This is the only prisoner of war story I’ve read that’s made me jealous of the prisoners. Definitely not because POW life is romanticized, but because these prisoners set out on such an outrageous undertaking to make to most of it. There is an escape, which is always exciting, but this is the only story I’ve read where the escapees later break back in to prison. Their only purpose was to climb the 17,000-ft peak that loomed over their camp. Benuzzi’s account is full of humor, wonder, and love for the sort of lofty places that have always drawn me as well.