Paula Hammond - Features EditorIt’s no surprise that at a time when we’re thinking those in difficult circumstances, those struggling, and hopefully prevailing against adversity, that films like The Great Escape have become such Christmas stalwarts.
The tales of those who risked, all while never losing touch with their basic humanity, never fail to touch us. So Seven Questions Publishing’s new volume, The Colditz Conjurer, comes at just the perfect time for Christmas gift-giving season.
A WWII biography like no other, James Green’s The Colditz Conjurer is a must-read not only for military and magic fans, but for all those keen to learn more about a human being that risked his life constantly for freedom and made a difference to those around him.
Bush Parker was a school-boy magician from the Australian outback who left home to become an assistant to a master illusionist. With World War Two looming, he gave it all up to train as a Spitfire pilot.
One of Churchill’s few, Bush fought in the Battle of Britain until he was shot down in a dramatic dogfight. As a prisoner-of-war in Germany, Vince Parker earned a reputation as a persistent escaper. He ended up in the infamous Colditz Castle, a high-security fortress from which the Germans thought escape was impossible.
In the footlights of the castle’s theatre, this charismatic officer used his magic skills to boost the morale of his fellow prisoners. But, behind locked doors, he applied the secrets of stage magic and escapology to the real-life challenge of getting back home.
A remarkable tale of perseverance, courage and cunning in the face of adversity, The Colditz Conjurer features over 55 original photographs and maps.
“He was an outstanding hero among his fellow prisoners.” – Don Donaldson, British POW in Colditz.
Essential reading for anyone with an interest in prisoner of war escapes, the Battle of Britain, or stage magic history The Colditz Conjurer is available in hardcover (£12.99) and paperback (£7.99) on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3TbY7zv and https://amzn.to/3ESNJs8
