Shame and the Captives

In this gripping novel by Booker Prize-winning author Thomas Keneally, the harrowing true events of a massive prisoner of war escape during World War II are reimagined through the eyes of Alice, a woman living on her father-in-law’s farm in Australia while her husband is imprisoned in Europe. When an Italian POW, Giancarlo, comes to work on the farm, Alice's kindness toward him opens her eyes to profound truths about herself and the complexities of war. Meanwhile, the desperate plight of over a thousand Japanese prisoners, driven by a fierce code of honor, sets the stage for a daring escape that will alter the lives of everyone in their path. Keneally masterfully explores the intersection of ordinary lives and extraordinary circumstances, reflecting on humanity in the face of turmoil.