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The Houdini Club: The Epic Journey and Daring Escapes of the First Army Rangers of WWII
Highlighted by the prisoner-of-war escapes that earned them the name “The Houdini Club,” here is the elite combat odyssey of World War II’s “Darby’s Rangers” as never told before—drawing on previously unknown sources and former Army Ranger Mir Bahmanyar’s exclusive, uncensored interviews with the greatest generation of Rangers themselves.
This thrilling, personality-driven account of the first United States Army Ranger battalions follows an extraordinary band of American soldiers from their rugged Ranger training to their battles in North Africa, France, Sicily, and mainland Italy, and (for some) finally back to American shores. Drawing upon unprecedented historical research, military-service expertise, exclusive interviews, and personal correspondence with original Greatest Generation Army Rangers, The Houdini Club is an uncensored work of military history, encapsulating both the history and personal drama of World War II Special Forces warfare.
From the abundant tales of glory to the tales of misery, fear, and murderous intent, the utter exhaustion and thrill of combat, and the devastating final battle that all but destroyed them, The Houdini Club puts readers on the ground alongside the Rangers who made victory in Europe possible, portraying in gritty detail the lives and acts of one of the American military’s greatest collection of men.
This thrilling, personality-driven account of the first United States Army Ranger battalions follows an extraordinary band of American soldiers from their rugged Ranger training to their battles in North Africa, France, Sicily, and mainland Italy, and (for some) finally back to American shores. Drawing upon unprecedented historical research, military-service expertise, exclusive interviews, and personal correspondence with original Greatest Generation Army Rangers, The Houdini Club is an uncensored work of military history, encapsulating both the history and personal drama of World War II Special Forces warfare.
From the abundant tales of glory to the tales of misery, fear, and murderous intent, the utter exhaustion and thrill of combat, and the devastating final battle that all but destroyed them, The Houdini Club puts readers on the ground alongside the Rangers who made victory in Europe possible, portraying in gritty detail the lives and acts of one of the American military’s greatest collection of men.
- GenresNonfiction
477 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2025
11 people are currently reading
954 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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October 1, 2025In the 1950s James Garner starred in Darby's Rangers, a movie about America's first army rangers. The Houdini Club is their story, however...
If you're expecting an exciting WWII book, full of assaults and major battles, you're going to be disappointed. If, however, you know or are related to any of the rangers, you'll be delighted because this book has all the minutiae you could possibly want. Where each soldier was born and when, what he did before the war, sometimes even what he looked like. B-O-R-I-N-G. I read next to none of this.
The interesting parts are outtakes from things the soldiers wrote, easily identified by being indented. Sometimes these related to battles they were in, sometimes to their captures and escapes as POWs, sometimes to stories of how particular people lost their lives.
PS Don't expect the real Darby to be anything like Garner. No resemblance whatsoever beyond the fact that both Darbys were fanatical about teaching Americans to fight the way their British ranger counterparts did.
If you're expecting an exciting WWII book, full of assaults and major battles, you're going to be disappointed. If, however, you know or are related to any of the rangers, you'll be delighted because this book has all the minutiae you could possibly want. Where each soldier was born and when, what he did before the war, sometimes even what he looked like. B-O-R-I-N-G. I read next to none of this.
The interesting parts are outtakes from things the soldiers wrote, easily identified by being indented. Sometimes these related to battles they were in, sometimes to their captures and escapes as POWs, sometimes to stories of how particular people lost their lives.
PS Don't expect the real Darby to be anything like Garner. No resemblance whatsoever beyond the fact that both Darbys were fanatical about teaching Americans to fight the way their British ranger counterparts did.
May 15, 2025
📢📢📢📢📢
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
Incredible stories of incredible men
Wow. To think that most of these men were in their early 20s, doing the things they did, against all odds. A great read, definitely geared towards military types, reading and informationally. I really liked the excerpts from the soldiers' journals that added a personal touch to each chapter.
Wow. To think that most of these men were in their early 20s, doing the things they did, against all odds. A great read, definitely geared towards military types, reading and informationally. I really liked the excerpts from the soldiers' journals that added a personal touch to each chapter.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews