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Marc H. Stevens

Goodreads Author

Born

Canada

Website

http://www.marchstevens.com

Genre

Nonfiction, Thriller

Influences

All WW2 escape stories

Member Since

January 2010

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Marc Stevens was born in Montreal in the late 1950's. but grew up between Ottawa and Toronto. He attended Trinity College at the University of Toronto in the late 1970's.

From the age of 10, Marc has had a serious case of wanderlust, and has visited over 65 countries on all 7 continents. An interest in history, especially aviation in World War II, developed because of the service of Marc's father as an RAF bomber pilot in that war. Marc's dad, Peter Stevens, died in 1979, before Marc was able to question his father about the latter's wartime exploits. This led to Marc's beginning an 18 year quest, to discover exactly why his father had been awarded one of Britain's highest medals for bravery, the Military Cross.

Marc had known from a very you Marc Stevens was born in Montreal in the late 1950's. but grew up between Ottawa and Toronto. He attended Trinity College at the University of Toronto in the late 1970's.

From the age of 10, Marc has had a serious case of wanderlust, and has visited over 65 countries on all 7 continents. An interest in history, especially aviation in World War II, developed because of the service of Marc's father as an RAF bomber pilot in that war. Marc's dad, Peter Stevens, died in 1979, before Marc was able to question his father about the latter's wartime exploits. This led to Marc's beginning an 18 year quest, to discover exactly why his father had been awarded one of Britain's highest medals for bravery, the Military Cross.

Marc had known from a very young age that his father was originally German, but he was always sworn to secrecy about that part of the family's history. What he did not know, and only discovered in 1996 (17 years after his father's death), was that Peter Stevens was not only a German, but a German Jew, who had fought for England against the country of his birth.

Eighteen years of research (including obtaining access to a British government file marked "Secret - Sealed until 2051") eventually showed that Marc's father had been sent to safety in England in 1934 by his widowed mother. He had committed identity theft at the outbreak of hostilities, and was the object of a UK police manhunt while he was serving in the RAF under his assumed name. After flying 22 combat operations as a bomber pilot, Peter Stevens was shot down by flak over Berlin, and was taken as a Prisoner of War by his own country, without protection under the Geneva Convention. Had the Nazis ever discovered his true identity, they would have legally been able to execute him for treason. Becoming one of the most ardent escapers of the war, Peter Stevens actually got away from Nazi POW camps 3 times, but was recaptured each time.

On one of his harrowing escapes (from a moving prison train in a hail of Nazi bullets), he made his way to his childhood home in Hannover, to get food, cash and civilian clothing from his mother. Upon his arrival in Hannover, he discovered that his mother had committed suicide in July 1939 rather than allow herself to be shepherded through the gas chambers, as her remaining relatives suffered.

Peter Stevens never made it back to England until after the war, but he served for 5 years as a British spy with MI6 at the height of the Cold War, before emigrating to Canada and starting a family in the early 1950's.

Marc Stevens did not start his research with the intention of writing a book about what he might find. It was simply that the story became so fascinating and so unique, that he realized he had no choice but to write a book about it.

'Escape, Evasion and Revenge' is a true story of thankless and unheralded heroism.
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Marc H. Stevens’s books

Average rating: 4.26 · 112 ratings · 14 reviews · 1 distinct work

Escape, Evasion and Revenge: The True Story of a German-Jewish RAF Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a POW

4.26 avg rating — 112 ratings — published 2009 — 5 editions

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Marc H. Stevens's Blog

Made the Top 10 List for Best Revenge Books!

Astonishingly, the book I wrote about my father’s life was today listed as the 5th best book about revenge, ever, in Britain’s The Guardian newspaper. Better than the Bible, better than Crime and Punishment, better than Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series. Also on the list: The Count of Monte Cristo, Hamlet and Wuthering Heights.

My mind has officially been blown.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/20 Read more of this blog post »

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Published on April 16, 2021 04:09

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Marc’s Recent Updates

Marc Stevens rated a book it was amazing The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4) by Richard Osman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 12, 2026 08:11AM · like
Marc Stevens rated a book it was amazing The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club, #3) by Richard Osman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 12, 2026 08:11AM · like
Marc Stevens has read The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club, #3) by Richard Osman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 12, 2026 08:10AM · like
Marc Stevens is now following Richard Osman Author of The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club,...
May 12, 2026 08:10AM · like
Marc Stevens rated a book it was amazing The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2) by Richard Osman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 12, 2026 08:10AM · like
Marc Stevens liked Craig Colby's review of Escape, Evasion and Revenge: The True Story of a German-Jewish RAF Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a POW: "This is a thrilling true story of deceipt and bravery in World War II told by the son of the protagonist. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the incredible twists and turns. "
Apr 23, 2026 01:37AM · see review
Marc Stevens rated a book it was amazing Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For someone who grew up in the 60s, and who remembers the regular testing of air raid sirens in Ottawa, Canada, reading this made me aware of just how complacent we've become on the subject of nuclear weapons. Yes, they are safe, when governed by stri ...more
Jan 06, 2026 04:54AM · like · see review
Marc Stevens rated a book it was amazing Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir by Stevie Van Zandt	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
If you were alive on the fateful evening of Sunday, February 9, 1964, or have ever listened to a song on the radio since that date, you should read this book. Little Steven (aka Miami Steve) Van Zandt, weaves a poetic tale of rock and soul music unlik ...more
May 20, 2025 05:04AM · like · see review
Marc Stevens finished reading Death in the Air by Ram Murali	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 20, 2025 05:03AM · like
Marc Stevens rated a book it was amazing So You Want to Be a Producer by Lawrence Turman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
An excellent primer about the movie business, for us book authors who want (or need) to write screenplays. A somewhat simplistic description of the life of a Producer (albeit from the 20,000 foot level) which gives great insight into the methods behin ...more
Apr 27, 2025 04:43AM · like · see review

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
THE WORLD WAR TWO...: * Introduction to the WW2 Site - Please Say Hi	4956	1617	May 25, 2026 05:36AM
THE WORLD WAR TWO...: POWs, Escape and Evasion	298	314	May 26, 2026 09:47PM

Marc’s Quotes

“humans with their brief lives, these beautiful objects could reach across the generations, each with a story to tell if only one could unlock its secrets.”
― Simon Goodman, The Orpheus Clock: The Search for My Family's Art Treasures Stolen by the Nazis

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“It dawned on me that at least some of the art my family had lovingly collected might also serve as memorial candles.”
― Simon Goodman, The Orpheus Clock: The Search for My Family's Art Treasures Stolen by the Nazis

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“Dozens of paintings could fit those general descriptions. Instead, claimants had to describe their stolen painting in detail, including if possible the canvas measurements—an important identifying point in paintings—and provide documentation of prior ownership.”
― Simon Goodman, The Orpheus Clock: The Search for My Family's Art Treasures Stolen by the Nazis

1 likes

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