Even Silence Has an End : My Six Years of Captivity in the Colombian Jungle

SUMMARY: Ingrid Betancourt tells the story of her captivity in the Colombian jungle, sharing powerful teachings of resilience, resistance, and faith. Born in Bogotį, raised in France, Ingrid Betancourt at the age of thirty-two gave up a life of comfort and safety to return to Colombia to become a political leader in a country that was being slowly destroyed by terrorism, violence, fear, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. In 2002, while campaigning as a candidate in the Colombian presidential elections, she was abducted by the FARC. Nothing could have prepared her for what came next. She would spend the next six and a half years in the depths of the jungle as a prisoner of the FARC. Even Silence Has an Endis her deeply personal and moving account of that time. Chained day and night for much of her captivity, she never stopped dreaming of escape and, in fact, succeeded in getting away several times, always to be recaptured. In her most successful effort she and a fellow captive survived a week away, but were caught when her companion became desperately ill; she learned later that they had been mere miles from freedom. The facts of her story are astounding, but it is Betancourt's indomitable spirit that drives this very special account, bringing life, nuance, and profundity to the narrative. Attending as intimately to the landscape of her mind as she does to the events of her capture and captivity, Even Silence Has an Endis a meditation on the very stuff of life-fear and freedom, hope and what inspires it. Betancourt tracks her metamorphosis, sharing how in the routines she established for herself-listening to her mother and two children broadcast to her over the radio, daily prayer-she was able to do the unthinkable: to move through the pain of the moment and find a place of serenity. Freed in 2008 by the Colombian army, today Betancourt is determined to draw attention to the plight of hostages and victims of terrorism throughout the world and it is that passion that motivates Even Silence Has an End. The lessons she offers here-in courage, resilience, and humanity-are gifts to treasure. Ingrid Betancourt Tells The Story Of Her Captivity In The Colombian Jungle, Sharing Teachings Of Resilience, Resistance, And Faith. Born In Bogotá, Raised In France, Betancourt At Age 32 Gave Up A Life Of Comfort And Safety To Return To Colombia To Become A Political Leader In A Country That Was Being Slowly Destroyed By Terrorism, Violence, Fear, And Hopelessness. In 2002, While A Candidate In The Colombian Presidential Elections, She Was Abducted By The Farc. She Spent The Next Six And A Half Years In The Depths Of The Jungle As Their Prisoner. Chained Day And Night For Much Of Her Captivity, She Succeeded In Getting Away Several Times, Always To Be Recaptured. The Facts Of Her Story Are Astounding, But It Is Betancourt's Indomitable Spirit That Drives This Very Special Account, Bringing Life, Nuance, And Profundity To The Narrative.--from Publisher Description. Escaping The Cage -- Farewell -- The Abduction -- El Mocho Cesar -- Sonia's Camp -- The Death Of My Father -- Falling Into The Abyss -- Taming The Nornets -- The Strains Of Communal Life -- Proof Of Life -- The Little Wooden House -- Ferney -- Learning To Weave -- Melanie's Seventeenth Birthday -- Resentment And Remission -- The Raid -- The Cage -- Friends Who Come And Go -- Voices Form The Outside -- A Visit From Joaquín Gómez -- Second Proof Of Life -- The Fortune-teller -- An Unexpected Encounter -- Giovanni's Camp -- In The Hands Of The Shadow -- Sombra's Serenade -- The Barbed Wire -- The Satellite Antenna -- Inside The Prison -- The Arrival Of The Americans -- The Big Row -- Roll Call -- Human Misery -- Lucho's Illness -- A Sad Christmas -- The Bickering -- The Chicken Run -- Back In The Prison -- Radio Roundup -- Gloria's Children -- The Petty Things Of Hell -- The Dictionary -- My Friend Lucho -- The Child -- The Strike -- Birthdays -- The Big Departure -- Hepatitis -- Guillermo's Frisk -- Unedpected Support -- The Hammock -- Selling Hope -- The Group Ot Ten -- The Endless March -- The Chains -- The Honeymoon -- At The Gates Of Hell -- Descent Into Hell -- The Devil -- Now Or Never -- The Escape -- Freedom -- The Choice -- The End Of The Dream -- Punishment -- The Retreat -- The Eggs -- Monster -- Lucho's Heart -- Pinchao's Escape -- The Death Of Pinchao -- The Friend Marc -- The Ban -- The Letters -- The Separation -- Stroking Death -- Third Proof Of Life -- Lucho's Release -- The Disagreement -- The Sacred Heart -- The Trick -- The End Of Silence Ingrid Betancourt. "Betancourts riveting accountis an unforgettable epic of moral courage and human endurance." Los Angeles Times In the midst of her campaign for the Colombian presidency in 2002, Ingrid Betancourt traveled into a military-controlled region, where she was abducted by the FARC, a brutal terrorist guerrilla organization in conflict with the government. She would spend the next six and a half years captive in the depths of the Colombian jungle. Even Silence Has an End is her deeply moving and personal account of that time. The facts of her story are astounding, but it is Betancourts indomitable spirit that drives this very special narrative - an intensely intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate reflection on what it really means to be human. Enchane par le cou un arbre, prive de toute libert, celle de bouger, de s'asseoir, de se lever ; celle de parler ou de se taire ; celle de boire ou de manger ; et mme la plus lmentaire, celle d'assouvir les besoins de son corps... J'ai pris conscience aprs de longues annes que l'on garde tout de mme la plus prcieuse de toutes, la libert que personne ne peut jamais vous ter : celle de dcider qui l'on veut tre. Mme le silence a une fin raconte les six ans et demi de captivit d'Ingrid Betancourt dans la jungle colombienne aux mains des FARC. Rcit intime d'une aventure qui ne ressemble aucune autre, voyage hant, palpitant du dbut la fin, c'est aussi une mditation sur la condition des damns et sur ce qui fonde la nature humaine. "Betancourt's riveting account ... is an unforgettable epic of moral courage and human endurance."--Los Angeles Times In the midst of her campaign for the Colombian presidency in 2002, Ingrid Betancourt traveled into a military-controlled region, where she was abducted by the FARC, a brutal terrorist guerrilla organization in conflict with the government. She would spend the next six and a half years captive in the depths of the Colombian jungle. Even Silence Has an End is her deeply moving and personal account of that time. The facts of her story are astounding, but it is Betancourt's indomitable spirit that drives this very special narrative-an intensely intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate reflection on what it really means to be human. The Colombian presidential candidate and six-year hostage of the FARC terrorist guerrilla organization shares the story of her captivity in the jungle, describing the conditions of her imprisonment, her near-escapes before her 2008 rescue and her views on resilience, resistance, and faith.