The forgotten Highlander cover

The forgotten Highlander

by Alistair Urquhart

An extraordinary and moving tale by an ex-POW and last surviving member of the Gordon Highlanders regiment that was captured by the Japanese in Singapore. Urquhart was taken prisoner and sent to work on the Death Railway and the notorious bridge over the River Kwai. He survived starvation, cholera and the brutality of the Japanese Imperial Army, only to be packed in the rusting hold of a 'hellship' bound for Japan. Torpedoed by an American submarine, he drifted for days, close to death. When eventually recaptured, Urquhart was transported to a prison camp only eleven miles from a city called Nagasaki, where he bore witness to one of the most monentous and terrible actions of human history.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?