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5 comments about Escape From Hell.

1. This is quite a book.
   
   Nominally it is the story of the war time exploits of Lew Bishop, an Ace and Vice Squadron Leader of the Flying Tigers. This part of his story is broken into two parts, the first part of the book begins when he bails out of his P-40 over what is now Vietnam and talks about his three years as a prisoner of the Japanese, his subsequent escape and return to the U.S. This part was written by Lew Bishop.
   
   The second part goes back to his earlier life both in the United States and his activities in China. Remember that this was before the U.S. actually entered the war. The Flying Tigers, technically called the American Volunteer Group (AVG), were American military pilots who left the American military with the promise that they could return with senority continuing through their Chinese service. They were sort of mercenaries, sort of part of the Chinese Air Force, and sort of a covert action of the United States.
   
   While this part of the book is not unlike others on the Flying Tigers, it is very well done and has numerous side panels that provide very informative insight into points like Roosevelt's role in the establishment of the AVG, the theories of Gen. Chennault and the way he was treated by the military establishment (the military does not treat original thinkers very well, and even worse when they are proven correct).
   
   Finally the third part of the book goes into life after Lew Bishop returned to the U.S. This is a story of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder before we even knew what it was. Mr. Bishop was never really able to put his life back into order. The effect on his life and that of his daughter (who wrote the rest of this book) is described tenderly and with insight.
   
   Really not until after Mr. Bishop's death did his daughter begin the 'journey of discovery' (raising three boys of her own took a lot of her time) that led to this book. I, for one, am glad that she made the journey and that she has shared it with us.



2. I have been a "fan" of the Flying Tigers story for many years and have a substantial collection of books written by members of that marvelous group. I have also known several members. I am a retired AF pilot with 34 years of service and three combat tours behind me.
   
   I find this book a wonderful gap filler in the history of the Tiger pilots in that other books made regerence to the shoot down of Lewis Bishop, but no one knew what happened to him following that event. The telling of his story is an essential part of the history of, not only the Flying Tigers, but also of that phase of the war in the Pacific. His heroic survival in the face of terrible odds to the contrary is a great testimony to the power of the human spirit. Shiela Irwin has done a superb job of her research in putting together this fascinating story of her father's survival and the traumatic results of his abusive treatment at the hands of the Japanese while a POW. A wonderful addition to the history of that era.



3. I have read most of the books and articles written by those who were in Burma and China with the American Volunteer Group just before and at the beginning World War II, and those who were not. This book is easily among the best of both genres. "Escape from Hell" includes both an account written by 3rd Squadron, Hell's Angles, Vice-Squadron Leader, Lewis Bishop, and by his daughter, Shiela Bishop Irwin. Lewis Bishop describes in the first three chapters of the book bailing out of his plane on May 17, 1942 while leading a mission over railroad installations at Lao Kay in French Indochina (now Viet Nam) and his next three years as a POW. He wrote the manuscript in 1945 and 1946. Shiela accompanies this narrative with additional information in text boxes and footnotes.
   
   The next three chapters are written by Shiela about her father's formative years and his experiences with the AVG up to the time of becoming a POW. These well researched chapters, as well as the ones that follow, are also enhanced with informative text boxes and footnotes. While I doubt Shiela considers herself a scholar, this is certainly a scholarly book. It includes a brief history and background of the AVG Flying Tigers, many photographs and reproductions of documents, a bibliography, appendices, and an index.
   
   Chapters 7 through 9 discuss the life of Lewis Bishop after he returned to the United States. Drawing on research done on POWs in wars over the last 60 years, Shiela both sheds light on the life of her father and her own experience of him as a father and as a human being who had gone through experiences most of us can only faintly imagine. In the final chapter Shiela provides a personal account of her relationship with her father and how writing the book was process of discovery for her.
   
   I recommend this very readable book to anyone who has an interest in the AVG, POWs, the China-India-Burma Theater, World War II, or the exploration of the relationship between a father and his daughter.



4. This is a great story and a very readable book. Its a well put together story about Lew Bishop and the authors relationship to him. The author did a great job with this. I recommend it.



5. Escape from Hell is clearly a labor of love undertaken with skill and dedication. It is much more than a story of war and soldiers, it is a story of the human condition as seen through the life of one man. The author is to be applauded for taking on this task and for seeing it through to such a resoundingly successful conclusion.

No comments about Aru Yogi No Jijoden/Autobiography of a Yogi.

No comments about To Sandakan: The Diaries of Charlie Johnstone : Prisoner of War 1942-45.

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1 comments about Red Lights Shakko: Selected Tanka Sequences from Shakko.

1. Mokichi Saito was a very interesting person in addition to being a prolific poet. He excelled in tanka sequences, and this book represents his first contribution to the form. The modern tanka was first developed by haiku master Shiki around the turn of the 20th century. Saito came a little later but owes much to the path blazed by Shiki. While Shiki's tanka tend toward the sentimental and imagistic, Saito can address the grittier issues of life.
   
   The translations flow beautifully, and the book provides a Romaji transliteration of all the poems. Of course, this book is only a small fraction of Saito's tremendous poetic output, but like so many great Japanese poets we must be content to get this much in English.
   
   As for the price, try to get a used copy. The list price is way overinflated. I got a used copy for just a few dollars through bookfinder. I note Amazon has used copies for as little as $10. Since this book was (sadly) remaindered it shouldn't be too hard to find inexpensive copies.

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