothers,' Townley writes, and he proves his point. 'We should not forget,' and you won't., Defiant is Unbroken meets Band of Brothers - and then some...The devotion and undefeatable will of these courageous American heroes shines on every page and reminds us exactly what our great nation is made of., If you have ever wondered how real courage and ultimate perseverance should be defined, all you need to do is read these pages. If you have ever pondered whether Americans still have the grit and the 'guts' to show the world what it takes to defend freedom, reading about the 'Alcatraz Eleven' will bolster your confidence. What these men endured nearly defies description, but Alvin Townley has managed to pull it off brilliantly. The writing is hard-hitting and powerful, dynamic and breath-taking. So, too, is his retelling of the stoic courage of the loved ones stuck at home with uncertainty and doubt: uncertainty about their own abilities to bear up, then doubt in the fortitude and truthfulness of their own government. What the families did from afar, and how they ultimately put backbone into their own leaders and pushed accountability onto the captors of the POWs, is a story heretofore largely untold. It is a narrative as striking in its own right as the tales of the 'Alcatraz Eleven' themselves., Defiant will make you proud to be an American, and Alvin Townley's writing makes you feel as if you are there yourself. It would be a wonderful textbook for a course on how to be a POW, but it is also a book for anyone on how to face and overcome adversity!, A unique American epic which must never be forgotten. Thanks to Alvin Townley's ability to convert its heartbreaking reality into vivid prose, its men and women are alive as human beings as well as symbols of their commitment to each other -- and their country., The story of human courage, individual and family perseverance, survival based on a warrior's code of honor. Alvin Townley weaves the recollections of these remarkable men into a compelling narrative against the backdrop of war, freedom, forgiveness and reconciliation. An inspirational account of POWs who served with honor while in captivity and returned home with a commitment to serve their country., "Townley's story of the courage, valor, and honor of eleven indomitable POWs and their wives is a new American classic that will be read as long as the breezes kiss Old Glory. As I read it I wept." - Stephen Coonts, #1 bestselling author and retired Navy pilot"A moving, inspiring, untold story of courage and sacrifice that stands as a vivid testimony to what the human spirit can overcome. . . . For those interested in Vietnam's Band of Brothers, it is a must read." - Jay Winik, bestselling author of April 1865 "An astounding story that will capture your heart and mind." - Andy Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Traveler's Gift, These heroic men and women remind us how courage, devotion, and faith can triumph even in the darkest of times. In Defiant , Alvin Townley masterfully tells the inspirational and unforgettable story of our Vietnam POWs and the Alcatraz Eleven., Alvin Townley's story of the courage, valor and honor of eleven indomitable POWs and their wives is a new American classic that will be read as long as the breezes kiss Old Glory. As I read it I wept., In Defiant , Alvin Townley reveals a moving, inspiring, untold story of courage and sacrifice that stands as a vivid testimony to what the human spirit can overcome. This is an important and too often overlooked aspect of the Vietnam War's history...For those interested in Vietnam's Band of Brothers, it is a must read., Riveting. Powerful. Authentic. I had tears in my eyes reading Defiant . If I can still cry, I know others will too., A gripping account of the 'Alcatraz Eleven,' a group of American prisoners of war in North Vietnam who formed a tough core of heroic resisters despite brutal and relentless efforts to break them and convert them into fodder for the Communist propaganda machine. ... Townley's telling of these important stories is fresh and vivid, thanks to his interviews with surviving prisoners and their family members. Defiant is an excellent book for younger readers with little knowledge of this searing chapter in American history, when a brash United States stumbled its way deeper and deeper into the Indochina morass. ... Townley also adds an important, and often overlooked, dimension to the prisoners' stories -- that of their wives' campaign at home to thrust the plight of the P.O.W.'s into the national spotlight., Alvin Townley's work speaks volumes of America and our service men and women, and their spouses....their honor, steadfastness, perseverance, spirit, and love of country...and clearly illuminates the differences in our militaries and governments. Reading 'today' of their time in captivity, brings the same emotions Americans shed upon their release and return in 1973., With Defiant , Alvin Townley has done readers a huge favor. By describing the POWs' scenes of torture and deprivation in such detail--to the point we can almost feel our own bones crack under pressure--he reminds us that we should never take our civil liberties for granted. This book is a testament to the human spirit and how, in the worst of conditions with the best of men, it can be bent but never broken., Alvin Townley's Defiant is a compelling recounting of the horror, hope, hell, and humanity that was daily life for the American prisoners of war who struggled through existence at Hanoi's most brutal prison camp. Expertly researched and compellingly written, Townley's account of the reality of life both in Hanoi's prisons and for the families of the prisoners at home is inspiring reading and should be part of any Vietnam War library., Alvin Townley has done a magnificent job of weaving together the powerful and complex story of eleven men who survived the unbelievable cruelty of their North Vietnamese captors. Defiant honors the bravery and sacrifice of our prisoners of war and their families as no other reporting has done to date. These men, many of whom I knew, deserve no less., Defiant is an astounding story that will capture your heart and mind proving once and for all that determination trumps circumstance., This stirring tale by Alvin Townley of resilience and leadership under unimaginable conditions is a must read., Defiant is a riveting tribute to the unyielding men who endured years of brutal captivity as POWs in Vietnam and the families they left behind. The men of the 'Alcatraz Eleven' are true American heroes and their extraordinary stories will serve as an inspiration for generations to come., This moving and authentic epic of unrelenting heroism shines like the sun as an example of American men and women at their very best., Defiant is a significant document of human survival and endurance under unspeakable circumstances, and, in a time when the White House levels charges of torture against fellow Americans, provides a reality check., Townley recounts, in detail, how Stockdale, Denton, and the other POWs endured years of almost unimaginable physical and mental torture, and the ways the men coped with the physical pain and emotional torment., Defiant is all about voices - those that went unused for days by solitary prisoners of war, and those of silently suffering women back home who eventually felt no choice but to speak out. Alvin Townley soberly evokes the terror, sadness, frustration, pain and inspiration they all felt, and along the way, gives us a Vietnam War most of us have never heard about, involving legions of American women and imprisoned men fighting together, thousands of miles apart., Alvin Townley has captured the individual accounts of these eleven men and woven them into a captivating story of resilience, courage and love of country., Advance Praise: "In this unexpected way, your book made it all worthwhile. You told it exactly like it was." -George G. McKnight, POW, 1965-1973 "Alvin Townley has captured the individual accounts of these eleven men and woven them into a captivating story of resilience, courage and love of country." -Robert H. Shumaker, POW, 1965-1973 "The best account of this type I''ve ever read." - Jim Stockdale, Jr., son of senior ranking officer Jim Stockdale "In Defiant , Alvin Townley reveals a moving, inspiring, untold story of courage and sacrifice that stands as a vivid testimony to what the human spirit can overcome. This is an important and too often overlooked aspect of the Vietnam War's history. But for those interested in Vietnam''s Band of Brothers, it is a must read." -Jay Winik, bestselling author of April 1865 and The Great Upheaval " Defiant is an astounding story that will capture your heart and mind proving once and for all that determination trumps circumstance." -Andy Andrews, New York Times Best-Selling Author of How Do You Kill 11 Million People? , The Noticer , and The Traveler's Gift "Riveting. Powerful. Authentic. I had tears in my eyes reading Defiant . If I can still cry, I know others will too." -Mike McGrath, POW, 1967-1973 " Defiant is a must read for those who seek to understand and honor the very best of America and its heroes. Alvin Townley's exhaustive research shows us how our prisoners of war in Vietnam served with inspired bravery and unrelenting courage. We can now know in detail how the most abused of them all survived years of brutality and solitary confinement." -Melvin R. Laird, Secretary of Defense (1968-1972) "Alvin Townley has done a magnificent job of weaving together the powerful and complex story of eleven men who survived the unbelievable cruelty of their North Vietnamese captors. Defiant honors the bravery and sacrifice of our prisoners of war and their families as no other reporting has done to date. These men, many of whom I knew, deserve no less." -Richard G. Capen, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (1968-1971) Praise for Fly Navy : "[Townley] peers deep into the innards of a modern aircraft carriers to learn the secrets of everyone from messmen to engineering specialists. … It''s a fitting testament to the first 100 years of Naval Air and should you have a son, daughter or grandson or granddaughter considering joining up, have them read this first." - Pacific Flyer "In this year of the 100th anniversary of naval aviation, Fly Navy gives the reader snippets of the colorful history of the exploits of naval aviators and naval aviation's importance to the United States this last century." -Captain James A. Lovell Jr., commander of Apollo 13 "With fascinating insight into the seldom seen parts of naval aviation, Fly Navy illustrates the profound sense of honor and duty found among the men and women who serve. . . . Alvin Townley's exquisite storytelling brings their stories to life and creates a book you can't put down. Fly Navy is a thrilling, moving reminder of what makes America great." -Gregory A. Freeman, author of The Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys: Courage, Tragedy and Justice in World War II and Troubled Water: Race, Mutiny and Bravery on the USS Kitty Hawk "The spirit of naval aviation resides in the colorful characters who share the common bond of gold wings and the excitement of aerial adventures from the sea. Fly Navy opens a window to this romantic, dedicated, and occasionally irreverent spirit." -George "Elwood" Dom, former TOPGUN instructor and commanding officer of the Blue Angels, In a fast-flowing narrative replete with reconstructed dialogue, Townley writes reverently of these POWs, A moving, must read of extraordinary courage and mutual support in facing unimaginable hardship and torture., I carried this book from room to room and kept trying to put it down, but I couldn't stop reading. Alvin Townley shows the heart of what it means to be American in this tale of some of our greatest heroes. Defiant is superb., "That most tragic war in American history, Vietnam, demanded more from many American servicemen than humans should have to endure. That some Americans are asked by fate to give so much while most others give so little is one of the insoluble conundrums of our age. Alvin Townley's story of the courage, valor and honor of eleven indomitable POWs and their wives is a new American classic that will be read as long as the breezes kiss Old Glory. As I read it I wept." - Stephen Coonts
Dewey Decimal959.70437
Table Of ContentPrologue: A Dark Place 1. Black Sea and American Firepower 2. Welcome to the Hanoi Hilton 3. Dead or Alive? 4. I Submit 5. T-O- R-T- U-R- E 6. My Dearest Syb 7. Lord, I Just Need Your Help 8. I Love a Parade 9. Superman! 10. Your Adoring Husband 11. BACK US 12. A Snake You Can't Kill 13. A Helluva Story 14. The Bad Camp 15. To Tell the World 16. We Will Break You Now 17. Blackmail 18. The Captain of My Soul 19. GBU 20. Mayday! 21. O Say Can You See? 22. Peace Is at Hand 23. God Bless America
SynopsisWinner of the Georgia Author of the Year Award in History During the Vietnam War, hundreds of American prisoners-of-war faced years of brutal conditions and horrific torture at the hands of North Vietnamese guards and interrogators who ruthlessly plied them for military intelligence and propaganda. Determined to maintain their Code of Conduct, the POWs developed a powerful underground resistance. To quash it, their captors singled out its eleven leaders, Vietnam's own "dirty dozen," and banished them to an isolated jail that would become known as Alcatraz. None would leave its solitary cells and interrogation rooms unscathed; one would never return. As these eleven men suffered in Hanoi, their wives at home launched an extraordinary campaign that would ultimately spark the nationwide POW/MIA movement. The members of these military families banded together and showed the courage not only to endure years of doubt about the fate of their husbands and fathers, but to bravely fight for their safe return. When the survivors of Alcatraz finally came home, one veteran would go on to receive the Medal of Honor, another would become a U.S. Senator, and a third still serves in the U.S. Congress. A powerful story of survival and triumph, Alvin Townley's Defiant will inspire anyone wondering how courage, faith, and brotherhood can endure even in the darkest of situations.
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