Defy the Stars: The Life and Death of Tom Hurndall

by Jocelyn Hurndall

In April 2003, 21-year-old Tom Hurndall, an English photojournalism student, was shot in the head as he carried a Palestinian child out of the range of an Israeli army sniper in the town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. This book presents the story of this man who went to the Middle East as an observer and lost his life through a selfless human act.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2007

Reviews

[Faa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never have to stop reading a book for emotional reasons. This book however, forced me to stop reading it for few times, due to the emotional disturbances I felt from reading the stories inside. Perhaps, this is among the honest book on mothers'love to their children and human honest observation on injustice happened around them. This book promised no happy ending, yet it promised hopes to those who believe in hope. Reading it made me question myself, my effort for my 30 years of life and what did I do so far to make a different in our world. Sadly, I almost failed to answer myself. People like Tom Hurndall and Rachel Corrie and many more who lost their life to justice, must meant something to us- the one who lives. In a way, they taught us a lot of thing. If not as big as 'humanity', atleast they taught us to have 'compassion',for that one small trait is really the vital thing which make us human. After reading the whole book, I see world differently, I view people critically and I try my best to not close my eyes to any form of injustice. That is me. It might has different effect on different people. Whatever the effects are, let's hope its for the best.

Thank you to Jocelyn Hurndall for sharing her thoughts with us.
Thank you to her for being honest.
Thank you to her for making us see the injustice in Palestine.
Thank you to her for opening another world from another view to us, so that we will never be the same blind so-called civilized human being anymore.
Thank you to her for speaking on behalf of injustice for the people in the Occupied Territory of West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Thank you to her to let us know that there are kind Jews who disagreed with the policies of the state of Israel.
Thank you to her for painting the real true colour of the IDF: the so-called most moral army in the world.
Thank you to her for sharing Tom's memories with us, the readers.
And thank you for making me more human by reading this precious book.
May Tom's death inspired thousands and more young people like him to fight against injustice and oppression in our sick world.
May he always lives in our memories.
Thank you.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It is on the decision of any one Israeli soldier or settler that my life depends. I know that I'd probably never know what hit me. . . ." - Tom Hurndall

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The death of Tom Hurndall, British national killed at the age of 21, murdered by the Israeli Defense Force while rescuing children from Israeli sniper fire in the Gaza Strip, three weeks after the murder of American Rachel Corrie, crushed by an IDF bull dozer while trying to prevent it from destroying a Palestinian house.
"What do I want from this life? What makes me happy isn't enough; all those things that satisfy our instincts complete only the animal in all of us. I want to be proud. I want something more. I want to look up to myself, and when I die I want to be smiling about the things I've done, not crying for what I haven't."

[Hana Nur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars because it is one of the most influential books I've ever read. It's so inspiring that I'm afraid that my humble review may not give justice to it. Basically it's a true story about a mother's quest in seeking justice for the death of her son, Tom, who was on a humanitarian mission in Gaza at the time he was shot. The mother/author has done a brilliant job in painting and making Tom alive in her writing. You can't help but feel emotional throughout reading this book. Whilst reading this book, I felt so much sadness and sympathy for the mother and also anger at the injustice of the IDF. The mother tried her best to make a difference and hopefully make the IDF realize the underlying issues of the organization. However, there seem to be no change as of now, 9 years since the incident. All in all, this book will bring light to the situation in Gaza and the Middle East conflict that has not progressed in any positive manner since the 2000. It gives a powerful view of the oppression and suffering that the Palestinians has had to deal with for more than a decade. Under the worst possible circumstances, it is a miracle that Palestine is still holding up on its own, with support from parts of the world which acknowledges the horror that they have to go through everyday. It is even more painful to realize the reality that today, apartheid and genocide still exists and the world refuses to acknowledge the reality of the situation in Gaza.

[MariaWitBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This read opened new eyes for me.. so many shades of the same truth


I always believed and seen myself as an Israeli supporter until this book. Even reading Apeirogon didn’t shake my confidence in the right and wrong.
Both sides deserve peace! The war and the fighting and killing will never bring peace

[Sara Al-Bahar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really surprised this book is still whole considering the number of tears I cried into its pages. well worth a read.

[Xenia Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jocelyn Hurndall is the mother of Tom Hurndall, a British photojournalism student who took a year out from University to travel to Baghdad, Amman and later to Gaza, where he was fatally injured by an Israeli sniper when he tried to save two small Palestinian children who were being shot at. In this heart-breaking book she shares her journey to uncover the truth about Tom's shooting. First, she and her husband travel to the hospital where Tom has been transferred to, followed later by his siblings. Tom's fellow volunteers are holding vigil there and speak to him, hoping he can hear. She visits Gaza and meets the people Tom met, his fellow volunteers and the little boy whose life he saved, who was still in shock and hadn't been able to speak since. They visit the spot where he was shot and take witness statements. Tom never regains consciousness and dies nine months later after he has been transferred back to the UK. The sniper who shot him is later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison, a rare outcome as most soldiers never even stand trial. The toll this has taken on the family has been immense, they had to suspend their grieving to get to the truth, see with their own eyes what Tom had been seeing and even get shot at themselves. The book includes some of Tom's photographs and I recommend you look at his larger collection of images and personal journal entries in 'The Only House Left Standing' by Tom Hurndall, which was published after his death. Deeply affected by Israel's treatment of Palestinians, Jocelyn continues to highlight the injustices suffered by the people for whom Tom gave his life.

[Sabina Belim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching read, such a tragic death and throughout could feel a mother's anguish fighting for justice against essentially a corrupt military, whilst simultaneously explaining the impact of an apartheid regime and people on both sides wanting peace. I liked the references to Tom's photo book having first read that and the explanation of his thoughts. Her son was a remarkable and brave individual.

[Mohamed Zaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't ever forgive Israel for whatever they did to innocent Palestinians and also to others who supports and helps Palestine..... it's so heart wrenching for a mother to lose her son and the painstaking process she went through to get justice for her son and how a bright young man will be forever remembered for his undying passion for Palestinian cause and make the world a better place......😭😭

[Nuur Syahidah · Rating 3 out of 5]

basically,the story revolve around Tom's mother. i dont know how truly is Tom experince entirely. although she keep mention that Tom always wrote, but it seem not much of his word stated in this book. i wish she included more of his experience.