Hostage Bound, Hostage Free

by Ben Weir, Carol Weir, Dennis Benson

Benjamin Weir was the first American hostage to be released from captivity in Lebanon having been held for sixteen months by Islamic Jihad Shiites. Hostage Bound, Hostage Free tells the remarkable story of Ben's kidnap, his imprisonment and his eventual release. It is also the poignant story of Carol, his wife, and her attempts to involve the United States' government in Ben's release. Ben and Carol's experiences, told here in their own words, provide a unique insight into the world of hostages, hostage-takers and international politics. Terry Waite, whose role was crucial, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Colonel Oliver North, Robert MacFarlane and George Schultz all figured in the attempts to obtain Ben's release. Ben and Carol Weir were working in Lebanon when their lives were irrevocably altered by events beyond their control. Each suffered isolation, pain, fear and despair, but the outcome is a tale of determination, hope, courage and faith.

Genres: Biography

182 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 1987

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

My pastor quoted this book and so I am reading the story. So far it is interesting and aspiring. I liked it however some parts were slow, but it did give a hostage viewpoint and a wives counterpart version which showed a lot of courage.

[Edwina Book Anaconda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject matter made this book so very hard to read...

[Addie Heflin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book seems to not be written in an effort to describe a hostage situation as much as promote awareness, foster community, and reintroduce religion as a valuable part of improving a person's day-to-day life - most of Ben's writing is a reflection of these ideas. With this impression, the details that I had assumed would be given (based on the title alone) do not seem to fit in these motivations, and so of course, my expectations were not filled. I'm glad to have read it, and I am no worse off for having read a book I would not have chosen had I had the opportunity to study it further before taking it home.

I picked this book up from a Free Little Library, not knowing anything about it. This is a true story about a man's faith in God helping him to survive more than a year as a hostage, and the dedication of his wife who worked relentlessly to free him. I don't usually pick books that preach, and it was only after I had gotten home that this was a "Christian" book - so decided to read it through. (I put the word in quotations to mean that the book is absolutely not secular. It is written by a Christian, published by a Christian company, and is mostly about the man's positive relationship with his faith).

The book definitely felt filtered, as only passing references were made to his more personal discomforts, with no details on the more challenging struggles and the negative emotions he had to deal with. However, I can't begrudge a hostage survivor for not recreating for us the horrors that must have filled his mind. He does detail thoroughly his physical experience, which feels almost fake (me being someone who can't remember what I had for breakfast) but I'm sure that no embellishments were added. His attention to detail really envelops you into that world, which as a reader is always nice. When he talks about interacting with other hostages, he really gives you the sense of being in community with them. His interactions with his captors are inspiring, chilling, and mournful. I was glad that he felt for the captors, understanding their situations as prisoners of their organization, and I felt for him when the more antagonistic captors treated him as one might expect.

The chapters by his wife were interesting for their historical information and the details of what she was able to do to help free her husband. She did speak clearly on the emotional and mental challenges she had during this time, in addition to describing how her faith, family, and friends had helped her when she had so many doors slammed in her face. I appreciated her honesty, vulnerability, and openness.

[Andres Esguerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough to read because of the subject and the tough circumstances around the story. However, very enlightening and thought provoking. Gives a very different perspective on American policy in the Middle East.