From Publishers Weekly
Faced with mounting farm debt at home, Mississippi truck driver Hamill was lured to Iraq by a $75,000 tax-free contract from KBR to run supplies. He was abducted on April 9, 2004, and his escape 24 days later made worldwide news. Hamill's first-person account (written with True Exposures publishing president Brown) shows the attack on his convoy that strands him with a bone-shattering gunshot wound in the arm; the three-plus weeks in which Hamill was shuttled around by various guards (whose attitudes ranged from curious or sympathetic to hardened and hostile); the able care and treatment Hamill received for his serious wound; his captivity within frustrating reach of passing U.S. soldiers. When U.S. troops assigned to guard an oil pipeline came within yards of his position, Hamill dramatically forced his way out of his remote holding cell and made a barefoot dash across a rock-strewn plain to safety. Throughout, Hamill attributes his physical and psychological survival to his faith in God, portraying his captivity as a Jonah-like experience in the belly of the whale. He keeps the narrative's focus on the mechanics of getting through each day (including some fascinating interactions with guards) and waiting for the right moment to make his move. The result is a remarkable story that, regardless of one's opinion of the war, stands as a true profile in courage. Photos. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Escape In Iraq: The Thomas Hamill Story chronicles the extraordinary experience of American civilian, Thomas Hamill, a truck convoy commander delivering fuel to the U.S. armed forces in Iraq. On April 9, 2004 his convoy was attacked near the Baghdad International Airport. Five of Hamill's associates were killed and he was wounded and taken prisoner by masked gunmen who held him hostage in Iraq for 24 days before he made a miraculous escape. His inspirational story is one of danger, courage, faith, and family. Escape in Iraq is a must read for everyone.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Faced with mounting farm debt at home, Mississippi truck driver Hamill was lured to Iraq by a $75,000 tax-free contract from KBR to run supplies. He was abducted on April 9, 2004, and his escape 24 days later made worldwide news. Hamill's first-person account (written with True Exposures publishing president Brown) shows the attack on his convoy that strands him with a bone-shattering gunshot wound in the arm; the three-plus weeks in which Hamill was shuttled around by various guards (whose attitudes ranged from curious or sympathetic to hardened and hostile); the able care and treatment Hamill received for his serious wound; his captivity within frustrating reach of passing U.S. soldiers. When U.S. troops assigned to guard an oil pipeline came within yards of his position, Hamill dramatically forced his way out of his remote holding cell and made a barefoot dash across a rock-strewn plain to safety. Throughout, Hamill attributes his physical and psychological survival to his faith in God, portraying his captivity as a Jonah-like experience in the belly of the whale. He keeps the narrative's focus on the mechanics of getting through each day (including some fascinating interactions with guards) and waiting for the right moment to make his move. The result is a remarkable story that, regardless of one's opinion of the war, stands as a true profile in courage. Photos. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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