Book description
Brian Keenan's release from captivity was the first ray of hope for those hostages held in the Middle East. He describes the plight of his fellow hostages with first-hand knowledge. The language he uses reflects his past efforts as a poet in describing the pain and claustrophobia of imprisonment.
Why read it?
3 authors picked An Evil Cradling as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I loved this book because of the insight the author gives to his strategy of survival–kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured for over four years in the hands of Shi’ite militia.
Beautifully written, Keenan’s artistry thrilled me with its almost spiritual air and testimony to rare human resilience and its transformative power.
From David's list on how people triumphed over trauma and tragedy.
Sometimes when I’m feeling down, I want to read about people who have had things really bad so it makes me feel better about my own circumstances. And it doesn’t get much worse than Brian Keenan’s story. Abducted in 1985 by fundamentalist Shi’ite militiamen and imprisoned for four and a half years, Keenan describes in excruciating detail what he endured. It’s an incredible testament to the human spirit and how one can survive such suffering. It captivated me from page one as I held my breath, marvelled at this man’s fortitude, and wondered how on earth he managed to get…
From Gabrielle's list on keeping you going when challenges get you down.
This is a blow-by-blow account from one of the Beirut hostages on his experience of being kidnapped and held for four years during the Lebanon war. But it’s so much more than just a historical narrative – a poetic meditation on the evil of war, what it does to people and how the human spirit goes about surviving it.
From Tim's list on battles that go wrong.
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