Books & Audiobooks
If you are looking for a story that reads like an historical fiction thriller, look no further than Tunnel 29 written by Helena Merriman. This story is of a real life rescue mission that took place in 1962 during the height of the Cold War between America and the USSR. Those of us who are of a certain age may remember having to do air raid siren drills in school, getting into the turtle position under our desks when the sirens blew. Much of the book is devoted to providing the background information on what was happening in East Berlin and the stranglehold grip the secret police, the Stasi, had on the citizens of East Germany. The wall was erected ostensibly to keep the immoral westerners out of East Berlin but it was in fact, a device to keep people in the communist realm.
The book describes the incredible lengths the Stasi went to, to build a spy network that resulted in one spy for every six people in the country. The living conditions were horrible in spite of the grand promises made by the government. It was under those conditions that a small group of men in West Berlin decided to build an escape tunnel under the wall through which their family and friends could get free. What follows is a story that is so incredible, it is hard to believe it is not fiction. But indeed, it actually happened! And this book by Helena Merriman will keep you on the edge of your seat. This book provides a fascinating account of a very fragile time in political history.