Brian KeenanRecensioni

A sometimes harrowing but never gratuitous account of the author's experiences as a hostage in Lebanon in the late 1980s. Superb writing, full of compassion and honesty, tinged with some violence and extreme emotion. I had not expected to enjoy this book, nor to find it so very readable, but it was a selection for my local reading group, and turned out to be an excellent choice.

There's some dark humour here and there, and a light touch as the author writes as if observing his reactions at times. I don't know when I last found a non-fiction book as compulsive as this one - I expected to skim, but (other than a few poems) read every word.

Very highly recommended.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/06/an-evil-cradling-by-brian-keenan.ht...

I've read a few prison memoirs, and while you may feel immense sympathy, and while the writing process may have been cathartic, they tend to be pretty samey and dull.
So I wasn't expecting to find this a *5 work, but it totally is. Brian Keenan had been away from Belfast on a teaching post, in Beirut for 4 months when he was kidnapped by islamic 'jihadists' and held prisoner for four and a half years.
This is an entirely engrossing read as Keenan delves into the recesses of his mind to explain how humans cope (or not) with the endless days of solitary confinement, the alternating friendly overtures and casual brutality of their jailers, the uncertainty - release now? later? or slaughter? ...and the mind numbing boredom. Eventually sharing a cell with fellow hostage John McCarthy (and at times with some Americans) he elaborates on the process of friendship amid such dire conditions. Their efforts to find amusement in makeshift games and humour, to confront their aggressors with whatever resistance they could.
Very memorable and well written account.

I was a bit disappointed by this book. McCarthy and Keenan seemed to spend a lot of time being quite down about their trip to Chile, which they planned whilst hostages in Lebanon. I didn't really feel that I got a good sense of the country, or of Keenan and McCarthy.

A beautifully written account of Keenan's time as a hostage in Lebanon, this is a moving and eloquent tribute to the human spirit.

I have to admit it took me a while to go through this book as it is not the easiest to read. It’s a story of an Irish writer (Keenan) taking his young family to live for few months in different parts of Alaska in order to do research for his next book as well as to pursue his childhood dream of visiting Alaska’s wilderness. During his travels Keenan gets to know a lot of interesting characters, the every-men of Alaska: truck driver, dog-sleigh lover, gold miners, natives operating a fish camp, Gwich’in Indians from the Arctic Village, etc. He also makes the effort to see and experience a lot more of Alaska’s life and culture than most tourists or travel writers.
All in all it’s an interesting book, well written and full of inspiring and heart-warming stories, but unfortunately I did find it a little bit uneven in parts.

An amazing book - one that moves me no matter how many times I read it - Keenan writes so eloquently about his experience. I would argue this is the must read book on the expereince of being a hostage.

Variable. Some genuinely well written and interesting experiences of life as a tourist in Alaska, interspersed by a lot of spiritualist nonsense, that frequently fails to make any kind of sense whatsoever. One assumes that it too is the literal experiences of the author, who has failed to understand the world around him. Given some of the extremely naive experiences he undergoes without the spiritualism this might well be a reasonable conclusion.

Based on a little more than a whim the author decides to take his family for an extended holiday - from their native Ireland, too one of the most extreme places on earth, Alaska. Little detail is given about the fmailiy's reaction to this, or to the arrangements required - it seems the author had contact with a lot of friends who did most of the hard work. Once there they move around a bit with the family, and alos just the author on his own while the family are left behind to amuse themeselves. This is somewhat disappointing as the observations of the family could have added a great deal to the commentary of life in Alaska.

Some of the experiences the author undertakes visiting various people who live in Alaska permently are quite revealing - the degree of clothing and preperation required for any trip outside was quite extensive. It is therefore unfortunate that the author only learnt this through experience, rather than listening to his friends and contacts. He escape relatively unharmed, despite offending the tribes he was staying with.

I'm not going to comment too much on the annoying spiritual bits, because I largely skimmed them. They were mostly incomprehensible, or else blatently mis-interpreting or understanding the world around you. Eg. when a wolf walks across your path, there is no deeper meaning to this. He is not your spirit guide (which you've previously claimed was a bear anyway) neither is he your ancestor - you're Irish you have no ancestors in Alaska. It is just a wolf, even if they aren't usually seen in this area. Count yourself lucky, and revel in the joy of being fortunate enough to watch nature at work - something the author does manage to do on other occasions.

In summary - could be better. Probably only worth reading if you know something about life in Alaska.

I've been on a bit of a Brian Keenan binge. I was especially interested in his account of his spiritual journey and his experience with shamanism.

Fascinating account of the life of blind Irish harper and song writer Turlough Carolan. Imagines a musician inspired by his life experience and spiritual ancestors.

Very moving account of 4 1/2 years of being held captive by terrorists in Lebanon. The strength of mind required to stay sane in solitary and very confined quarters is incredible. The compassion Brian Keenan shows towards many of his guards is inspiring.

I can see the literary value of this book, but frankly, it struck me as too contrived. Something about it is just too-too...still, it's a moving account of a senseless act.

This is an interesting read. Brian has had a long fascination with Alaska and this is a story of his trip to visit the 4 corners of Alaska. He manages to convey the uniqueness of Alaska.
He also has an interest in the spiritual world of the native people and describes an experience he has with this.
Definately worth a read.

In the mid 90's I read a lot of the books written by the hostages taken in Lebanon. The hostages were released when I was in my late teens and I still remember the pictures of these frail men leaving planes. Of all the books, this is the best. It is literate and emotional. Brian Keenan is incredibly honest about how he felt. It can be a hard book to read - several pages were read through a haze of tears. But what I remember most about it is the relationship between him and John McCarthy and how they kept each other sane during an insane situation.
Don't miss it.

I found Keenan's description of his captors quite educational. This ties in with Sapolsky's [Monkeyluv] and other theories of early childhood developmental.

Brian Keenan's story of his visit to Beirut in 1985, when he was kidnapped by fundamentalist Shi'ite militiamen and held captive for the next 4 1/2 years. For much of that time he was shut off from all contact with the outside world. A good book from a horrific story.

I was shocked to see that the book is 14 years old and is about events that are almost 20 years ago. Shocked in part because where has the time gone and in part because nothing has changed in the middle east. Until a political agreement over the Palestinians nothing can change. The war on terrorism is neither a war or about terrorism. South Africa and Northern Ireland show away forward. But America has got to face its religious Christian right who are a major western cause for a lack of a political settlment. All this is a far cry from the suffering of two men recorded in the day to day horror of trying to save their humanity. Yet could they speak out about the political struggles that made them victims?

Don't tend to read much travel as a genre but was more interested in their relationship given the circumstances of their meeting

Brian Keenan went to Beirut in 1985 for a change of scene from his native Belfast. He became headline news when he was kidnapped by fundamentalist Shi'ite militiamen and held in the suburbs of Beirut for the next four and a half years. For much of that time he was shut off from all news and contact with anyone other than his jailers and, later, his fellow hostages, amongst them John McCarthy. This is his story.