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Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell?: A powerful true story of love and survival
An incredible tale of one man's adversity and defiance, for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Horace Greasley escaped over 200 times from a notorious German prison camp to see the girl he loved. This is his incredible true story.
A Sunday Times Bestseller - over 60,000 copies sold.
Even in the most horrifying places on earth, hope still lingers in the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to take flight.
When war was declared Horace Greasley was just twenty-years old. After seven weeks' training with the 2/5th Battalion, the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, Horace found himself facing the might of the German Army in a muddy field south of Cherbourg, in northern France, with just thirty rounds in his ammunition pouch.
Horace's war didn't last long. . . On 25 May 1940 he was taken prisoner and so began the harrowing journey to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland. Those who survived the gruelling ten-week march to the camp were left broken and exhausted, all chance of escape seemingly extinguished.
But when Horace met Rosa, the daughter of one of his captors, his story changed; fate, it seemed, had thrown him a lifeline. Horace risked everything in order to steal out of the camp to see his love, bringing back supplies for his fellow prisoners. In doing so he offered hope to his comrades, and defiance to one of the most brutal regimes in history.
Horace Greasley escaped over 200 times from a notorious German prison camp to see the girl he loved. This is his incredible true story.
A Sunday Times Bestseller - over 60,000 copies sold.
Even in the most horrifying places on earth, hope still lingers in the darkness, waiting for the opportunity to take flight.
When war was declared Horace Greasley was just twenty-years old. After seven weeks' training with the 2/5th Battalion, the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, Horace found himself facing the might of the German Army in a muddy field south of Cherbourg, in northern France, with just thirty rounds in his ammunition pouch.
Horace's war didn't last long. . . On 25 May 1940 he was taken prisoner and so began the harrowing journey to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland. Those who survived the gruelling ten-week march to the camp were left broken and exhausted, all chance of escape seemingly extinguished.
But when Horace met Rosa, the daughter of one of his captors, his story changed; fate, it seemed, had thrown him a lifeline. Horace risked everything in order to steal out of the camp to see his love, bringing back supplies for his fellow prisoners. In doing so he offered hope to his comrades, and defiance to one of the most brutal regimes in history.
- GenresNonfiction
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 24, 2026
Absolutely beautiful love story set in WW2. Brought a tear to my eye. Highly recommend.
September 9, 2024
I found this story to be quite similar to the fictional book All the Pretty Horses.
December 23, 2024
Overall Reading Experience & Impressions:
This book offers a unique and deeply emotional perspective on World War II. It’s an extraordinary tale of resilience, bravery, and love, even in the darkest of circumstances. While heartbreaking at times, the story is incredibly gripping and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
What Worked:
Horace Greasley’s story is truly one of a kind. His courage, especially his efforts to keep his fellow prisoners fed and his relationship with Rosa, made this book unforgettable. The author masterfully captures the humanity amidst the horrors of war. The pacing of the story and its raw emotion kept me hooked throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
The emotional intensity of the book made it a challenging read, particularly in the final chapters. While this is not necessarily a flaw, it’s worth noting for readers who may find it overwhelming.
Final Thoughts:
Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell? is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Horace Greasley’s story is inspiring and heart-wrenching in equal measure. It’s a must-read for those who want to explore the personal side of World War II history.
Who Would I Recommend?
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, WWII or true stories of survival and heroism. It’s also perfect for readers looking for a historical narrative with deep emotional resonance.
This book offers a unique and deeply emotional perspective on World War II. It’s an extraordinary tale of resilience, bravery, and love, even in the darkest of circumstances. While heartbreaking at times, the story is incredibly gripping and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
What Worked:
Horace Greasley’s story is truly one of a kind. His courage, especially his efforts to keep his fellow prisoners fed and his relationship with Rosa, made this book unforgettable. The author masterfully captures the humanity amidst the horrors of war. The pacing of the story and its raw emotion kept me hooked throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
The emotional intensity of the book made it a challenging read, particularly in the final chapters. While this is not necessarily a flaw, it’s worth noting for readers who may find it overwhelming.
Final Thoughts:
Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell? is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Horace Greasley’s story is inspiring and heart-wrenching in equal measure. It’s a must-read for those who want to explore the personal side of World War II history.
Who Would I Recommend?
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, WWII or true stories of survival and heroism. It’s also perfect for readers looking for a historical narrative with deep emotional resonance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2025
Overall Reading Experience & Impressions:
This book offers a unique and deeply emotional perspective on World War II. It’s an extraordinary tale of resilience, bravery, and love, even in the darkest of circumstances. While heartbreaking at times, the story is incredibly gripping and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
What Worked:
Horace Greasley’s story is truly one of a kind. His courage, especially his efforts to keep his fellow prisoners fed and his relationship with Rosa, made this book unforgettable. The author masterfully captures the humanity amidst the horrors of war. The pacing of the story and its raw emotion kept me hooked throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
The emotional intensity of the book made it a challenging read, particularly in the final chapters. While this is not necessarily a flaw, it’s worth noting for readers who may find it overwhelming.
Final Thoughts:
Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell? is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Horace Greasley’s story is inspiring and heart-wrenching in equal measure. It’s a must-read for those who want to explore the personal side of World War II history.
Who Would I Recommend?
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, WWII or true stories of survival and heroism. It’s also perfect for readers looking for a historical narrative with deep emotional resonance.
This book offers a unique and deeply emotional perspective on World War II. It’s an extraordinary tale of resilience, bravery, and love, even in the darkest of circumstances. While heartbreaking at times, the story is incredibly gripping and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
What Worked:
Horace Greasley’s story is truly one of a kind. His courage, especially his efforts to keep his fellow prisoners fed and his relationship with Rosa, made this book unforgettable. The author masterfully captures the humanity amidst the horrors of war. The pacing of the story and its raw emotion kept me hooked throughout.
What Didn’t Work:
The emotional intensity of the book made it a challenging read, particularly in the final chapters. While this is not necessarily a flaw, it’s worth noting for readers who may find it overwhelming.
Final Thoughts:
Do the Birds Still Sing in Hell? is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Horace Greasley’s story is inspiring and heart-wrenching in equal measure. It’s a must-read for those who want to explore the personal side of World War II history.
Who Would I Recommend?
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, WWII or true stories of survival and heroism. It’s also perfect for readers looking for a historical narrative with deep emotional resonance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2025
I went into this book with little to no expectations and if I didn't pick it for a bookclub then I'd have dropped it within the first 50 pages. It just came off as self-aggrandizing which is weird as it wasn't even Horace who wrote it. It read like a fanfic. Every serious moment was overcome by a cool badass move by our protagonist. I'd feel differently if I hadn't read other stories and seen documentaries, but this just felt heavily embellished to balance out the tragic reality.
July 23, 2024
An unbelievable story from an incredible man.
I’m so thankful to the author for releasing this and telling Horace’s story in such raw truth. The horrors people saw during the War are unbelievable and it’s difficult to actually picture because (the lucky majority) are so blessed to be protected from those horrors thanks to their sacrifices.
I’m so thankful to the author for releasing this and telling Horace’s story in such raw truth. The horrors people saw during the War are unbelievable and it’s difficult to actually picture because (the lucky majority) are so blessed to be protected from those horrors thanks to their sacrifices.
May 14, 2026
I do like reading books about WWII and this one didn’t disappoint, it was a candid, truthfully written book about Horace’s experiences and I truly appreciated the author writing this account for others to read and experience. WWII is something we should never forget, it was tastefully written and accurately portrayed the true horrors innocent lives were subjected to.
November 20, 2024
So moving and (as weird as it sounds) entertaining despite being a holocaust survivor story because of the love aspect, but obviously still horrifying. Doesn’t matter many holocaust survivor stories I read still genuinely in shock every single time
January 7, 2025
No spoilers, but this is a must read for everyone.
It isn’t easy to read, but the story is an important one and it is shocking and inspiring.
It gives an insight to what POWs suffered in WWII and the hope that can be spread through prisoners through simple deeds and acts.
A great book.
It isn’t easy to read, but the story is an important one and it is shocking and inspiring.
It gives an insight to what POWs suffered in WWII and the hope that can be spread through prisoners through simple deeds and acts.
A great book.
February 15, 2025
A must read......
A very sad story that made me tearful more than once but the end was really sad......I was hoping Horace (jim) and Rose would find each other and live happily together but for you to find out if they did or not, you gotta read this book, which I highly recommend
A very sad story that made me tearful more than once but the end was really sad......I was hoping Horace (jim) and Rose would find each other and live happily together but for you to find out if they did or not, you gotta read this book, which I highly recommend
September 24, 2024
amazing book!
Loved this book. Best I have read in a long time.
What a man he was unbelievable
Already pre ordered the next book. Can’t wait to read it.
Loved this book. Best I have read in a long time.
What a man he was unbelievable
Already pre ordered the next book. Can’t wait to read it.
December 6, 2024
Great story. Interesting read on really went on during the wars in Europe.
January 25, 2026
Heart wrenching, heartwarming a moving story of tragedy, love with some humour thrown in. Just so sad it was a true story and those people went through what they did 🥺
February 4, 2026
Tough read, uplifting in some parts but not a happy story.
February 14, 2026
When war was declared Horace Greasley was just twenty-years old. After seven weeks' training with the 2/5th Battalion, the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, Horace found himself facing the might of the German Army in a muddy field south of Cherbourg, in northern France, with just thirty rounds in his ammunition pouch.
Horace's war didn't last long. . . On 25 May 1940 he was taken prisoner and so began the harrowing journey to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland. Those who survived the gruelling ten-week march to the camp were left broken and exhausted, all chance of escape seemingly extinguished.
But when Horace met Rosa, the daughter of one of his captors, his story changed; fate, it seemed, had thrown him a lifeline. Horace risked everything in order to steal out of the camp to see his love, bringing back supplies for his fellow prisoners. In doing so he offered hope to his comrades, and defiance to one of the most brutal regimes in history.
Horace's war didn't last long. . . On 25 May 1940 he was taken prisoner and so began the harrowing journey to a prisoner-of-war camp in Poland. Those who survived the gruelling ten-week march to the camp were left broken and exhausted, all chance of escape seemingly extinguished.
But when Horace met Rosa, the daughter of one of his captors, his story changed; fate, it seemed, had thrown him a lifeline. Horace risked everything in order to steal out of the camp to see his love, bringing back supplies for his fellow prisoners. In doing so he offered hope to his comrades, and defiance to one of the most brutal regimes in history.
October 30, 2024
Great story! Wondering what was fiction and what was over exaggerated or fabricated but nonetheless - the story needed to be told.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews