Non-Fiction Pick of the Week: Even Silence has an End

Even silence has an end: my six years of captivity in the Colombian jungle by Ingrid Betancourt 2011

This is a gripping, true account of Ingrid Betancourt’s ordeal as a political hostage that lasted six and a half years, dominating news headlines around the world. In 2002 Betancourt, then the Colombian presidential candidate for the Green Party, was abducted by the FARC, a guerilla terrorist organization. Held captive in the Amazon jungle, she joined other hostages such as a campaign aide, fellow politicians, and members of the Colombian and American military through grueling marches in the dense, dangerous jungle, communal living in makeshift camps, and bouts of hepatitis and malaria, all under constant guard while the Colombian, French, and American governments tried to negotiate their release. Betancourt describes the deplorable conditions she and her fellow hostages endured, as well as her numerous escape attempts, through to her triumphant rescue carefully orchestrated by the Colombian army in 2008. Her story of hope and faith amid incredible despair is truly inspirational. This is a remarkable read that will stay with you long after the last page.