Overview

'I sat down and began to prepare myself for an ordeal. I made three resolutions to support me through whatever was to come: no regrets, no false sentimentality, no self-pity.' In his prison cell Terry Waite wrote his autobiography in his head. This is it, his own heart-rending account of how he survived for 1,763 days in captivity, almost four years of which were in solitary confinement. He tells of his constant struggle to maintain his faith and of the inner strength which which helped him endure the savage treatment he received from his captors. Above all it was his recollections of his life from childhood onward which gave him the will to keep going. Beginning with his humble upbringing as the son of a village policeman through to his years in the dangerous role of adviser to the first African Archbishop in Idi Amin's Uganda and his work in Rome as consultant to religious communities, Terry goes on to recall his emergence on the world stage during his time as the Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy. A humanitarian in his own right, he became a negotiator for hostages in Tehran and Libya and with the kidnappers of the Beirut hostages, including his fateful involvement with Oliver North and George Bush and leading finally to his own captivity. This classic account of man's survival at the limits of human endurance now includes an updated foreword and new final chapter exploring some of the many encounters over the years that have only strengthened Terry's resolve in the face of the unfolding humanitarian disaster in the Middle East.

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9781473637115

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No regrets. No sentimentality. No self-pity. Many times in the years ahead Waite found it almost impossible to keep those resolutions. But he did, in quite magnificent fashion. - The Sunday Express This book is what stood between Terry Waite and insanity. It was written in his head while he festered in captivity, his answer to that most terrible of prisoners' questions - how did I end up like this? - Observer A remarkable story of physical humiliation, survival and release. - The Sunday Times A poignant self-portrait - Daily Telegraph

There is an enviable directness, strength and even holiness about Terry Waite...He has added a new chapter, bringing his story up to date, and reflecting briefly on the current state of the Middle East. The Telegraph Mr Waite was held captive, mostly in solitary confinement, chained and often blindfolded, for 1,763 days before his release on 18 November 1991. Now aged 77, he returned to the former RAF base where his plane landed, and where he stayed for several weeks as he began to get his life back to normal. BBC News Fascinating account of a brave man...his experience gives him the right to be listened to when he pleads for the establishment of trust between ordinary people of different races, cultures and religions. Reform Magazine Waite's compelling autobiography...a moving account of Waite's 1,763 days in captivity. The Church Newspaper As powerful today as it was as it was when first read in the 1990s...The new introduction written for the updated version of his work perhaps offers the clearest insight into his motivation. Life and Work Magazine -

Author Information

Terry Waite is well-known as a humanitarian campaigner and author. In the 1980s he was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs and travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages, including journalist John McCarthy. He was himself held captive between 1987 and 1991, and remains actively involved with hostages and their families as well as working with those who find themselves on the margins of society.

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