Doorknob Five Two

the long version

DOORKNOB FIVE TWO is the story of the coming of age of a young man, as seen against a backdrop of World War II. With unusual emotional power and artistic sensibility, Fredric Arnold renders an extraordinary account of his personal experiences as a fighter pilot in combat, recording events with the authenticity of an eye witness. As the story unfolds, we accompany him in the cockpit of his fighter plane, sharing the beauty and wonder of flying as he engages the enemy in aerial combat and is himself shot down. We live as he lived as exposed to the primitive emotions of sex and war, while bound to his ancient heritage and ever-present influence of his father. A crash in the Sahara, rescue by nomadic tribesmen, capture by the Germans as we are firsthand observers to his terrifying escape and will to survive. There is nothing more intensely haunting than the truth. Nor is it merely a war memoir. Rather, it is a dramatic insight into the horror of war and a testament to the power of family love.