Escape In Iraq: The Thomas Hamill Story

Rating:
Summary: Great story
Review: A well-written story about an ordinary guy caught up in an extraordinary situation.
The book was hard to put down! Recommended reading for everyone! Would make a great movie.


Rating:
Summary: Tommy did everything right.
Review: During Tommy's repatriation process, the SERE specialists said that Tommy did everything right. That's impressive. He had no formal SERE training, just a lot of good sense. However, I would argue that a few (very few) of his statements and/or actions would not be recommended by SERE schools. I also enjoyed the spirituality of the "box camera" story.

Rating:
Summary: Escape In Iraq: The Thomas Hamill Story
Review: Escape In Iraq: The Thomas Hamill Story - I've just started reading this book and I cried from the beginning of it already! Guess just my emotions / fears get all wrapped up in it. My fears for him and his family during this whole ordeal.. He holds nothing back, very open and honest. I would recomend this book for everyone to read for sure. And I'm not even an avid reader.

Rating:
Summary: THIS BOOK TAKES YOU THERE
Review: I AGREE WITH OTHER REVIEWS, A BOOK HARD TO PUT DOWN, HOWEVER, AT THE END THOMAS ACKNOWLEDGES THE REAL HEROES, THE AMERICAN SOLDIER....


Rating:
Summary: Living a whole new life in just twenty-four days
Review: I agree with the other reviewers that this riveting story would make a great movie about the courage and faith of a simple man, a farmer, and truck diver, and that the book is easy to read and very hard to put down.

The nice thing about Thomas Hamill's story is that it is fresh (only six months old) and because of the short duration of captivity, he was able to memorize very vivid details about the characters of the so many players and the events that led him to survive and tell his story. In addition, as a simple man, his description of events and people are devoid of political spinning. He genuinely tells it like it is. When his author tries to spice the story with a scent of patriotism, you can easily sort out the truth from spin. For example, throwing France companies as profiteers from the Iraqi regime and asking all Americans to support defeating the terrorists in Iraq does not spoil the authenticity of a story of a courageous and faithful man.

This story earns its riveting characteristics from the following facts:

1) The main character has such faith in God that made him believe that God is really communicating with him in active and direct way to deal with every issue, from safeguarding clean food, reducing his pain, picking the gentle and sane captors, to arranging his release.

2) The captors were also the non-fanatic and moderate Iraqis that were intrigued and fascinated by having an American guest amongst them. The way the Iraqis have treated him is extremely privileged and could only be explained by the fact that those were influential and rich class of the society. Their access to doctors, medical supplies, and multiple residences and vehicles indicate the power of their class. Their retaliation to Abu Gharib abuse of prisoners was not of equal deplorable manner and their constant concern about his taking of antibiotics are signs of their elite status.

3) Thomas Hamill's lack of exposure to Muslims and knowledge of Arabic language made him strive to understand what was going in the heads of his captors. He was able to realize that they do not want Americans in their country although they celebrated Saddam's departure. Hamill was not able to relate that to their curious inquisition about western life such as the independence of young people after the age of 18, the decline of family bonding, and the freedom of western women. For example, he did not understand the joke of converting to Islam and fixing him with an Iraqi wife, which only meant as a welcoming gesture, not a religious duty. In addition, the "one o'clock" answer to some of his requests for relief has skipped him. His captors never spoke English before meeting him, and the closest they can get to "wait one minute" was "one o'clock".

4) Watching a movie upside down, in a mud hut in the Iraqi desert is another fascinating fact about living in rural country. The fixed rhythm of a shepherd guarding his herds of sheep and goats, sunset, the bird's and wind's sounds, all have eased his ordeal and helped him stay calm and trustful by his captors.

5) The carnage of loss of many innocent lives in his caravan of 17, or so, tractor-tankers that was minimally defended with few reserve soldiers and few armored vehicles, was possibly avoidable. His caravan was given the green light to go without thoroughly securing the road to be traveled or providing air defense. All have invited lengthy and brutal kill zone with very little hope for escape. His gratefulness for the family support by his employer after returning to the States shows his naivety and forgiveness to the recklessness of that company that endangered many innocent lives. Many of his fellow drivers had quit after that carnage. Bestowing the labels of patriotism and heroism on a victim of greedy corporation that has no regard to human life is pure mockery. While the rich and powerful get away with wealth and comfort, this poor farmer gets shafted.

6) Hamill's poor planning as a farmer that overworked himself to mere death in a truck accident, combined with his venturing to making easy and fast money in a war-torn Iraq, adds to the human drama that all of us face in trying to make ends meet and support our families, yet his would have ended dreadfully saddening. Although t is comforting to believe that God has reciprocated his prayers by sending his rescue soldiers, yet those too has been given inadequate directions to locate a bombed pipe line that was 10 miles away from his location. It sounds like both Mr. Hamill and the rescuing soldiers had been poorly managed and inadequately equipped to face the chaos of a miserably planned war.


Rating:
Summary: A CIVILIAN WAR STORY
Review: The experience of living through an encounter while many of your friends have been killed and then being captured by the enemy not knowing if your life is going to be spared is a terrible happening. This book details before, during, and after this episode in Iraq to a non-military participant working for the military as a truck driver. Spiritual faith is what kept Mr. Hamill going along with his concern of his family. Without any kind of instruction (except prayer) He was able to satisfy his jailers where they did not torture nor do away with him and was finally able to escape on his own. The writing was not superb, however, the story keeps you interested.

Rating:
Summary: The next "Passion of the Christ?"
Review: This story could become the next "Passion of the Christ." It is that inspiring and stirring! Mr. Hamill is a common man who conquered a trying ordeal through his faith. The image on the wall is so mesmerizing. Once I started, I could not stop reading.


Rating:
Summary: A must read !!!
Review: This story is truly incredible and what is more incredible is how Thomas Hamill's faith allowed him to survive this ordeal and return to his family. The book is an easy read and stays intriguing throughout. You will not be disappointed. What an ordeal.

Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: Unbelievable!
Ordinary men do extraordinary things. A true expose' on what it means to be an "ordinary" American. A true American hero.

Rating:
Summary: What a story!
Review: WOW! This is the most inspiring story I have ever read. I literally could not stop reading. I felt as if I was there in those shacks with Mr. Hamill. The manner in which he dealt with his captivity is amazing and moving. "Escape in Iraq" is currently #26 on the New York Times bestseller list. It should be number one. This story is refreshingly uplifting and should give hope to all who read it. Dealing with my daily problems, which now seem miniscule, just became easier. I hope he sells 10 million.
I can't wait for the movie that MUST be produced!