Bascomb James's Books

The Escape Artists

A Band of Daredevil Pilots and the Greatest Prison Break of the Great War

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Escape Artists

A Band of Daredevil Pilots and the Greatest Prison Break of the Great War

By: Neal Bascomb

This “fast-paced account” of WWI airmen who escaped Germany’s most notorious POW camp is “expertly narrated” by the New York Times bestselling author (Kirkus, starred review). During World War I, Allied soldiers might avoid death only to find themselves in the abominable conditions of Germany’s many prison camps. The most infamous was Holzminden, a land-locked Alcatraz that housed the most escape-prone officers. Its commandant was a boorish tyrant named Karl Niemeyer, who swore that none should ever leave. Desperate to break out of “Hellminden”, a group of Allied prisoners hatch an audacious escape plan that requires a risky feat of engineering as well as a bevy of disguises, forged documents, and fake walls—not to mention steely resolve and total secrecy. Once beyond the watchtowers and round-the-clock patrols, they are then faced with a 150-mile dash through enemy-occupied territory toward free Holland. Drawing on never-before-seen memoirs and letters, historian Neal Bascomb “has unearthed a remarkable piece of hidden history, and told it perfectly. The story brims with adventure, suspense, daring, and heroism” (David Grann, New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon).

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Page Count

442

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published Date

ISBN 10

0544936906

ISBN 13

9780544936904

Higher

A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City

By: Neal Bascomb

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Higher

A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City

By: Neal Bascomb

The Roaring Twenties in New York was a time of exuberant ambition, free-flowing optimism, an explosion of artistic expression in the age of Prohibition. New York was the city that embodied the spirit and strength of a newly powerful America. In 1924, in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, a fierce rivalry was born. Two architects, William Van Alen and Craig Severance (former friends and successful partners, but now bitter adversaries), set out to imprint their individual marks on the greatest canvas in the world--the rapidly evolving skyline of New York City. Each man desired to build the city’s tallest building, or ‘skyscraper.’ Each would stop at nothing to outdo his rival. Van Alen was a creative genius who envisioned a bold, contemporary building that would move beyond the tired architecture of the previous century. By a stroke of good fortune he found a larger-than-life patron in automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, and they set out to build the legendary Chrysler building. Severance, by comparison, was a brilliant businessman, and he tapped his circle of downtown, old-money investors to begin construction on the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street. From ground-breaking to bricklaying, Van Alen and Severance fought a cunning duel of wills. Each man was forced to revamp his architectural design in an attempt to push higher, to overcome his rival in mid-construction, as the structures rose, floor by floor, in record time. Yet just as the battle was underway, a third party entered the arena and announced plans to build an even larger building. This project would be overseen by one of Chrysler’s principal rivals--a representative of the General Motors group--and the building ultimately became known as The Empire State Building. Infused with narrative thrills and perfectly rendered historical and engineering detail, Higher brings to life a sensational episode in American history. Author Neal Bascomb interweaves characters such as Al Smith and Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, leading up to an astonishing climax that illustrates one of the most ingenious (and secret) architectural achievements of all time.

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Page Count

354

Publisher

Crown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0767912683

ISBN 13

9780767912686

In Plenty and in Time of Need

Popular Culture and the Remapping of Barbadian Identity

By: Lia T. Bascomb

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In Plenty and in Time of Need

Popular Culture and the Remapping of Barbadian Identity

By: Lia T. Bascomb

In Plenty and in Time of Need uses music and performance as sites of analysis for the competing ideals and realities of Barbadian national culture. The book demonstrates complex relations between national, gendered, and sexual identities in Barbados, and how these identities are represented and interpreted on a global stage.

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Page Count

307

Publisher

Rutgers University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

197880394X

ISBN 13

9781978803947

The Perfect Mile

Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve it

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Perfect Mile

Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve it

By: Neal Bascomb

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Page Count

471

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published Date

ISBN 10

0618391126

ISBN 13

9780618391127

The Grand Escape

The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Grand Escape

The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century

By: Neal Bascomb

“A grand adventure,” this story of the Allied POWs who staged one of history’s greatest escapes from prison camp is “narrative non-fiction at its finest” (Booklist). At the height of World War I, as battles raged in the trenches and in the air, another struggle for survival was being waged in the most notorious POW camp in all of Germany: Holzminden. A land-locked Alcatraz of sorts, it was home to the most troublesome Allied prisoners—and the most talented at escape. The Grand Escape tells the remarkable tale of a band of pilots who pulled off an ingenious plan and made it out of enemy territory in the biggest breakout of WWI, inspiring their countrymen in the darkest hours of the war. “Page-turning suspense and colorful detail. . . . ” —Booklist, starred review “Suspenseful reading . . . A fine escapade.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “A fantastic pick for avid history readers.” —School Library Journal, starred review

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Page Count

322

Publisher

Scholastic Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1338140353

ISBN 13

9781338140354

The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile (Scholastic Focus)

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile (Scholastic Focus)

By: Neal Bascomb

Highly acclaimed author Neal Bascomb brings his peerless research and fast-paced narrative style to a young adult adaptation of one of his most successful adult books of all time, The Perfect Mile, an inspiring and moving story of three men racing to achieve the impossible -- the perfect four-minute mile. Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future. There was a time when running the mile in four minutes was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed. In 1952, after suffering defeat at the Helsinki Olympics, three world-class runners each set out to break this barrier: Roger Bannister was a young English medical student who epitomized the ideal of the amateur; John Landy the privileged son of a genteel Australian family; and Wes Santee the swaggering American, a Kansas farm boy and natural athlete. Spanning three continents and defying the odds, these athletes' collective quest captivated the world. Neal Bascomb's bestselling adult account adapted for young readers delivers a breathtaking story of unlikely heroes and leaves us with a lasting portrait of the twilight years of the golden age of sport.

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Page Count

235

Publisher

Scholastic Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1338628496

ISBN 13

9781338628494

The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus)

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus)

By: Neal Bascomb

The heart-pounding story of an unlikely band of ragtags who took on Hitler's Grand Prix driver. In the years before World War II, Adolf Hitler wanted to prove the greatness of the Third Reich in everything from track and field to motorsports. The Nazis poured money into the development of new race cars, and Mercedes-Benz came out with a stable of supercharged automobiles called Silver Arrows. Their drivers dominated the sensational world of European Grand Prix racing and saluted Hitler on their many returns home with victory.As the Third Reich stripped Jews of their rights and began their march toward war, one driver, Rene Dreyfus, a 32-year-old Frenchman of Jewish heritage who had enjoyed some early successes on the racing circuit, was barred from driving on any German or Italian race teams, which fielded the best in class, due to the rise of Hitler and Benito Mussolini.So it was that in 1937, Lucy Schell, an American heiress and top Monte Carlo Rally driver, needed a racer for a new team she was creating to take on Germany's Silver Arrows. Sensing untapped potential in Dreyfus, she funded the development of a nimble tiger of a new car built by a little-known French manufacturer called Delahaye. As the nations of Europe marched ever closer to war, Schell and Dreyfus faced down Hitler's top drivers, and the world held its breath in anticipation, waiting to see who would triumph.

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Page Count

242

Publisher

Scholastic Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1338277421

ISBN 13

9781338277425

Sabotage

The Mission to Destroy Hitler's Atomic Bomb

By: Neal Bascomb

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Sabotage

The Mission to Destroy Hitler's Atomic Bomb

By: Neal Bascomb

“This richly detailed nonfiction account of Norwegians who spied for the British and organized resistance against the Nazis unfolds like a spy thriller” (Library Journal). The invasion begins at night, with German cruisers slipping into the harbor, and soon the Nazis occupy all of Norway. They station soldiers throughout the country. They institute martial rule. And at Vemork, an industrial fortress high above a dizzying gorge, they gain access to an essential ingredient for the weapon that could end World War II: Hitler’s very own nuclear bomb. When the Allies discover the plans for the bomb, they agree Vemork must be destroyed. But after a British operation fails to stop the Nazis’ deadly designs, the task falls to a band of young Norwegian commandos. Armed with little more than skis, explosives, and great courage, they will survive months in the snowy wilderness, elude a huge manhunt, and execute two dangerous missions. The result? The greatest act of sabotage in all of World War II. “A strong choice for students of history or science. This title is easy to recommend to those who enjoy nonfiction and to thriller fans interested in true tales of heroism.” —School Library Journal “Riveting.” —Publishers Weekly “A rich, well-paced narrative.” —Kirkus Reviews

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Page Count

402

Publisher

Scholastic Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

0545735335

ISBN 13

9780545735339

Hunting Eichmann

How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi

By: Neal Bascomb

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Hunting Eichmann

How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi

By: Neal Bascomb

With the intrigue of a detective story, "Hunting Eichmann" follows the Nazi as he escapes two American POW camps, hides in the mountains, and builds an anonymous life in Buenos Aires, before finally being captured and brought to trial.

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Page Count

409

Publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published Date

ISBN 10

0618858679

ISBN 13

9780618858675

The Salt Thief: Gandhi's Heroic March to Freedom

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Salt Thief: Gandhi's Heroic March to Freedom

By: Neal Bascomb

The dramatic story of Gandhi and India's long march to freedom by award-winning author Neal Bascomb. In 1930, the Indian people, long ruled by their British occupiers, were at a breaking point. No more could many stand the terrible demands of colonial rule. At this pivotal moment, Mohandas Gandhi, who had suffered firsthand for decades the cruelty of his oppressors, saw an opportunity to win his people's freedom. And so, Gandhi led a small band of his followers on a grueling march from his ashram in western India to the Arabian Sea. After 24 days and 241 miles under a withering sun, the marchers arrived on the Dandi seashore. There, Gandhi scooped up a handful of salt to protest the much-hated British salt tax, demonstrating to the world the injustice of Britain's yoke and setting the stage for a popular national uprising. In the dramatic months that followed, Gandhi led acts of nonviolent resistance against the British Raj across the country that would eventually culminate in a brutal crackdown. But Gandhi and those who bravely stood with him faced arrest, beatings, and even bullets without ever raising a hand in retaliation. These events inspired India to demand its liberty from Britain, awakened the world to a movement that would forever change the course of history, and inspired generations of freedom fighters all over the globe. Award-winning author Neal Bascomb chronicles what was arguably Gandhi's most notable campaign in his struggle for India's independence. His focus on nonviolent protest and revolutionary action introduces young readers to a pivotal historical moment with timely implications for today's world. Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future.

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Page Count

274

Publisher

Scholastic Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1338702009

ISBN 13

9781338702002

The Grand Escape

The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century

By: Neal Bascomb

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The Grand Escape

The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century

By: Neal Bascomb

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Page Count

322

Publisher

Scholastic Inc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1338140353

ISBN 13

9781338140354

Far Orbit Apogee

Far Orbit Anthology Series, #2

By: Bascomb James,Anna Salonen,James Van Pelt,Jay Werkheiser,Nestor Delfino,Jennifer Campbell-Hicks,Dave Creek,Julie Frost,Keven R. Pittsinger,Wendy Sparrow,Eric Del Carlo,Dominic Dulley,Milo James Fowler,Sam S. Kepfield

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Far Orbit Apogee

Far Orbit Anthology Series, #2

Looking for science fiction stories like they used to write? Far Orbit Apogee takes all of the fun-to-read adventure, ingenuity, and heroism of mid-century pulp fiction and reshapes it into modern space adventures crafted by a new generation of writers. Follow the adventures of heroic scientists, lunar detectives, space dragons, robots, interstellar pirates, gun slingers, and other memorable and diverse characters as they wrestle with adversity beyond the borders of our small blue marble. Featuring stories from Jennifer Campbell-Hicks, Dave Creek, Eric Del Carlo, Dominic Dulley, Nestro Delfino, Milo James Fowler, Julie Frost, Sam S. Kepfield, Kevin R. Pittsinger, Wendy Sparrow, Anna Salonen, James Van Pelt, and Jay Werkheiser

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Page Count

318

Publisher

World Weaver Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0692509763

ISBN 13

9780692509760

Far Orbit

Far Orbit Anthology Series, #1

By: Bascomb James,Sam S. Kepfield,K. G. Jewell,Peter Wood,Kat Otis,Tracy Canfield,Gregory Benford,Wendy Sparrow,Eric Choi,Jonathan Shipley,Julie Frost,Jakob Drud,Barbara Davies,David Wesley Hill,Elizabeth Bear

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Far Orbit

Far Orbit Anthology Series, #1

Modern space adventures crafted by a new generation of Grand Tradition science fiction writers. Smart, engaging stories that take us back to a time when science fiction was fun and informative, pithy and piquant-when speculative fiction transported us from the everyday grind and left us wondrously satisfied. Showcasing the breadth of Grand Tradition stories, from 1940s-style pulp to realistic hard SF, from noir and horror to SF spaceships, alien uplift, and action-adventure motifs, Far Orbit's diversity of Grand Tradition stories makes it easy for every SF fan to find a favorite.

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Page Count

280

Publisher

World Weaver Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0615959245

ISBN 13

9780615959245

Book's by Bascomb James

The Escape Artists

The Escape Artists

Higher

Higher

In Plenty and in Time of Need

In Plenty and in Time of Need

The Perfect Mile

The Perfect Mile

The Grand Escape

The Grand Escape

The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile (Scholastic Focus)

The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile (Scholastic Focus)

The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus)

The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus)

Sabotage

Sabotage

Hunting Eichmann

Hunting Eichmann

The Salt Thief: Gandhi's Heroic March to Freedom

The Salt Thief: Gandhi's Heroic March to Freedom

The Grand Escape

The Grand Escape

Far Orbit Apogee

Far Orbit Apogee

Far Orbit

Far Orbit

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