First published 2009
Marc Gonsalves awakens in the Colombian jungle with blood covering his face and rifle barrels pointed at him. His plane has crashed in FARC territory on February 13, 2003. Two crewmembers lie dead. Gonsalves and fellow contractors Tom Howes and Keith Stansell now belong to the terrorist organization that serves as the military wing of Colombia's Communist Party. The three men face over five years of captivity in one of the world's harshest environments. They endure starvation marches with broken bones, months chained by their necks, and solitary confinement that drives them to wish for death. Their friendship becomes their lifeline as they learn to survive off jungle resources while witnessing the inner workings of FARC operations. They encounter other hostages, including politician Ingrid Betancourt, in a complex web of relationships forged under extreme duress. The memoir reveals their covert role in Plan Colombia's counter-narcotics operations and tracks their psychological journey through torture, deprivation, and the spiritual transformations that sustain them until their dramatic military rescue.
Genres: history, military-fiction, adventure, crime, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: captivity, friendship, survival
Setting: Colombia, Colombian Jungle
Period: 2003
457 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: death, torture, violence