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The courageous and heartbreaking story of a Czech countess who defied the Nazis in a legendary horse race.Czechoslovakia, October 1937. Europe's youngest democracy is on its knees. Millions are mourning the death of the nation's founding father, the saintly Tom Masaryk. Across the border, the Third Reich is menacing - and plotting to invade.In the countryside, vast crowds have gathered to watch the threatened nation's most prestigious sporting contest: the Grand Pardubice steeplechase. Notoriously dangerous, the race is considered the ultimate test of manhood and fighting spirit. The Nazis have sent their paramilitary elite -- SS officers on a mission to crush the "subhuman Slavs." The local cavalry officers have no hope of stopping them.But there is one other contestant: a countess riding a little golden mare ... The story of Lata Brandisov is by turns enigmatic and inspiring. Born into privilege, she spent much of her life in poverty. Modest and shy, she refused to accept the constraints society placed on her because of her gender. Instead, with quiet courage, she repeatedly achieved what others said was impossible and rose above scandal to became her nation's figurehead in its darkest hour. Then came retribution ... Unbreakable is a story of endurance and defiance in an age of prejudice, fear, sexism, class hatred, and nationalism. Filled with eccentric aristocrats, socialite spies, daredevil jockeys -- and a race so brutal that some consider merely taking part in it a sign of insanity -- Unbreakable brings to life a unique hero, and an unforgettable love affair between a woman and a horse. 8 pages of B&W photographs
About the Author
Richard Askwith is a Northamptonshire-based journalist and author whose passions include running, outdoor adventure and the traditions and ordinary people of the English countryside.His cult book about fell-running, FEET IN THE CLOUDS (2004) , won him the Best New Writer prize at the British Sports Publishing Awards and the Bill Rollinson Prize for Landscape and Tradition, as well as being shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and for the Boardman-Tasker Prize. More recently, UNBREAKABLE: THE COUNTESS, THE NAZIS AND THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS HORSE-RACE - a biography of the pioneering jockey Lata Brandisová - won Biography of the Year at the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards. UNBREAKABLE was also long-listed for the William Hill award, as was his acclaimed 2016 book, TODAY WE DIE A LITTLE: EMIL ZÁTOPEK, OLYMPIC LEGEND TO COLD WAR HERO (also shortlisted for the Cross Sports Book Awards) . TODAY WE DIE A LITTLE marked Richard's first foray in the sporting history of the nation formerly known as Czechoslovakia. The resulting friendships - and semi-mastery of the Czech language - helped him to discover the extraordinary, hitherto forgotten story of Lata Brandisová.Richard's other books include THE LOST VILLAGE: IN SEARCH OF A FORGOTTEN RURAL ENGLAND (2008; named Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the 2009 Saga Grown-Up Awards) ; RUNNING FREE: A RUNNER'S JOURNEY BACK TO NATURE (2014; short-listed for the Thwaites Wainwright Prize) ; and PEOPLE POWER: REMAKING PARLIAMENT FOR THE POPULIST AGE (2018) , a short, radical proposal (part of Biteback's "Provocations" series) for reforming British politics.He is also co-author of LET IT GO (2012 & 2019) , Dame Stephanie Shirley's inspiring account of her life as a champion of women's rights and philanthropy.Richard has also edited several books - including the acclaimed A HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR IN 100 MOMENTS (2014) - for The Independent, where he worked from 1993 to 2016 in a number of senior roles including Executive Editor and Associate Editor.
