The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A True Story of an Artist, a Spy and a Wartime Scandal (Simon Parkin)
R 135.85 (Effective price if returned)
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The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A True Story of an Artist, a Spy and a Wartime Scandal (Simon Parkin)
The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A True Story of an Artist, a Spy and a Wartime Scandal
- Author: Simon Parkin
About Book
- Publisher: Simon and Schuster
- Published date: 2022-11
- Pages: 432
- isbn: 9781529347234.0
- GoodReads Rating: 3.9
Condition & Size
- Size: Format B (Medium Format)
- Book Type: Paperback
- Condition: As New
Summary
The remarkable untold story of a Jewish orphan who fled Nazi Germany for London, only to be arrested there by the British government and sent to an internment camp for suspected foreign agents on the Isle of Man, alongside a renowned group of refugee musicians, intellectuals, artists, and—possibly—genuine spies. Following the events of Kristallnacht in 1938, Peter Fleischmann evaded the Gestapo’s midnight roundups in Berlin by way of a perilous journey to England via the Kindertransport. But he could not escape the British police, who came for him in the early hours and shipped him off to Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man, under suspicion of being a spy for the very regime he had fled. Peter’s story was no isolated incident. During Hitler’s rise to power in the 1930s, tens of thousands of German and Austrian Jews escaped and found refuge in Britain. Once war broke out in 1939, the nation turned against them, fearing that Nazis had planted spies posing as refugees. Innocent asylum seekers thus were labeled “enemy aliens” and ultimately sentenced to an indefinite period of internment. When Peter arrived at Hutchinson Camp, he found one of history’s most astounding prison populations: renowned professors, composers, journalists, and artists. Together, they created a thriving cultural community, complete with art exhibitions, lectures, musical performances, and poetry readings. The artists welcomed Peter as their pupil and forever changed the course of his life. Meanwhile, suspi that a real spy was hiding among them—one connected to a vivacious heiress from Peter’s past. Drawing from unpublished first-person accounts and newly declassified documents from the British government, award-winning journalist Simon Parkin tells the story of this unlikely group of internees. The Island of Extraordinary Captives brings history to life in vivid detail, revealing the hidden truth of Britain’s grave wartime mistake and showcasing how hope and creativity can flourish in even the darkest of circumstances
We do not measure every book by hand but instead use the size table below and AI to list the size. Please note that US and UK sizes may differ slightly; where applicable, we provide dimensions for both. If you would like the exact size of a book, please WhatsApp us, and we will be happy to measure it for you.
| Format | Colloquially Called | Typical Dimensions (cm) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format A | Small | 10.8 x 17.5 cm | Mass-market paperback, pocket-sized format. |
| Format B | Medium | UK: 12.9 x 19.8 cm US: 13.2 x 20.3 cm |
Medium paperback size, used in both UK and US editions. |
| Format C | Large | UK: 13.8 x 21.6 cm US: 14.0 x 21.6 cm |
Demi-size, often used for trade paperbacks in UK and US. |
| Extra Large | Extra Large | Greater than 14.0 x 21.6 cm | Larger books, including oversized trade paperbacks or hardcovers. |
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Format A
Colloquially Called: Small
Typical Dimensions: 10.8 x 17.5 cm
Description: Mass-market paperback, pocket-sized format.
-
Format B
Colloquially Called: Medium
Typical Dimensions: UK: 12.9 x 19.8 cm
US: 13.2 x 20.3 cmDescription: Medium paperback size, used in both UK and US editions.
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Format C
Colloquially Called: Large
Typical Dimensions: UK: 13.8 x 21.6 cm
US: 14.0 x 21.6 cmDescription: Demi-size, often used for trade paperbacks in UK and US.
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Extra Large
Colloquially Called: Extra Large
Typical Dimensions: Greater than 14.0 x 21.6 cm
Description: Larger books, including oversized trade paperbacks or hardcovers.
This is a high-level condition guideline. If you would like more information about a specific book's condition, please WhatsApp us. Please note that book clubs are one of our main avenues for sourcing books, and as such, names and book club notes are allowed on all conditions from "As New" downwards and may not always be explicitly mentioned. Please look carefully at the pictures of the book to assess its condition. Any other notable defects, aside from those in the "Key Features" column, will be listed above in the "At a Glance" column under "Observations."
| Condition | RM Rating | Description | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand New | 10/10 | Completely new and unread. | Crisp pages, no marks, and no signs of wear. |
| As New | 9/10 | Almost brand new; typically in read-once condition. | No visible damage, but may have small marks or the previous owner's name. |
| Excellent | 8/10 | Lacks the crispness of a new book, but no major damage. | Clean and intact; very slight creasing on spine. |
| Very Good | 7/10 | Good condition with some signs of wear. | Slight spine concavity, off-white pages, and small bends on corners. |
| Good | 6/10 | More wear but still usable and readable. | Creased spine, yellowing pages, curling corners. |
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Condition: Brand New
RM Rating: 10/10
Description: Completely new and unread.
Key Features: Crisp pages, no marks, and no signs of wear.
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Condition: As New
RM Rating: 9/10
Description: Almost brand new; typically in read-once condition.
Key Features: No visible damage, but may have small marks or the previous owner's name.
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Condition: Excellent
RM Rating: 8/10
Description: Lacks the crispness of a new book, but no major damage.
Key Features: Clean and intact; very slight creasing on spine.
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Condition: Very Good
RM Rating: 7/10
Description: Good condition with some signs of wear.
Key Features: Slight spine concavity, off-white pages, and small bends on corners.
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Condition: Good
RM Rating: 6/10
Description: More wear but still usable and readable.
Key Features: Creased spine, yellowing pages, curling corners.
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