An Evil Cradling

In the mid 90's I read a lot of the books written by the hostages taken in Lebanon. The hostages were released when I was in my late teens and I still remember the pictures of these frail men leaving planes. Of all the books, this is the best. It is literate and emotional. Brian Keenan is incredibly honest about how he felt. It can be a hard book to read - several pages were read through a haze of tears. But what I remember most about it is the relationship between him and John McCarthy and how they kept each other sane during an insane situation.
Don't miss it.

I've read a few prison memoirs, and while you may feel immense sympathy, and while the writing process may have been cathartic, they tend to be pretty samey and dull.
So I wasn't expecting to find this a *5 work, but it totally is. Brian Keenan had been away from Belfast on a teaching post, in Beirut for 4 months when he was kidnapped by islamic 'jihadists' and held prisoner for four and a half years.
This is an entirely engrossing read as Keenan delves into the recesses of his mind to explain how humans cope (or not) with the endless days of solitary confinement, the alternating friendly overtures and casual brutality of their jailers, the uncertainty - release now? later? or slaughter? ...and the mind numbing boredom. Eventually show more sharing a cell with fellow hostage John McCarthy (and at times with some Americans) he elaborates on the process of friendship amid such dire conditions. Their efforts to find amusement in makeshift games and humour, to confront their aggressors with whatever resistance they could.
Very memorable and well written account. show less

A sometimes harrowing but never gratuitous account of the author's experiences as a hostage in Lebanon in the late 1980s. Superb writing, full of compassion and honesty, tinged with some violence and extreme emotion. I had not expected to enjoy this book, nor to find it so very readable, but it was a selection for my local reading group, and turned out to be an excellent choice.

There's some dark humour here and there, and a light touch as the author writes as if observing his reactions at times. I don't know when I last found a non-fiction book as compulsive as this one - I expected to skim, but (other than a few poems) read every word.

Very highly recommended.

Longer review here: show more target="_top">https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/06/an-evil-cradling-by-brian-keenan.ht... show less

Very moving account of 4 1/2 years of being held captive by terrorists in Lebanon. The strength of mind required to stay sane in solitary and very confined quarters is incredible. The compassion Brian Keenan shows towards many of his guards is inspiring.

A beautifully written account of Keenan's time as a hostage in Lebanon, this is a moving and eloquent tribute to the human spirit.

I was shocked to see that the book is 14 years old and is about events that are almost 20 years ago. Shocked in part because where has the time gone and in part because nothing has changed in the middle east. Until a political agreement over the Palestinians nothing can change. The war on terrorism is neither a war or about terrorism. South Africa and Northern Ireland show away forward. But America has got to face its religious Christian right who are a major western cause for a lack of a political settlment. All this is a far cry from the suffering of two men recorded in the day to day horror of trying to save their humanity. Yet could they speak out about the political struggles that made them victims?

An amazing book - one that moves me no matter how many times I read it - Keenan writes so eloquently about his experience. I would argue this is the must read book on the expereince of being a hostage.