Frozen in Time - by Mitchell Zuckoff (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from Mitchell Zuckoff, 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 Duck's 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.

Based on Zuckoff's exhaustive research and firsthand reporting, this epic of military history brings two unforgettable stories to life:

• A World War II Survival Story: The 148-day ordeal of a B-17 bomber crew stranded on the Greenland Ice Cap, battling subzero temperatures, vicious blizzards, and dwindling hope.
• Three Lost Airplanes: The cascading disaster that began with a downed cargo plane, leading to a crashed B-17 bomber, and culminating in a vanished Grumman Duck rescue plane.
• A Modern-Day Quest: The present-day mission to find the lost Grumman Duck and bring home the remains of its heroic crew, solving one of the last great mysteries of the war.
• Heroism of the U.S. Coast Guard: A gripping, moment-by-moment account of the courageous pilots and rescuers who risked everything for their comrades, including famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen.

From the Back Cover

When a cargo plane goes missing over the Greenland ice cap in November 1942, a B-17 is dispatched on a perilous search-and-rescue mission that ends in disaster when the plane crashes into a fogged-out glacier. Almost three weeks later, the U.S. Coast Guard learns that contact has been made with the B-17 crew, who are taking refuge in the plane's broken tail. The Coast Guard begins rescue efforts, successfully extracting two of the B-17 survivors and promising to return for the rest. But as the brutal winter ravages the savage Arctic wilderness, the odds of saving the remaining men rapidly diminish. Out of options, they have no choice but to try and survive alone on the ice cap.

Into this narrative of endurance against all odds, bestselling author Mitchell Zuckoff weaves a breathtaking account of his 2012 journey with a private crew to recover the wreckage of the crashes and the bodies of the victims entombed in the ice, finally piecing together this epic tale of adventure, resilience, and courage.

Review Quotes

"The gripping story of a WWII-era plane crash, the survivors who braved subzero conditions, and the modern-day quest for answers." - People

"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

"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, Dallas Morning News

"This is not a genre known for literary style, but Zuckoff's 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." - Washington Post

"If Lost in Shangri-La was a prize-winning page-turner, Frozen in Time is even more enthralling... a must-read." - Austin American-Statesman

"This stunningly immersive true-life account of a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation...reads like a stellar adventure novel." - Entertainment Weekly

"[A]n engaging testimony to perseverance, ingenuity and monumental self-sacrifice.... [Zuckoff is] astoundingly thorough in his research." - BookPage

"A true-life nail-biter--as nimbly paced as a novel. Grade: A." - Entertainment Weekly

"Frozen in Time makes WWII history seem fresh.... [I]t's non-fiction that reads like a page-turner of a mystery. It's filled with heroism, tragedy and remarkable persistence, in the past and present. It's a descriptive slice of World War II.... Zuckoff is a good writer and rigorous researcher. In a dramatic story that easily could be hyped, he writes that 'no liberties were taken with facts, dialogue, characters, or chronology'." - USA Today

"The events Mr. Zuckoff relates are terrifying, horrible, remarkable and, sometimes, thrilling. ... He 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, Wall Street Journal

"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, Seattle Times

"Mitchell Zuckoff has a nose for the classic adventure story.... As he details the bomber crew's odyssey...weeks stretch into months, but the pages fly by as you eagerly read on. Will they ever get home safely? Zuckoff's mastery keeps readers wondering all the way to the end." - Boston Globe

"An . . . exciting account involving characters of enormous courage and stamina." - Kirkus Reviews

"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 The Lost City of Z

"Zuckoff's 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." - Publishers Weekly(starred review)

"Frozen in Time is rigorously researched, beautifully told, and absolutely compelling from start to finish, a true adventure story that takes us deeply into the heart of what it means to serve a cause higher than oneself. This is essential reading for anyone who needs a reminder of the potential for heroic goodness in each of us. Mitch Zuckoff has done it again!" - Andre Dubus III, author of House of Sand and Fog

"[H]arrowing.... Zuckoff...[has] earned his literary reputation uncovering forgotten adventure stories." - New York Post

"Fierce. . . . A harrowing tale of survival in Greenland during World War II. . . .The detailed reporting culminates in an intense account of survival under such intolerable conditions. Rising from a hypothermic stupor to stumble out into vicious winds to retrieve supplies becomes a heroic act. The pages of Frozen in Time are crowded with such heroes -- as well as those not just willing, but eager, to put their lives on the line to save them." - Daily News

"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 told--whose final act takes place today." - Adam Hochschild, author of To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918

"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." - Library Journal (starred review)

"Mitchell Zuckoff has done it again--he's found another amazing World War II story that everyone else somehow missed. Much like his acclaimed Lost in Shangri-La, this is a story about brave aviators fighting for their lives in a back-theater of the war. Only this time Zuckoff isn't just chronicling the adventure--he's part of it. Frozen in Time is a beautifully-written war yarn, but at its heart, it's a non-fiction mystery--the tale of a group of heroes united in a desire to solve a riddle buried in the Arctic ice." - Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers and Hellhound on His Trail