Synopses & Reviews
Two harrowing crashes . . . A vanished rescue plane . . . A desperate fight for life in a frozen, hostile land . . . The quest to solve a seventy-year-old mysteryThe author of the smash New York Times bestseller Lost in Shangri-La delivers a gripping true story of endurance, bravery, ingenuity, and honor set in the vast Arctic wilderness of World War II and today.
On November 5, 1942, a U.S. cargo plane on a routine flight slammed into the Greenland ice cap. Four days later, a B-17 on the search-and-rescue mission became lost in a blinding storm and also crashed. Miraculously, all nine men on the B-17 survived. The U.S. military launched a second daring rescue operation, but the Grumman Duck amphibious plane sent to find the men flew into a severe storm and vanished.
In this thrilling adventure, Mitchell Zuckoff offers a spellbinding account of these harrowing disasters and the fate of the survivors and their would-be saviors. Frozen in Time places us at the center of a group of valiant airmen fighting to stay alive through 148 days of a brutal Arctic winter by sheltering from subzero temperatures and vicious blizzards in the tail section of the broken B-17 until an expedition headed by famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen attempts to bring them to safety.
But that is only part of the story that unfolds in Frozen in Time. In present-day Greenland, Zuckoff joins the U.S. Coast Guard and North South Polar—a company led by the indefatigable dreamer Lou Sapienza, who worked for years to solve the mystery of the Ducks last flight—on a dangerous expedition to recover the remains of the lost planes crew.
Drawing on intensive research and Zuckoff s firsthand account of the dramatic 2012 expedition, Frozen in Time is a breathtaking blend of mystery, adventure, heroism, and survival. It is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of our military personnel and their families—and a tribute to the important, perilous, and often-overlooked work of the U.S. Coast Guard.
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“A true-life nail-biteras nimbly paced as a novel.
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Frozen in Time is an “excellent, affecting” book of “considerable suspense…. [Zuckoff] is a skilled writer, reporter and researcher, but what gives his latest book its power is his poignant, persuasive depiction of men under arms.” Howard Schneider, < i=""> Wall Street Journal <>
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“Once again, Mitchell Zuckoff has uncovered a thrilling historical tale and told it masterfully. Seamlessly interweaving the past and the present, Frozen in Time is one of those epic adventure stories that will hold you in its grip from beginning to end.” David Grann, author of < i=""> The Lost City of Z <>
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“You would think that all the World War II stories have been told by now. But Mitchell Zuckoff has a remarkable knack for finding new ones, and he has done it again, with a gripping, moving tale, suspensefully toldwhose final act takes place today.” Adam Hochschild, author of < i=""> To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 <>
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“Frozen in Time makes WWII history seem fresh…. [I]ts non-fiction that reads like a page-turner of a mystery. Its filled with heroism, tragedy and remarkable persistence, in the past and present.…. Zuckoff is a good writer and rigorous researcher.” Bob Minzesheimer, < i=""> USA Today <> , 3.5/4 stars
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“The gripping story of a WWII-era plane crash, the survivors who braved subzero conditions, and the modern-day quest for answers.” < i=""> People <>
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“Zuckoffs gripping narrative unfolds with immediacy and verve as men in fetid snow caves and sputtering aircraft pit their dogged camaraderie and desperate, white-knuckle improvisations against the fury of an Arctic winter.” < i=""> Publishers Weekly <> (starred review)
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“Mitchell Zuckoff has a nose for the classic adventure story…. As he details the bomber crews odyssey…weeks stretch into months, but the pages fly by as you eagerly read on. Will they ever get home safely? Zuckoffs mastery keeps readers wondering all the way to the end.” Matthew Price, < i=""> Boston Globe <>
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“This is not a genre known for literary style, but Zuckoffs clear-eyed prose does just what it needs to do…. He even manages to add a contemporary story…and stitch it into the historical narrative so deftly that one feeds the other.” < i=""> Washington Post <>
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“An . . . exciting account involving characters of enormous courage and stamina.” < i=""> Kirkus Reviews <>
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“FROZEN IN TIME is a beautifully-written war yarn, but at its heart, its a non-fiction mysterythe tale of a group of heroes united in a desire to solve a riddle buried in the Arctic ice.” Hampton Sides, author of < i=""> Ghost Soldiers <> and < i=""> Hellhound on His Trail <>
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“This tale of true heroism, human ingenuity, and sacrifice by ordinary people in the face of a bitter enemy is for anyone interested not only in World War II aviation or modern scientific techniques for locating missing aircraft, but in popular histories of real adventure.” < i=""> Library Journal <> (starred review)
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“Zuckoff has produced a wonderful book that combines telling details, thoughtful background and vivid storytelling into a fascinating tale of courage, war and perseverance.” David Williams, < i=""> Seattle Times <>
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“[A]n engaging testimony to perseverance, ingenuity and monumental self-sacrifice.… [Zuckoff is] astoundingly thorough in his research.” < i=""> BookPage <>
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“[F]ierce…. Mitchell Zuckoff recounts a harrowing tale of survival in Greenland during World War II..” < i=""> Daily News <>
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“[H]arrowing…. Zuckoff…[has] earned his literary reputation uncovering forgotten adventure stories.” < i=""> New York Post <>
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“If Lost in Shangri-La was a prize-winning page-turner, Frozen in Time is even more enthralling… a must-read.” < i=""> Austin American-Statesman <>
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“When it comes to riveting nonfiction, author Mitchell Zuckoff has a knack for finding fascinating but forgotten stories from World War II…. This is a truly suspenseful and thrilling American story of perseverance with a worthwhile payoff in the final pages.… [A] must-read.” CNN Online
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“First-rate.… His dual narrative is a welcome change of pace from so many other World War II books. It is well-researched and superbly written.” Steve Weinberg, < i=""> Dallas Morning News <>
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“This stunningly immersive true-life account of a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation…reads like a stellar adventure novel.” < em=""> Entertainment Weekly < m="">
Synopsis
Frozen in Time is a gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from the author of
New York Times bestseller
Lost in Shangri-La.
On November 5, 1942, a US cargo plane slammed into the Greenland Ice Cap. Four days later, the B-17 assigned to the search-and-rescue mission became lost in a blinding storm and also crashed. Miraculously, all nine men on board survived, and the US military launched a daring rescue operation. But after picking up one man, the Grumman Duck amphibious plane flew into a severe storm and vanished.
Frozen in Time tells the story of these crashes and the fate of the survivors, bringing vividly to life their battle to endure 148 days of the brutal Arctic winter, until an expedition headed by famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen brought them to safety. Mitchell Zuckoff takes the reader deep into the most hostile environment on earth, through hurricane-force winds, vicious blizzards, and subzero temperatures.
Moving forward to today, he recounts the efforts of the Coast Guard and North South Polar Inc. - led by indefatigable dreamer Lou Sapienza - who worked for years to solve the mystery of the Ducks last flight and recover the remains of its crew.
A breathtaking blend of mystery and adventure Mitchell Zuckoff's Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of our military personnel and a tribute to the everyday heroism of the US Coast Guard.
About the Author
Mitchell Zuckoff is the author of Lost in Shangri-La, a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Winship/PEN New England Award. His previous books include Robert Altman: The Oral Biography and Ponzis Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend. He has written for national and regional publications and is a former special projects reporter for the Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting. He is a professor of journalism at Boston University and lives outside Boston.