Review: Buried Alive

Buried Alive: Kidnapped and Entombed in the Deserts of Iraq
by Roy Hallums

Thomas Nelson Publisher, Nashville, Tennessee (2009)

Roy Hallums, a Man, was kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents and this book tells the story of his ten months of captivity. The journey of Roy from one 'safe' house to another until the last and worst place, a house with an underground where he has been buried alive. Roy tells his story from distance and bravery: survive day by day with the help of his memories (about friends, relatives and an imaginary road trip coast to coast).

This book reminds me another one by Oriana Fallaci (A Man) where she tells the story of Alexandros Panagoulis, arrested and tortured because they thought he was against the dictatorship in Greece.
Both books teach us the value of small things when our life is full of everything (e.i. a cockroach becomes an important event during the imprisonement of Alexandros) and Roy "Because (he) could not see or do anything, (he) listened to every little sound ..." p. 92 and survive.

Roy doesn't grab a 'sound strategy' to survive, apart from Hope.

Sometimes the book is even funny: when the kidnappers, after stuffing toilet paper in Roy's ears (to prevent him from hearing), they said "No talking" and Roy responded "Yes, yes" and the guard: "Good" p. 100

I recommend this book to everybody who wants to learn more about the middle-east history, and I expecially recommend to read this story about a Man.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publisher as part of their Booksneeze.com book review blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255.