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308th out of 966 books
—
1,104 voters
A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Danny Pearl
The tragic murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is well known. Why he was in Karachi; how he saw his role as an international journalist: why he was singled out for kidnapping; and where the incredible search effort led - are the subject of Mariane Pearl's book. A journalist in her own right, Mariane is, as was her husband, profoundly committed to the idea t...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
October 16th 2003
by Virago Press Ltd
(first published September 30th 2003)
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You already know the ending, but the process of getting there is mind-blowing. Too many confusing names to keep track of, but both Pearl's determinism and strength is almost too much to bear. And no, I haven't seen the movie...
This book was definitely difficult to read at times. It was heart-breaking to imagine what Mariane Pearl must have felt as she helped investigate the kidnapping of her husband, Wall Street journalist Daniel Pearl, by Islamic Fundamentalists. Mariane's humanity and strength are quite amazing. As a journalist who has seen Islamic Fundamentalism firsthand, she also does a good job of giving an insider's account of what its threat means to the Western World. This book is definitely sad (be ready to...more
This was a great book and a horrible real life account of the kidnapping and murder of journalist Danny Pearl in Pakistan. It is also a reminder of how little I truly know about al qaeda and international terrorism in general. So many groups, religions, organizations, and players that continuously morph is overwhelmingly scary. And the corruption is absolutely absurd. Not a particularly 'pretty' read, nor do I think it is written exceptionally well - but very informative. I havent seen the movie...more
This weekend, I read Mariane Pearl’s wonderful memoir of her husband’s life and untimely death. Daniel Pearl reported for The Wall Street Journal from the Middle East and South Asia, accompanied by his wife and fellow journalist Mariane. After 9/11, they were based in Karachi, Pakistan while Danny followed the labyrinthine trail of al Qaeda. He was abducted and murdered in 2002, while Mariane was pregnant with their first child. ‘A Mighty Heart’ is a love story, a portrait of Pakistan in turmoil...more
In 2002, I was a foolish 14-year-old with absolutely no interest in current affairs, so I was only faintly aware of the Daniel Pearl story. As such, I was initially quite put off by how bitter and unforgiving Mariane Pearl came across in the first few chapters of this book. So I decided I should probably read the book with at least a basic understanding of how the whole tragedy played out and upon doing so, I began to read with new perspective.
This is a good book, if anything at least for its c...more
This is a good book, if anything at least for its c...more
I had put this book on my Amazon wish list awhile back, around the same time I saw the movie adaptation starring Angelina Jolie. I knew that the movie stayed as true as possible to the book, so I really wanted to get a more in-depth look at the life of Danny and Mariane Pearl.
The portrait Mariane Pearl paints of her husband, their friends, Pakistan, and those who were a part of the massive effort to find and bring Danny Pearl home is detailed and incredibly perceptive. She made me feel as if I k...more
The portrait Mariane Pearl paints of her husband, their friends, Pakistan, and those who were a part of the massive effort to find and bring Danny Pearl home is detailed and incredibly perceptive. She made me feel as if I k...more
I think I wanted this book to be different than it is - to be less the first-person story of Mariane's quest and loss, and more the one-step-back analysis of how it could be that a fundamentalist group could see in Daniel Pearl a boon to their cause. I wanted the geo-political background, the application of history - and perhaps I wanted them as much to cushion Daniel's death as because I want to understand more about that region and the tumult therein.
It's heartbreaking to read of Mariane's wor...more
It's heartbreaking to read of Mariane's wor...more
When I was in high school, I felt like I was the only one in the world who cared about a journalist named Daniel Pearl. I was, at least, the only one in my high school who cared about it.
Until I approached the teacher who ran the school newspaper about writing an article on him.
It was my first year on the staff, and I was pretty much the head editor anyways, going in after school to edit and change the layouts of articles.
If I remember correctly, my article on Daniel Pearl was printed on the fro...more
Until I approached the teacher who ran the school newspaper about writing an article on him.
It was my first year on the staff, and I was pretty much the head editor anyways, going in after school to edit and change the layouts of articles.
If I remember correctly, my article on Daniel Pearl was printed on the fro...more
Somehow Mariane Pearl manages to turn the story of her husband's gruesome death at the hands of Pakistani terrorists into an inspiring story of hope. In "A Mighty Heart," she recounts the days after Danny's disappearance with the keen observational and storytelling skills that make her a great journalist.
She shares the struggles she faces trying to find her husband in a country whose counterterrorism unit can't even afford their own computers and printers; in trying to care for the child growin...more
She shares the struggles she faces trying to find her husband in a country whose counterterrorism unit can't even afford their own computers and printers; in trying to care for the child growin...more
Oct 18, 2010
Santo
added it
The book A Mighty Heart is a memoir by Mariane Pearl. The subject in this book is Mariane trying to figure out how her husband got kidnapped and how she can get him back before its too late. This is a very brave and excellent book written by her. I would recommend this book from adults to teenagers because of the way the author describes everything in the novel.
Summarization
A Mighty Heart is about a very strong passionate woman named Mariane who tries to find her missing husband Daniel Pearl. He...more
Summarization
A Mighty Heart is about a very strong passionate woman named Mariane who tries to find her missing husband Daniel Pearl. He...more
Daniel Pearl, erfolgreicher Journalist beim Wall Street Journal, hat sein Leben in den Händen pakistanischer Terroristen verloren. So viele Menschen sterben in diesen Händen, täglich, auf der ganzen Welt. Daniels Frau Mariane lässt uns nun an einem Schicksal teilhaben und bietet mit der Verbreitung der Wahrheit und dem Appell an ein friedliches Zusammenleben dem Terrorismus die Stirn. Sie ist eine mutige Frau, die hier von ihrem und ihres Mannes Leben und Leiden erzählt.
Das Buch ist sehr berühre...more
Das Buch ist sehr berühre...more
I was so horrified as was the world when Danny Pearl was captured and then murdered. I knew little about his wife, just that she was pregnant with their first child. My heart broke for her and their family and for the little boy who will never meet his daddy. When this book came out, i had to get it. I was captivated about their love story and how Mariane held it together while her husband went missing. I think that she's such an incredible woman and mother. Not many of us would be able to come...more
What a story, we think we know if becuase we followed the news, we don't know half the story.
What an amazing job his wife and Asra did to document the search for Mr. Pearl, and what a job she does explaining the interactions of the Pakistani military, police, special inteligence and jihadists groups.
If you have ever wondered how Pakistan can have so many terriorist plots and occurences, this is a good primer in starting to understand how complicated this country and social structure is.
I real...more
What an amazing job his wife and Asra did to document the search for Mr. Pearl, and what a job she does explaining the interactions of the Pakistani military, police, special inteligence and jihadists groups.
If you have ever wondered how Pakistan can have so many terriorist plots and occurences, this is a good primer in starting to understand how complicated this country and social structure is.
I real...more
Aug 11, 2009
Cassie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Cassie by:
I wanted to read it before watching the movie
I am not one to read the last chapter of the book before I read the first because I just "have to know" what happens. Going into this book we already know the tragic ending that is to come. Daniel Pearl was an peace loving journalist who wanted to show the world the good in a very troubled time. The way in which Mariane tells this heartbreaking story makes you feel as if you are in the room with all of the men & women searching for Danny. She shows so much courage and strength during what mu...more
This is Mariane Pearl's account of what happened in Pakistan in the wake of 9/11 when her fellow journalist husband was kidnapped and eventually murdered by terrorists. It is a survival story in many respects as you learn how she coped, which included a combination of tapping her Buddhist teachings to stay centered and springing into action to become a central driving force in the investigation to try and find him. Most people wonder how they would cope under extreme duress and this is one perso...more
I give this 3 Stars,it was a hard book to follow along for me. There were a lot of names and situations thrown into the book at the same time it was hard for me to catch on to what was happening. A mighty heart is a memoir of Danny Pearl's wife, Mariane. For some of you who don't know about Danny Pearl, he was a journalist working for the Wall Street Journal in a dangerous part of the world.He is then kidnapped by Al Queda and as the book went on, unfortunately Danny Pearl was murdered. Although...more
What was really striking about this story was the way so many people pulled together and really cared - were dedicated right up until the end, and beyond. The case had a face: it was a personal tragedy, which made it easier to empathize with, in a way. There have been other kidnappings, hijackings, terrorist attacks, and even natural disasters that have so many victims it's hard to conceive their real effect, the true impact. When it is "just" one person, it allows you to imagine it more fully,...more
I believe that it is our duty as humans to witness eachother's pain. If we ignore the terrible things that happen in this world, we are contributing to them.
I listened to this on audio. Read by the author Mariane's accent was difficult for me to understand at times, but it is still worth the read. The plight of Danny Pearl was followed by the nation and the world for just a few days. In this book, Mariane recounts all of the excrutiating moments leading up to his death. Many brave men and women...more
I listened to this on audio. Read by the author Mariane's accent was difficult for me to understand at times, but it is still worth the read. The plight of Danny Pearl was followed by the nation and the world for just a few days. In this book, Mariane recounts all of the excrutiating moments leading up to his death. Many brave men and women...more
I was in elementary school when the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl happened. I don't remember watching the news about it, and hey, the adult people I lived with could have not allow me to know about it.
I knew what was going to happen at the end of the book; it's obvious, right? The bad guys win, not Danny or Mariane or Captain. The bad guys win. Still I was cheering for the good guys. I wanted Captain to work is magic and save Danny.
This book is emotional. Last year I read The Freedom W...more
I knew what was going to happen at the end of the book; it's obvious, right? The bad guys win, not Danny or Mariane or Captain. The bad guys win. Still I was cheering for the good guys. I wanted Captain to work is magic and save Danny.
This book is emotional. Last year I read The Freedom W...more
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Most people know the fate of Danny Pearl, so you begin reading the book already with an understanding of what's to come. What you don't expect is the very compelling style in which Mariane is able to convey her story. Written in a first person narrative, she pulls you into her struggle with such simplicity that you find yourself sharing her emotions- her hope, her fear, her intensity and frustration, her anger, and her conviction to rise above the tragedy. She does not cultivate hate against a c...more
May 20, 2010
Graceann
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those who love freedom and peace
Shelves:
memoir
On January 23, 2002, Daniel Pearl hopped into a taxi in pursuit of a story, and became one instead. This book is the memoir of his wife, Mariane, as she navigated the days and weeks after his kidnapping and murder, and the birth of their son.
Mariane Pearl's feeling of helplessness, despite being better equipped with knowledge of her surroundings than most would be in the same situation, is palpable. Her skill as a writer shines through in these pages - her increasing loathing for the recorded v...more
Mariane Pearl's feeling of helplessness, despite being better equipped with knowledge of her surroundings than most would be in the same situation, is palpable. Her skill as a writer shines through in these pages - her increasing loathing for the recorded v...more
Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by terrorist in Pakistan in 2002. His pregnant wife Mariane tried to manage the search effort. This memoir reveals every emotional heart-wrenching detail during the month of Pearl's kidnapping up to the news of his death. Mariane a journalist herself paces the events as they unfold, complete with the frustration in dealing with the Karachi's bureaucracy and the intricate machinations of the international terrorist community.
She starts by de...more
She starts by de...more
Finished the book. Lovely inclusions of letters written to Mariane about her husband; I was left with an uneasy, resolved, but hopeless feeling. I'm not sure if it's because I have a hard time accepting there can be resolution of grief without God, or if it's just such a nasty set of circumstances that you really can't turn this one into a happy ending.
It was so well written. Heartfelt withough being mushy and without self-centerednes. I really appreciated her gravity without being especially d...more
It was so well written. Heartfelt withough being mushy and without self-centerednes. I really appreciated her gravity without being especially d...more
Apr 27, 2008
Drew
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Drew by:
Read months after watching the movie (later snubbed during award
When I read, I typically read two books at once, alternating on the books depending on my mood. Typically one of these books are serious and the other is fluff.
I quickly discovered that my most recent read deserved to be read all on its own.
Last year, I saw "A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie and I was touched by the story.
Last night, I finished the book by the same name, written by Daniel Pearl's widow, Mariane, about her husband's kidnapping, the struggle against time to save him and how...more
I quickly discovered that my most recent read deserved to be read all on its own.
Last year, I saw "A Mighty Heart," starring Angelina Jolie and I was touched by the story.
Last night, I finished the book by the same name, written by Daniel Pearl's widow, Mariane, about her husband's kidnapping, the struggle against time to save him and how...more
I read this book in under a week because I couldn't put it down. We all know the basics; Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in Karachi, Pakistan in early 2002. His wife, Mariane was pregnant at the time. Danny did not make it, his captors beheaded him.
What this book tells his Mariane's story which is heartbreaking and encouraging. She fought desperately to get her husband back in a land where no one knows who to trust, not even local police. She never fell apart and even after she found out her dear, de...more
What this book tells his Mariane's story which is heartbreaking and encouraging. She fought desperately to get her husband back in a land where no one knows who to trust, not even local police. She never fell apart and even after she found out her dear, de...more
It is an incredible story of survival in the bleakest of circumstances. I can't imagine being in her situation. She is pregnant. She is in Pakistan. And her husband has just been kidnapped by terrorists. This book isn't just a love letter to her husband but in a strange way it is a letter to the world. The book implores the world to get control of itself.
Regular people in the world are being overshadowed by war and fear and politics. And this book is trying to reverse that is some small way.
Sh...more
Regular people in the world are being overshadowed by war and fear and politics. And this book is trying to reverse that is some small way.
Sh...more
Feb 05, 2008
ana
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people interested in the worldnews; people mad about a beautiful love story
Departing from the story of a journalist from the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, abducted and murdered in Pakistan, this book is his wife's heartfelt but not sentimentalist tribute to the journalist, the loving companion and the father-to-be, whose son Adam he never met. A journalist herself, French-born Mariane, recounts those terrible moments she had to undergo, in a strange country, being pregnant, the hopes and frustrations in the search for her husband, and the comfort and help she rece...more
Nov 07, 2007
Stephanie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Shelves:
nonfiction
We all know the basics behind the Danny Pearl story. This book tells you the details of what happened from the woman who lived it.
It is a difficult, frustrating, hard, riveting, necessary story. In a world where East and West mistrust each other, a band of people from India, Pakistan, and the United States come together to try and right one wrong, and as hard as they work, they still fail. It doesn't give me much hope that the world can be peaceful one day. If the government agencies of Pakista...more
It is a difficult, frustrating, hard, riveting, necessary story. In a world where East and West mistrust each other, a band of people from India, Pakistan, and the United States come together to try and right one wrong, and as hard as they work, they still fail. It doesn't give me much hope that the world can be peaceful one day. If the government agencies of Pakista...more
A Mighty Heart is Mariane Pearl's account of the kidnapping and murder of her husband, Wall Street Journal's Daniel Pearl, by terrorists in Pakistan in early 2002. After his disappearance, Mariane assembled a team to help find Daniel, and this memoir shows a race against the clock as the team wades through political red tape and corruption to determine who was responsible for the kidnapping and where Daniel was being held. This was such a high-profile crime, that the reader already knows the out...more
wow. this is a powerful book. Mariane Pearl has a strong, thorough voice, and I admit to being a less than critical reader when it comes to fact-checking, on account of being incredibly sympathetic for the courage it must have taken to recount the details of these days with such accuracy.
however, I am a hyper-aware human-reader, always noting the way certain "types" of people are characterized in books, particularly works of non-fiction. Mariane established almost immediately that her opinions...more
however, I am a hyper-aware human-reader, always noting the way certain "types" of people are characterized in books, particularly works of non-fiction. Mariane established almost immediately that her opinions...more
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She is a French freelance journalist and a reporter and columnist for Glamour magazine. She is the widow of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in early 2002.
Pearl, being of Dutch-Jewish, Afro-Latino-Cuban and Chinese Cuban ancestry and raised in Paris, Van Neyenhoff met Daniel Pearl while he was on assignment in Paris.
They marrie...more
More about Mariane Pearl...
Pearl, being of Dutch-Jewish, Afro-Latino-Cuban and Chinese Cuban ancestry and raised in Paris, Van Neyenhoff met Daniel Pearl while he was on assignment in Paris.
They marrie...more
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“What she saw in their eyes terrified her. She was a woman traveling alone, in a country that had not seen exposed female faces in over five years. She turned back and cried tears of frustration all the way to Pakistan.
...Asra..., I find her fantasy delightful. Who else would risk her life to take stuffies to Afghanistan?”
—
3 people liked it
...Asra..., I find her fantasy delightful. Who else would risk her life to take stuffies to Afghanistan?”
“It's like Romeo & Juliet,' I say. 'You can't separate them. Otherwise, there would be no Shakespeare.'
Silence.
I decide to be more straightforward. I tell him, 'Nothing frightens me anymore. I am not even afraid to die.'
Bussey's eyes, already wide open, grow even wider. My death is the last thing he needs.
I have the strange feeling that there are two of me. One observes the conversation while the other does the talking. Everything is abnormal, especially this extreme calm that has taken me over. I try to explain to Bussey that if I decide to die, it will be without bitterness. I know I did everything I possibly could, so it will be respectful farewell. I will bow to life like an actor, who, having delivered his lines, bends deeply to his audience & retires. I tell Bussey that this decision has nothing to do with him, that it is entirely mine. I will choose either to live or to die, but I cannot allow myself to live in the in-between. I do not want to go through life like a ghost.
'Do you think you'll find Danny this way?' Bussey asks.
My mind sifts through all available theories on the afterlife. It is as if this metaphysical question has become as real as the air we breathe. Buddhism teaches that life is an eternal cycle without beginning or end. I recall the metaphor: "Our individual lives are like waves produced from the great ocean that is the universe. The emergence of a wave is life, and its abatement is death. This rhythm repeats eternally."
Finally I answer Bussey, 'No, I don't think so.'
Bussey seems relieved, but I'm more panicky, because I had never thought that I could wind up alone. In my mind, whatever the odds, Danny & I were & would be together forever.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
Silence.
I decide to be more straightforward. I tell him, 'Nothing frightens me anymore. I am not even afraid to die.'
Bussey's eyes, already wide open, grow even wider. My death is the last thing he needs.
I have the strange feeling that there are two of me. One observes the conversation while the other does the talking. Everything is abnormal, especially this extreme calm that has taken me over. I try to explain to Bussey that if I decide to die, it will be without bitterness. I know I did everything I possibly could, so it will be respectful farewell. I will bow to life like an actor, who, having delivered his lines, bends deeply to his audience & retires. I tell Bussey that this decision has nothing to do with him, that it is entirely mine. I will choose either to live or to die, but I cannot allow myself to live in the in-between. I do not want to go through life like a ghost.
'Do you think you'll find Danny this way?' Bussey asks.
My mind sifts through all available theories on the afterlife. It is as if this metaphysical question has become as real as the air we breathe. Buddhism teaches that life is an eternal cycle without beginning or end. I recall the metaphor: "Our individual lives are like waves produced from the great ocean that is the universe. The emergence of a wave is life, and its abatement is death. This rhythm repeats eternally."
Finally I answer Bussey, 'No, I don't think so.'
Bussey seems relieved, but I'm more panicky, because I had never thought that I could wind up alone. In my mind, whatever the odds, Danny & I were & would be together forever.”
