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Miles to Go Before I Sleep: My Grateful Journey Back from the Hijacking of Egyptair Flight 648
For anyone who has survived a trauma, the question has always been how to move beyond the experience. How does one stop being a victim? Pflug, who was one of three Americans on a plane from Athens to Cairo when it was highjacked by terrorists, answers that question and shares her story, in an inspiring book she hopes will serve as a springboard for personal growth and development. Photos.
230 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 7, 2012
Pflug's story of what happened to her and how she learned to deal with it is immensely inspiring. Toward the end, she interjects what seems to be some standard ideas from her motivational speeches, which is fine for the most part. I did, however, feel very preached at, so to speak, in the last chapters. She falls into the common "inspirational reading" tract of posing a lot of easy answers toward the end of the book, like how it's good to be thankful. While this advice is certainly positive, I felt her advice resembled the Brad Goodman episode of The Simpsons (The "Do What You Feel" Festival.) Some of her religious beliefs were a little out there, like about how we are all reincarnated. I don't know....
I also found some of her depictions of how she felt, particularly about identifying the man who shot her in a line up, as a little too sweet to be believed. There was no anger expressed in her book, only, oddly, gratitude for being shot. I do agree with her that embracing bad experiences is a healthy way to cope and progress; however, I just wished she had stated more emphatically how mad she must have felt. Then again, I think I'm a completely different person than she is and would probably have reacted differently.
Nevertheless, this book is incredibly inspirational. It's a very quick read, but does offer an example of how to cope with tragic events or brain injuries, and she does have some positive, although obvious, rules for how to embrace both tragedies and everyday life in general. Taken as a whole, this is a useful read and one I recommend to anyone, especially anyone dealing with a severe health issue.
I also found some of her depictions of how she felt, particularly about identifying the man who shot her in a line up, as a little too sweet to be believed. There was no anger expressed in her book, only, oddly, gratitude for being shot. I do agree with her that embracing bad experiences is a healthy way to cope and progress; however, I just wished she had stated more emphatically how mad she must have felt. Then again, I think I'm a completely different person than she is and would probably have reacted differently.
Nevertheless, this book is incredibly inspirational. It's a very quick read, but does offer an example of how to cope with tragic events or brain injuries, and she does have some positive, although obvious, rules for how to embrace both tragedies and everyday life in general. Taken as a whole, this is a useful read and one I recommend to anyone, especially anyone dealing with a severe health issue.
October 28, 2020
This book, to me, read like breaking news. The telling of Ms Pflugs ordeal. The terror she must have felt along with the others on the plane when terrorists hijacked them. I was so taken with her description and details of everything. It’s a miracle anyone could have lived through it. I was young when this all took place and didn’t remember a lot about it so I was very interested to read this book. I attended an event where she was the guest speaker and got to meet her and get my book signed. It was very emotional for me. I truly recommend ou read it.
August 30, 2011
This book is truly inspiring! To read about the things that this woman has achieved in the face of pessimistic doctors and hurdles too extreme to imagine, is nothing short of amazing. To anyone who has ever struggled, this book tells the story of what pure determination and hard work can accomplish. Whenever I see this book on my bookshelf, I am reminded of the struggles the author went through and what she went on to achieve.
June 2, 2012
It was a good read. I borrowed this from a friend who had seen Jackie as a featured speaker. While I found her story both inspiring and interesting, I was actually expecting a little more detail into the hostage situation. Her story was also briefly covered in an episode of the TV show "I Survived..."
April 7, 2020
I don't usually read non-fiction books but reading this and knowing it was a true story made it very powerful. This has been one of my favorite books to read because the background of the story taught me about courage. It was a very inspirational book and I recommend others to read.
October 27, 2025
I feel a bit curmudgeonly rating this book only three stars as Pflug's story is heart-rending, mind-boggling, and inspiring. You can read about her here: https://www.latimes.com/health/la-xpm...
She was a survivor of the hijacking of EgyptAir flight from Athens to Cairo where she was working as a special ed teacher. Amazingly, she survived a point-blank bullet to her head, thrown down the metal stairs from the plane onto the tarmac and left for dead. The whole story is horrifying and makes for edge of the seat reading.
Much of the book then details the painstaking journey of recovery and learning to live with -- ironically given her profession -- a learning disability and other neurological "disabilities" including seizures. The bullet lodged deep in her brain after passing through structures that process sensory information and contribute to memory and spatial perception. With the destruction of her peripheral vision she had to learn to navigate and even read by scanning her surroundings with the small central field that remained. She describes the effort required to put on her eyeliner considering the fact that she cannot see her whole eye at one time! Yet, somehow she has learned how to drive! See what I mean? INSPIRING!
If I were rating only on the strength of what she went through and on her amazing tenacity and drive to not stay a victim, I'd have given this book five stars. But while the story is engaging, the writing suffers at times from being too conversational. It may be wrong of me to expect literature here, but it doesn't always read well. And then while I am glad she found a path to truly healing herself, as an atheist and very much a skeptic of metaphysics, that her path includes a lot of god-talk and what I would call "woo" knocks off one star. For someone who shares her beliefs, her book would be a stellar read.
She was a survivor of the hijacking of EgyptAir flight from Athens to Cairo where she was working as a special ed teacher. Amazingly, she survived a point-blank bullet to her head, thrown down the metal stairs from the plane onto the tarmac and left for dead. The whole story is horrifying and makes for edge of the seat reading.
Much of the book then details the painstaking journey of recovery and learning to live with -- ironically given her profession -- a learning disability and other neurological "disabilities" including seizures. The bullet lodged deep in her brain after passing through structures that process sensory information and contribute to memory and spatial perception. With the destruction of her peripheral vision she had to learn to navigate and even read by scanning her surroundings with the small central field that remained. She describes the effort required to put on her eyeliner considering the fact that she cannot see her whole eye at one time! Yet, somehow she has learned how to drive! See what I mean? INSPIRING!
If I were rating only on the strength of what she went through and on her amazing tenacity and drive to not stay a victim, I'd have given this book five stars. But while the story is engaging, the writing suffers at times from being too conversational. It may be wrong of me to expect literature here, but it doesn't always read well. And then while I am glad she found a path to truly healing herself, as an atheist and very much a skeptic of metaphysics, that her path includes a lot of god-talk and what I would call "woo" knocks off one star. For someone who shares her beliefs, her book would be a stellar read.
September 8, 2021
What a journey! The author is on EgyptAir Flight 648 when it is hijacked in 1985. Targeted because she is American, Jackie is shot in the back of her head, and tumbles down to the tarmac. She plays dead for hours, going in and out of consciousness. At one point, she has a near death experience and chooses to remain alive.
The author vividly describes her wounds and recovery. Once a teacher of children with learning disabilities, she now has her own disabilities. Eventually, she returns to teaching, while sharing her story with audiences. As she continues to recover, she learns how important it is to follow her heart and mind, to craft a meaningful life. The latter pages were very inspirational, as she details her guidelines for her life.
The author vividly describes her wounds and recovery. Once a teacher of children with learning disabilities, she now has her own disabilities. Eventually, she returns to teaching, while sharing her story with audiences. As she continues to recover, she learns how important it is to follow her heart and mind, to craft a meaningful life. The latter pages were very inspirational, as she details her guidelines for her life.
November 14, 2024
Amazing book on surviving a gunshot to the head. A very inspirational read. She had a don’t ever give up attitude. I’m not sure I could have forgiven the hijacker’s. She used her story to help others in their pain and suffering. She learned how to get better and not stay bitter
July 12, 2021
Amazing Book on so many levels.
December 22, 2014
Reading the account of the hijacking was rough. I knew some of what was coming, but there were other details that made me want to stop reading. Words cannot describe what she went through. I don't recall much about the event but, sadly, these events were common occurrences at the time. My parents worked in the airline industry, but I think they tried to shield me from their concerns. I lived in England when the IRA was active. We knew we couldn't live in permanent fear. We had to get on with our lives.
I was also interested in her recovery process, both physically and mentally. There were things that went well and things that didn't. It was always going to be a long haul and there were some things that could never be healed. Certain aspects were familiar. I understood the depression, my mother in law has epilepsy. My husband is a physical therapist.
If the book had stopped there, I'd have rated it higher. But the author then went into self-help and motivational mode. It sounds very much like what I've come across over the years from other motivational speakers. I'm not a fan of the self-help gospel and never found it useful. I've also found it conflicts with my Christian faith. I couldn't accept the author's belief that there is no physical heaven and hell and that we can choose to be in heaven or hell on earth through these self-help ideas.
I was also interested in her recovery process, both physically and mentally. There were things that went well and things that didn't. It was always going to be a long haul and there were some things that could never be healed. Certain aspects were familiar. I understood the depression, my mother in law has epilepsy. My husband is a physical therapist.
If the book had stopped there, I'd have rated it higher. But the author then went into self-help and motivational mode. It sounds very much like what I've come across over the years from other motivational speakers. I'm not a fan of the self-help gospel and never found it useful. I've also found it conflicts with my Christian faith. I couldn't accept the author's belief that there is no physical heaven and hell and that we can choose to be in heaven or hell on earth through these self-help ideas.
December 21, 2019
This was an assigned reading going into my freshman year of college, and I’m so glad it was! Jackie’s story is heartbreaking but her determination and positivity through her recovery is remarkable. We got to listen to her speak during orientation and it was very powerful to hear first hand of her experiences.
April 18, 2011
This book was recommended to help me understand the brain damage of a friend. It was helpful and it was an interesting story. She was a little too sweet about the entire situation for me to believe it. There were some great lines in the book though that I took to heart. Overall, worthwhile read.
March 25, 2013
A really interesting and detailed story about a young women who witnessed and became a gunshot victim of a airplane hijacking. Her courageous battle to overcome a major brain injury and to learn to trust the people around her again.
January 21, 2014
The author's account of the highjacking was very interesting, the account of her dealing with the recovery of that trauma was a little less compelling and the chapters of inspirational quotes and the religious ideas were not at all interesting to me.
February 26, 2015
The book was inspiring how she came through such an ordeal, but it almost seems unbelievable. Some of the things she was doing after a month from a head injury seemed unreal. It just got to be too much as the book went on. The last chapters was like a lecture from other inspirational speakers
March 27, 2015
I found the beginning of the book compelling and intriguing. But most of the second half of the book started to lose me. The end seemed focused on self-help platitudes and seemed to focus on marketing her role as a motivational speaker than to really communicate anything of substance.
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October 10, 2008read this while working at Hazelden between '98-'00
May 8, 2009
An interesting account of a woman's experience as a hostage and how she has managed to bounce back and enjoy life.
April 8, 2010
Reading this book helps me understand the injury and aftermath my Mother is experiencing.
April 14, 2013
An incredible story; an amazing woman! I heard her speak at a conference in Dallas, and it is still one of the most inspirational stories I have ever heard.
August 4, 2016
Another chilling account by a survivor.... How she built her life and how she's managing to live today... Well done JNP....highly reccommended
September 19, 2010
Saw her speak - great book if anyone wants to borrow.
September 7, 2016
Great, inspiring true story of a woman from Minnesota
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews