The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History

Two British officers imprisoned in a Turkish POW camp during World War I devised an improbable escape plan centered around a Ouija board and séances. Their elaborate scheme required them to convince their captors and fellow prisoners that they possessed supernatural abilities and could communicate with the spirit world. The book follows the real story of Harry Jones and Cedric Hill, who combined their skills in psychology, confidence games, and theatrics to execute their plan. Through detailed research and archival materials, Fox reconstructs how these men developed and sustained their intricate deception within the confines of a POW camp. The account brings together elements of war history, stage magic, and the early field of psychological manipulation. It documents the physical conditions and social dynamics of the prison camp while exploring the techniques of deception the two men employed. The narrative raises questions about human belief, desperation, and the power of suggestion in extreme circumstances. It examines how faith, skepticism, and the desire for hope can intersect in wartime.

Readers describe the book as a compelling true story that reads like a heist novel. Many note how Fox weaves together WWI history, psychology, and con artistry while maintaining narrative tension throughout. Liked: - Clear explanations of complex psychological concepts - Rich historical context and research - Engaging storytelling style - Photographs and primary sources - Focus on lesser-known aspects of WWI Disliked: - Some repetition in the middle sections - Too much detail about peripheral characters - Pacing slows in parts describing spiritualism/magic - Several readers wanted more information about what happened to the men after their escape Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) "Fox makes complicated wartime politics accessible without oversimplifying," noted one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads review criticized: "The build-up takes too long to pay off, though the ending delivers."

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🌟 Author Margalit Fox spent 24 years as a senior writer at The New York Times, where she was best known for her obituaries of significant figures in history and culture. 🌟 The escape plan detailed in the book hinged on an ingenious Ouija board scheme, which the prisoners used to manipulate their Turkish captors by exploiting their belief in the supernatural. 🌟 One of the POW protagonists, Elias Henry Jones, went on to become a prominent Welsh barrister and wrote his own account of the escape in "The Road to En-dor" (1919). 🌟 The prisoners' elaborate ruse included creating an entire fictional spirit world, complete with detailed characters and backstories, which they maintained consistently for over a year. 🌟 The escape took place from the Yozgad prison camp in Turkey during World War I, where conditions were so harsh that many prisoners suffered from malnutrition and disease, making the success of their psychological warfare even more remarkable.