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A Sliver of Light

Three Americans Imprisoned in Iran

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

Three young Americans captured by Iranian forces and held in captivity for two years tell their story.

In summer 2009 Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal, and Sarah Shourd were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan when they unknowingly crossed into Iran and were captured by a border patrol. Accused of espionage, the three Americans ultimately found themselves in Tehran's infamous Evin Prison, where they discovered that pooling their strength of will and relying on each other were the only ways they could survive.

In this poignant memoir, "the hikers" finally tell their side of the story. They recount the deception that lured them into Iran in the first place and describe the psychological torment of interrogation and solitary confinement. We follow them as they make surprising alliances with their fellow prisoners and even some of their captors, while their own bonds with each other are tested and deepened. Told through a bold and innovative interweaving of the authors' three voices, here is a rare glimpse inside Iran and a timeless portrayal of hardship and hope.

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    • AudioFile Magazine
      Listeners may remember the story this riveting audiobook is based on. Three young Americans, the authors, were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2009 when they inadvertently crossed the Iranian border and were captured and accused of being spies. Each of the authors has his or her own narrator. Michael Goldstrom, as Shane, has a strong, deep, nasal-infused voice that reflects the romanticism inherent in the trek the three set out on. Tristan Morris, as Josh, has a slightly higher, though similarly nasal, pitch. He conveys the wonderment of the adventure, reading more hurriedly but with sincerity and composure. Julia Whelan, as Sarah, has the most serious voice and the narrowest range, but she's the most effective in voicing the fear and foreboding in the hikers' story. The book is both a political and psychological story, and succeeds on both levels. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 9, 2013
      In the summer of 2009, three Americans hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan crossed (or were lured) over the border into Iran and were imprisoned. Over the next two years, they suffered harsh interrogations, solitary confinement, and demoralizing uncertainty as pawns in an international stare-down between the U.S. and Iran. In their cells, the three friends struggled to maintain sanity and solidarity in the face of restricted contact with the outside world. Although Shourd was released after 14 months in captivity, Bauer and Fattal endured another year in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. The narrative alternates between the perspectives of the three prisoners. Although they each present their experience in the first person, the voices remain oddly similar. Moments of humor and insight leave the reader wishing for more. Their prison time is a tightly controlled, homogenized, and repetitious existence—down to their frequent stating of their opposition to U.S. Middle-Eastern policy. At its best, the narrative captures the claustrophobic atmosphere of daily life in prison, a life made even worse by their imperfect grasp of Persian. It’s a testament to the willpower and discipline of the three captives that they maintained their values and sense of justice through their long ordeal.

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  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

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