On the Run

Book excerpt: There have been many books written about valour in battle. This is not one of them. On the contrary, On the Run deals entirely with those men and women who have departed from life in the armed forces. For as long as there have been wars there have been those who have fled from the cannon's roar. In this fascinating and unique history of deserters and desertion, Graeme Kent scours the annals of warfare to find those who, for a multitude of often complex reasons, have gone absent without leave. Among their number are poets and pugilists, thieves and thugs, lovers and lunatics, princes and politicians, comedians and conspirators, film stars and fanatics, and even a pope, all brought together by the simple fact that at one time or another they went on the run. Covering thousands of years and spanning the globe, this compelling book presents an extraordinary anecdotal history of perhaps the most controversial and emotive subject in war.