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The Price of Life
In August 2008 Bundaberg photojournalist Nigel Brennan travels to Somalia, along with Canadian reporter Amanda Lindhout. What happens next could happen to anyone.
You have a brother with a taste for adventure, who you haven't heard from in a while. You get a phone call on a Sunday morning from a journalist telling you he's been kidnapped and held hostage for money – a lot of money.
After official government negotiations grind to a halt, Nigel's family – his sister, Nicky, and sister-in-law, Kellie – take matters into their own hands. With Nigel's life at stake, the family navigates uncharted territory, doing anything and everything to bring him home. Nicky becomes an expert negotiator and Kellie effectively an international money launderer. Meanwhile, Nigel and Amanda survive separation, isolation, relocation and brutality. The fight to free Nigel takes its toll on all of them in different ways – loss of income, putting their own family lives on hold – but they discover what tough stuff they are really made of.
In the end, they could answer the question we all hope we never have to ask: What price do you put on a family member's life? And Nigel knows the real value of freedom, and the true meaning of family.
You have a brother with a taste for adventure, who you haven't heard from in a while. You get a phone call on a Sunday morning from a journalist telling you he's been kidnapped and held hostage for money – a lot of money.
After official government negotiations grind to a halt, Nigel's family – his sister, Nicky, and sister-in-law, Kellie – take matters into their own hands. With Nigel's life at stake, the family navigates uncharted territory, doing anything and everything to bring him home. Nicky becomes an expert negotiator and Kellie effectively an international money launderer. Meanwhile, Nigel and Amanda survive separation, isolation, relocation and brutality. The fight to free Nigel takes its toll on all of them in different ways – loss of income, putting their own family lives on hold – but they discover what tough stuff they are really made of.
In the end, they could answer the question we all hope we never have to ask: What price do you put on a family member's life? And Nigel knows the real value of freedom, and the true meaning of family.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 23, 2013
I read Amanda Lindhout's A House in the Sky and wanted to see Nigel's point of view as well.
I did enjoy the book, but I felt that the point of view from his sister and sister-in-law was a bit tedious. I felt that we got every single tiny piece of the negotiations, and all of the abbreviations and the way it read was starting to hurt my brain. I felt like I was reading a diary of every detail of their life. I had a hard time following their story at times. Plus, I absolutely fell in love with Amanda in her book, so I already had a bad taste in my mouth when one of the authors blatantly stated her dislike for Amanda in the first chapter. As they were writing the book, they knew of the torture that Amanda survived and they still felt the need to comment on how much they disliked her. I would have rather they just stated that they knew Amanda and left it at that. It colored the rest of the story for them and I felt that they were disrespectful of others and not that easy to get along with. I liked Nigel's part of the story and knowing how he was treated in comparison to Amanda. Very enlightening. I just wish that the sister/sister-in-law's part was a bit shorter.
I did enjoy the book, but I felt that the point of view from his sister and sister-in-law was a bit tedious. I felt that we got every single tiny piece of the negotiations, and all of the abbreviations and the way it read was starting to hurt my brain. I felt like I was reading a diary of every detail of their life. I had a hard time following their story at times. Plus, I absolutely fell in love with Amanda in her book, so I already had a bad taste in my mouth when one of the authors blatantly stated her dislike for Amanda in the first chapter. As they were writing the book, they knew of the torture that Amanda survived and they still felt the need to comment on how much they disliked her. I would have rather they just stated that they knew Amanda and left it at that. It colored the rest of the story for them and I felt that they were disrespectful of others and not that easy to get along with. I liked Nigel's part of the story and knowing how he was treated in comparison to Amanda. Very enlightening. I just wish that the sister/sister-in-law's part was a bit shorter.
September 7, 2015
The only explanation I can come up with for the horrendous state of this book is that Nicky treated the editors and publishers as poorly as she treats everyone else.
I read Amanda Lindhout's account first, and it was certainly a higher caliber of publication of this. She gave a lot more context for the situation they were in, and her descriptions of captivity were heart-wrenching. It left my whole book club interested to know how Nigel's experience differed, and Nigel's parts of this book are good - he certainly had it easier than Amanda did.
However, most of this book are written from the perspectives of Nigel's sister Nicky and his sister-in-law Kellie. Nigel comes from a large family, and no one bothers to make it easy to remember who is who. Friends and family members are thrown in unceremoniously and it's nearly impossible to tell who is being spoken about.
My initial impression is that his family are fairly horrible people. Having read Amanda's book, I know the home she came from was not wealthy AT ALL - and even in this book, it is noted that the Lindhouts do not have assets or money, yet when the Australian government asks the Brennans how much money they can pull together, their response is "how much are the Canadian family putting in?" When the answer comes back as none (THEY HAVE NO MONEY), the Brennan patriarch crosses his arms and says "well then we're not paying either", as though it's some sort of sibling argument and they think it's unfair. Not as though their son's life is in danger. Nicky and Kellie make no bones about the fact that they don't like Amanda. Eventually, the family agrees to pay, even if it means that Amanda will be let out too. Yes, they are THAT HORRIBLE.
Most of the book is unreadable. An appendix would have been helpful to keep track of all the pointless acronyms they use. Nicky speaks almost entirely in cliches and what seem to be Australian expressions. 90% of the time, I had no idea what she was talking about. A decent editor would have taken this under control at least to some degree, but as I said before, I suspect she mistreated the editor, and he probably read along and exclaimed things like "oh look, Nicky used a verb as an adjective again - oh well! Let's leave it in!"
Nicky, who is in her 40s, has a penchant for name-calling. Her favourite word is "piss". She writes about how she thinks the word "titular"is funny, and can't imagine why a person would allow himself to be referred to as the "titular head" of something. Seriously, Nicky is a 12 year old boy in the body of an uneducated 40 year old woman.
From the beginning, the Brennans set the enemy in their sights. The enemy is...the Australian Government!! No, not the Somali kidnappers - in the Brennans' crosshairs are the people who are trying to help them. To say the Brennans made themselves difficult to work with is an understatement. They were outright belligerent toward the government. They seemed to regard these officials as clowns who had no idea what they were doing. I don't know what the Brennans thought they were owed in this, or why, but they seemed not only to think that they knew better than everyone else, but that they ought to be given all the decision-making power. The Brennans were not level-headed, and they refused to follow very basic security protocols, because they just didn't want to. I think there's a good chance that the whole situation would have been dealt with much sooner if the Brennans hadn't been so us-against-them with the government. Maybe they were trying to distract themselves from the horrid reality of what Nigel and Amanda were going through, but fixating on the minutae of how the government was handling the case (oh no - they moved the phone!) just caused continuous problems in the case.
The Brennans claim they don't have any money, but they keep coming up with all sorts of cash for things like getting really drunk, and flying to Canada to convince the Lindhouts to hire a private security company to extract Nigel and Amanda. Since they are doing this just as the RCMP tells the Lindhouts that they can not help them any further, it doesn't seem a stretch that the Lindhouts would want to go along with hiring a private firm - at that point, it's the only option.
One thing I wonder about this book - Kellie gets a company on board to do pro-bono PR for the family, but the company agrees only under the condition that the Brennans not publicly bash the government (who is apparently a client of the PR agency's). Nicky spends most of the book bashing the government. I wonder how that PR group feels about the book.
Anyway, the parts written by Nigel were captivating. Everything else was tedious crap written by...what's the Australian term for white-trash hillbillies?
I read Amanda Lindhout's account first, and it was certainly a higher caliber of publication of this. She gave a lot more context for the situation they were in, and her descriptions of captivity were heart-wrenching. It left my whole book club interested to know how Nigel's experience differed, and Nigel's parts of this book are good - he certainly had it easier than Amanda did.
However, most of this book are written from the perspectives of Nigel's sister Nicky and his sister-in-law Kellie. Nigel comes from a large family, and no one bothers to make it easy to remember who is who. Friends and family members are thrown in unceremoniously and it's nearly impossible to tell who is being spoken about.
My initial impression is that his family are fairly horrible people. Having read Amanda's book, I know the home she came from was not wealthy AT ALL - and even in this book, it is noted that the Lindhouts do not have assets or money, yet when the Australian government asks the Brennans how much money they can pull together, their response is "how much are the Canadian family putting in?" When the answer comes back as none (THEY HAVE NO MONEY), the Brennan patriarch crosses his arms and says "well then we're not paying either", as though it's some sort of sibling argument and they think it's unfair. Not as though their son's life is in danger. Nicky and Kellie make no bones about the fact that they don't like Amanda. Eventually, the family agrees to pay, even if it means that Amanda will be let out too. Yes, they are THAT HORRIBLE.
Most of the book is unreadable. An appendix would have been helpful to keep track of all the pointless acronyms they use. Nicky speaks almost entirely in cliches and what seem to be Australian expressions. 90% of the time, I had no idea what she was talking about. A decent editor would have taken this under control at least to some degree, but as I said before, I suspect she mistreated the editor, and he probably read along and exclaimed things like "oh look, Nicky used a verb as an adjective again - oh well! Let's leave it in!"
Nicky, who is in her 40s, has a penchant for name-calling. Her favourite word is "piss". She writes about how she thinks the word "titular"is funny, and can't imagine why a person would allow himself to be referred to as the "titular head" of something. Seriously, Nicky is a 12 year old boy in the body of an uneducated 40 year old woman.
From the beginning, the Brennans set the enemy in their sights. The enemy is...the Australian Government!! No, not the Somali kidnappers - in the Brennans' crosshairs are the people who are trying to help them. To say the Brennans made themselves difficult to work with is an understatement. They were outright belligerent toward the government. They seemed to regard these officials as clowns who had no idea what they were doing. I don't know what the Brennans thought they were owed in this, or why, but they seemed not only to think that they knew better than everyone else, but that they ought to be given all the decision-making power. The Brennans were not level-headed, and they refused to follow very basic security protocols, because they just didn't want to. I think there's a good chance that the whole situation would have been dealt with much sooner if the Brennans hadn't been so us-against-them with the government. Maybe they were trying to distract themselves from the horrid reality of what Nigel and Amanda were going through, but fixating on the minutae of how the government was handling the case (oh no - they moved the phone!) just caused continuous problems in the case.
The Brennans claim they don't have any money, but they keep coming up with all sorts of cash for things like getting really drunk, and flying to Canada to convince the Lindhouts to hire a private security company to extract Nigel and Amanda. Since they are doing this just as the RCMP tells the Lindhouts that they can not help them any further, it doesn't seem a stretch that the Lindhouts would want to go along with hiring a private firm - at that point, it's the only option.
One thing I wonder about this book - Kellie gets a company on board to do pro-bono PR for the family, but the company agrees only under the condition that the Brennans not publicly bash the government (who is apparently a client of the PR agency's). Nicky spends most of the book bashing the government. I wonder how that PR group feels about the book.
Anyway, the parts written by Nigel were captivating. Everything else was tedious crap written by...what's the Australian term for white-trash hillbillies?
April 8, 2014
Regarding the book itself: they needed a better editor and proofreader. A lot of the sisters' writing could have been edited down or taken out entirely. I caught multiple spelling mistakes and errors that any proofreader worth his/her salt should have caught.
Regarding the story: I was interested in hearing Nigel's side of the story after reading Amanda Lindhout's account in her book: A House in the Sky. While Nigel seemed empathetic and understanding of Lindhout's experience, I was appalled at how coarse and callous his sisters were towards her. I know that Australians are less polite than Canadians, but wow, I wish his sisters hadn't complained so much about Lindhout, her family, the money, and how much weight they gained. Do they have any idea what Lindhout went through?
Regarding the story: I was interested in hearing Nigel's side of the story after reading Amanda Lindhout's account in her book: A House in the Sky. While Nigel seemed empathetic and understanding of Lindhout's experience, I was appalled at how coarse and callous his sisters were towards her. I know that Australians are less polite than Canadians, but wow, I wish his sisters hadn't complained so much about Lindhout, her family, the money, and how much weight they gained. Do they have any idea what Lindhout went through?
March 17, 2025
1.0 Stars
It was interesting to finally read Nigel's perspective but I almost regret reading this one. His sister and surrounding family was insufferable. I think it makes sense to understand why Amanda and Nigel grew apart after the incident was over. He didn't necessarily feel particularly likeable either. From an editing perspective this book is horrible. Still, a horrible experience all the way around.
It was interesting to finally read Nigel's perspective but I almost regret reading this one. His sister and surrounding family was insufferable. I think it makes sense to understand why Amanda and Nigel grew apart after the incident was over. He didn't necessarily feel particularly likeable either. From an editing perspective this book is horrible. Still, a horrible experience all the way around.
November 11, 2013
It's normal for a book to have a typo here or there, but the sloppiness of this book is absolutely shameful. The narrative clings to coherency by a thread: there are many obscure idioms and inside-joke phrases thrown around, lots of names used with little explanation of who they're referring to, and in general the description of the hostage negotiations are very breathless and stream-of-consciousness. I'm sure that's how it felt for the people involved, but it makes for a very frustrating read when it's just put to paper like that. There are also very glaring editorial mistakes/oversights (from basic grammar, spelling, etc to referring to Nairobi's Eastleigh slum as "Eastling"). If you want a rich and enlightening narrative about this kidnapping event, read 'A House in the Sky' by Amanda Lindhout, who was kidnapped with Brennan; the difference in quality between the two books is overwhelming. Finally, I was pretty disgusted at reading some of the petty complaints from Nigel's sister-in-law about having to leave a wedding party to field a call from him around the same time Lindhout was being gang-raped and starved in Somalia.
October 3, 2011
Synopsis: Wanna-be photojournalist ignores warnings and travels to Somalia in search of the big break-through that will kick-star his career. There he's kidnapped (predictably) and told to cough up a huge ransom. He can't (predictably), and so calls n the Australian taxpayer (whom he refers to throughout as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) to cough on his behalf. DFAT tells him the facts of life, and so he writes this book to get even and to kick-start his career. Except the book is ghost-written, so this might not work either. The writing is ok - but Mr Brennan remains an idiot.
April 24, 2013
First of all I want to address the so-called critics of Nigel's decision to go to Somalia. The man went through hell and I'm sure he has punished himself enough for what he and his family had to go through. The man was almost in tears and was full of remorse for what his family had experienced, which showed in one of his first public interviews. Enough is enough, and we should show support for Nigel, Amanda and their families instead of petty criticism.
I enjoyed the book, even though some of the parts about the negotiations was a bit lengthy. I would have liked to have seen more from Nigel's point of view. All in all, it was an excellent read and I came out of it having a great deal of respect for Nigel and his family. Nigel's frustration and terror at his situation really flowed out to the reader and we can only imagine how we react in his and Amanda's position. I plan to read Amanda's book when it comes out later this year. I would also like to read another book from Nigel about the healing process he went through and what he is doing today in his role as a public speaker and involvement with Somalia. The fact that both Amanda and Nigel are both in different ways, involved with working on helping the people of Somalia, is remarkable considering what they experienced there. Bravo to both Nigel and Amanda, as well as their families.
I enjoyed the book, even though some of the parts about the negotiations was a bit lengthy. I would have liked to have seen more from Nigel's point of view. All in all, it was an excellent read and I came out of it having a great deal of respect for Nigel and his family. Nigel's frustration and terror at his situation really flowed out to the reader and we can only imagine how we react in his and Amanda's position. I plan to read Amanda's book when it comes out later this year. I would also like to read another book from Nigel about the healing process he went through and what he is doing today in his role as a public speaker and involvement with Somalia. The fact that both Amanda and Nigel are both in different ways, involved with working on helping the people of Somalia, is remarkable considering what they experienced there. Bravo to both Nigel and Amanda, as well as their families.
Read
August 29, 2011I would give this book at most three out of five. It was well written but delved far too deeply into the intricate details of the extraction. All of the minute details, every phone call, comment, email etc etc when bargaining with the hostages was too much.
I think it focused far too much on that and not on the true feelings of the family members and Nigel & Amanda.
Frequently family members expressed their annoyance at Nigel and they were right. This man behaved extremely irresponsibly. As even he stated, one of the major reasons for this trip was the possibility of another fling with Amanda.
He'd been married and cheated on his wife with Amanda. Before being kidnapped he was in a relationship with a woman in Scotland, yet believing there was a possibility of something happening with Amanda he took off with her, leaving his girlfriend behind with the intention of also being unfaithful to her.
Is this man ever going to grow up?! He states repeatedly in the book t hat he feels guilty for the stress he caused his family. But he does not at all really look deeply at his past behaviour and how it has affected people he loves.
He put his family through sheer hell, unbelievable torture, all in the hope of having a fling with a woman. He needs to take a long hard look at himself and his behaviour.
I think it focused far too much on that and not on the true feelings of the family members and Nigel & Amanda.
Frequently family members expressed their annoyance at Nigel and they were right. This man behaved extremely irresponsibly. As even he stated, one of the major reasons for this trip was the possibility of another fling with Amanda.
He'd been married and cheated on his wife with Amanda. Before being kidnapped he was in a relationship with a woman in Scotland, yet believing there was a possibility of something happening with Amanda he took off with her, leaving his girlfriend behind with the intention of also being unfaithful to her.
Is this man ever going to grow up?! He states repeatedly in the book t hat he feels guilty for the stress he caused his family. But he does not at all really look deeply at his past behaviour and how it has affected people he loves.
He put his family through sheer hell, unbelievable torture, all in the hope of having a fling with a woman. He needs to take a long hard look at himself and his behaviour.
May 3, 2014
After reading 'A House in the Sky', I was excited to read about the kidnapping from Nigel's point of view. I knew that the other book probably had some bias towards certain people at certain parts, so I was ready to see things from another perspective. Unfortunately, this book dealt a lot more with the behind the scenes aspects than the actual happenings in Somalia. While at the start it was interesting seeing the families perspective, it did grow extremely tedious and I have to admit to skimming over lots of it in the second half of the book. While it was good to see things from Nigel's perspective, I felt the other parts were a little too long and strung out. I do recommend reading both books together though, because you can get a better glimpse of the full picture this way!
January 30, 2015
After reading A House in the Sky, by Amanda Lindhout, I wanted to read Nigel's version but was extremely disappointed. I found his sister and sister in laws parts boring and irrelevant and started skimming through them. I also felt like the book could have been about 200 pages shorter :(
December 11, 2023
Starting this book, I was nervous that it would be a combination of trauma porn and thinly veiled Islamophobia. Having finished it, I am pleased to report I was wrong on both counts. This is actually a story about human resilience, resourcefulness, and kindness (kindness around the world, I should say, with incredible generosity from Australia, Canada, and Somalia).
There are criticisms in the comments that I partially agree with. Some of Nik's and Kel's chapters are laden with acronyms in a way that can get tiring to try and follow. I will also say that, while I actually found all the "business" and government side of this incident really interesting, I found it SUPER hard to follow the last few chapters where the plan kept going "pear-shaped." Just the same, I disagree with the idea that this part of the book should have been condensed; it's literally called "The Price of Life," and these are the accounts of the market and the payees.
I also feel strongly that the Brennan family demonstrates a remarkable amount of courage and resilience throughout this story. I resent the idea that, if our roles were reversed, we would be kinder, more patient people. While having to sell off their assets, take out loans, and regularly subject themselves to the torture of being negotiators with the kidnappers' spokesman, grieving and terrified, they had to put up with bureaucratic bull. Thank goodness they were resourceful and hard-minded about this, and credit to them for not washing their story with saintliness and infinite patience.
3.5/5
There are criticisms in the comments that I partially agree with. Some of Nik's and Kel's chapters are laden with acronyms in a way that can get tiring to try and follow. I will also say that, while I actually found all the "business" and government side of this incident really interesting, I found it SUPER hard to follow the last few chapters where the plan kept going "pear-shaped." Just the same, I disagree with the idea that this part of the book should have been condensed; it's literally called "The Price of Life," and these are the accounts of the market and the payees.
I also feel strongly that the Brennan family demonstrates a remarkable amount of courage and resilience throughout this story. I resent the idea that, if our roles were reversed, we would be kinder, more patient people. While having to sell off their assets, take out loans, and regularly subject themselves to the torture of being negotiators with the kidnappers' spokesman, grieving and terrified, they had to put up with bureaucratic bull. Thank goodness they were resourceful and hard-minded about this, and credit to them for not washing their story with saintliness and infinite patience.
3.5/5
February 9, 2016
I feel this could have been written so much better and so much more respectfully of the other party, Amanda Lindhout. After reading A House in the Sky, I wanted to read about Nigel's point of view. His story is amazing, and for the most part I enjoyed reading his parts of the story. His sister and sister in law's portions, however were tedious, as they talked about EVERY SINGLE DETAIL of the negotiations. The book was not well-edited -I came across many basic grammatical errors, and there were large sections that should have been left out entirely. There were things Nigel's family included in the book that were totally irrelevant (and bordering on silly):
"Heather is blessed with amazing skin"
"The hijab isn't nearly stylish enough to be Amanda's own"
"This might sound crazy but there is no way I am carrying a rucksack of hundreds of thousands of dollars through the streets" (Um, no. Doesn't sound crazy)
Also, they contradict themselves. Nicky wants nothing to do with negotiations, but then complains that she is "out of the loop" when she thinks she is being taken off negotiating.
Another example is how they talk about Amanda: Nigel's family was not happy with having to help Amanda, but did so because they had no choice; this was made clear throughout the book. Yet, contradictory, kellie says "our side were rock solid on working as a team [with Amanda's family]" then Nicky says "it's just lucky for Amanda that we are so determined to get Nige back at any cost and she is part of that package"
"Heather is blessed with amazing skin"
"The hijab isn't nearly stylish enough to be Amanda's own"
"This might sound crazy but there is no way I am carrying a rucksack of hundreds of thousands of dollars through the streets" (Um, no. Doesn't sound crazy)
Also, they contradict themselves. Nicky wants nothing to do with negotiations, but then complains that she is "out of the loop" when she thinks she is being taken off negotiating.
Another example is how they talk about Amanda: Nigel's family was not happy with having to help Amanda, but did so because they had no choice; this was made clear throughout the book. Yet, contradictory, kellie says "our side were rock solid on working as a team [with Amanda's family]" then Nicky says "it's just lucky for Amanda that we are so determined to get Nige back at any cost and she is part of that package"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2013
I found this frustrating. I loved Amanda's book. I enjoy the sections from Nigel's point of view. But keeping track of Nigel's relatives is harder than keeping track of the Somalis. And the fact that there's so much slang and so many abbreviations doesn't help. The negotiators are called the "negs" for instance. Or there's a reference to getting another POL, which I finally figured out was proof of life. Too much minutia and at the same time, some things aren't explained well enough. So, it's an amazing story which is not told very well. And, when I ought to be on the edge of my seat, I am mostly rolling my eyes wondering why I should care that they moved the phone.
December 16, 2015
Not well written, but very interesting when paired with The House in the Sky. Always interesting to get two different views on the same events. After all they went through together, I find it sad that Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan are no longer in contact.
Want to read
September 15, 2013To read: reading Amanda Lindhout's memoir. Nigel often doesn't come across well so I'm interested in hearing his side.
July 15, 2018
Nigel Brennan and Amanda Lindhout went to Somalia and were kidnapped for ransom by terrorists. The only people who were surprised that this happened were Nigel, Amanda and their families. This book recounts Nigel’s experiences while held hostage and his family’s as they try to free him.
This is a book that would’ve benefitted greatly from an editor or a better editor than it had. There are grammar and spelling errors throughout. Who is the target audience? Only Australians? Because if it’s the rest of the world I don’t think they know the meaning of aggro, Bundy boys, or chook, sloppy joe, durry, HSC . . . the list goes on and on. The writing isn’t just lazy or tedious it is actively bad.
Nigel’s account was telling especially when compared with Amanda’s (From her account ‘A House in the Sky’). I found it straightforward. His family comes off poorly all the way around. They seem to only ever think about themselves and doing whatever they want without regard to advice, consequences of their behaviour or to the fact that this was a tragedy for them whereas everyone in the government was doing their job and had lives beyond their job. They complained about their government, Amanda, their government, Amanda’s family, their government, money, and did I mention - their government.
The kidnappers were radical Muslims raping and praying or money-grubbing terrorists wanting only to take what others have. Having read this I am against paying any sort of ransom. It only perpetuates the practice. I am absolutely against it (unless it’s someone I love being held, then I would do anything I could to get them home).
This is a book that would’ve benefitted greatly from an editor or a better editor than it had. There are grammar and spelling errors throughout. Who is the target audience? Only Australians? Because if it’s the rest of the world I don’t think they know the meaning of aggro, Bundy boys, or chook, sloppy joe, durry, HSC . . . the list goes on and on. The writing isn’t just lazy or tedious it is actively bad.
Nigel’s account was telling especially when compared with Amanda’s (From her account ‘A House in the Sky’). I found it straightforward. His family comes off poorly all the way around. They seem to only ever think about themselves and doing whatever they want without regard to advice, consequences of their behaviour or to the fact that this was a tragedy for them whereas everyone in the government was doing their job and had lives beyond their job. They complained about their government, Amanda, their government, Amanda’s family, their government, money, and did I mention - their government.
The kidnappers were radical Muslims raping and praying or money-grubbing terrorists wanting only to take what others have. Having read this I am against paying any sort of ransom. It only perpetuates the practice. I am absolutely against it (unless it’s someone I love being held, then I would do anything I could to get them home).
January 7, 2012
The strength of this book is in the collaboration between Nigel, Nicky and Kellie to get it written, and to tell the story of that 15 months from their different perspectives. The change of scenes and action and emotions makes it a page-turner. It also shows the disconnect between what Nigel and Amanda were experiencing and what the family DIDN'T KNOW about what they were experiencing.
People have criticised Nigel for going to Somalia in the first place and that may be valid. Even his sister and sister-in-law don't mince their words about what they think of that decision and Nigel doesn't shirk the blame for the situation either. But the compelling story is what was done to get Nigel and Amanda out. THEY did it... family members, friends, contractors and many others.
I like the first-person story telling technique because it helps to keep it immediate.
Finally, the AFP and DFAT don't look too good in this book because they should have been upfront about the crippling limitations they faced in trying to do anything in this case. Governments love to pretend they are in control when they have no clue. The details of the Brennan family's interaction with the Federal government should give future victims and their families a clue as to how they should approach the situation from the beginning.
People have criticised Nigel for going to Somalia in the first place and that may be valid. Even his sister and sister-in-law don't mince their words about what they think of that decision and Nigel doesn't shirk the blame for the situation either. But the compelling story is what was done to get Nigel and Amanda out. THEY did it... family members, friends, contractors and many others.
I like the first-person story telling technique because it helps to keep it immediate.
Finally, the AFP and DFAT don't look too good in this book because they should have been upfront about the crippling limitations they faced in trying to do anything in this case. Governments love to pretend they are in control when they have no clue. The details of the Brennan family's interaction with the Federal government should give future victims and their families a clue as to how they should approach the situation from the beginning.
January 10, 2014
Poor writing. This story was hard to follow and instead of simply telling a story about a harrowing event, the sister-in-law and sister who co-authored the book just sound like whiney, critical women. Pretty much hated this book.
March 8, 2014
An interesting read after reading A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindout. I found this book to be more compelling but perhaps only because I had the details from the other book. Both books speak to the human spirit and the capacity of the mind and positive thinking.
April 30, 2014
I enjoyed Nigel view of the events that happened. His family however, are looking for some to blame. They take it personal and attack Amanda and the Canadian government through out the book. Nigel is a big boy and he made really stupid mistakes, Amanda is just as stupid.
June 29, 2014
Amanda's book is much better! It was hard to listen to Nigel's relatives over and over - same stuff (much being difficult to understand if you don't know the lingo).
February 11, 2014
After reading A House in the Sky, I had to read this book.
Although it is written in a journal style and by two different authors; events from their perspective including Nigel's; it's spell binding!
I found all the abbreviations difficult to follow and finally gave up on most of them. Also a few characters come and go ... not sure where from or where to ... but ... it's fine.
It is an amazing journey, truly inspiring!
Written by ordinary people doing the extraordinary!
Thinking about it and coupling it with 419 (a novel) and A House in the Sky; I wonder about the chink in the chain, I wonder about the wisdom of bowing to terrorism at all. Or is it that this is just the other side of our character?
Watching all the Somali players come into the deal at the end was mind boggling and clearly the money was the magnet. Clearly some of the people "helping" the Brennan family were leaking or involved. The discrimination that one Somaili (Adan) wasn't a good businessman etc.; the others would not do business with him and that "not good business man" cutting himself a separate deal. Reminds of the bailouts of 2008!
"...it's all about the money..." page 2903
And yet the human spirit is left with the courage, love and will to continue, to believe and to love.
"Their economy is so screwed up: guns are as cheap as chips and they are all imported." Page 1792
"Out of a horrific experience have come many good things. I am more compassionate towards others, and infinitely more patient. I have a greater understanding of myself and the world around me. I have been given a second chance at life and I don;t intend to waste it." Page 5657
"The biggest lesson of all is that it is greater to give than to receive, and to give someone something and expect nothing in return, just to give, for its own sake, is the greatest thing of all." Page 5670
"The whole kidnap experience made me realize that we're all capable of more than we think. But the next important thing I learned is that ultimately, love is mightier than any bureaucracy." Page 5740
"It's kidnap month in Somalia" Page 1686
Although it is written in a journal style and by two different authors; events from their perspective including Nigel's; it's spell binding!
I found all the abbreviations difficult to follow and finally gave up on most of them. Also a few characters come and go ... not sure where from or where to ... but ... it's fine.
It is an amazing journey, truly inspiring!
Written by ordinary people doing the extraordinary!
Thinking about it and coupling it with 419 (a novel) and A House in the Sky; I wonder about the chink in the chain, I wonder about the wisdom of bowing to terrorism at all. Or is it that this is just the other side of our character?
Watching all the Somali players come into the deal at the end was mind boggling and clearly the money was the magnet. Clearly some of the people "helping" the Brennan family were leaking or involved. The discrimination that one Somaili (Adan) wasn't a good businessman etc.; the others would not do business with him and that "not good business man" cutting himself a separate deal. Reminds of the bailouts of 2008!
"...it's all about the money..." page 2903
And yet the human spirit is left with the courage, love and will to continue, to believe and to love.
"Their economy is so screwed up: guns are as cheap as chips and they are all imported." Page 1792
"Out of a horrific experience have come many good things. I am more compassionate towards others, and infinitely more patient. I have a greater understanding of myself and the world around me. I have been given a second chance at life and I don;t intend to waste it." Page 5657
"The biggest lesson of all is that it is greater to give than to receive, and to give someone something and expect nothing in return, just to give, for its own sake, is the greatest thing of all." Page 5670
"The whole kidnap experience made me realize that we're all capable of more than we think. But the next important thing I learned is that ultimately, love is mightier than any bureaucracy." Page 5740
"It's kidnap month in Somalia" Page 1686
October 20, 2018
I read this book after reading Amanda Lindhout's A House in the Sky. I wanted to read Nigel's point of view. I agree with a lot of the other reviews regarding the family member's parts of the book. I don't really understand the reason for most of the sister-in-law's parts at all because they were mostly about her catering business and a majority of the sister's parts could have been condensed to less than half of what she contributed. I would have liked this book more if Nigel's parts were more frequent, Kellie's parts consisted of one (during her role in sending the money only) and if Nicky's parts were condensed to half. It was tiring hearing them repeatedly complain over and over again about the same stuff - the government, Amanda, Amanda's parents and the money.
I have since read an article that states that a Canadian donor donated $750,000 towards Amanda's release. I wonder where this money is since the Australian's claimed in the book that all but $100,000 (from mortgaging Jon's home) was made up by them. Also in the book Nicky kept referring to Jon Lindhout's terminal illness, yet 10 years later he is still alive, so I wonder what type of terminal illness he has?
It was interesting to see pieces of the story from Nigel that Amanda left out all together. Not sure if that was for a more dramatic feel for her book, if she forgot certain things or if she felt they weren't important.
I also found it upsetting that Nigel let Amanda take the fall for the escape attempt and only vaguely brushed over that fact in the book.
I have since read an article that states that a Canadian donor donated $750,000 towards Amanda's release. I wonder where this money is since the Australian's claimed in the book that all but $100,000 (from mortgaging Jon's home) was made up by them. Also in the book Nicky kept referring to Jon Lindhout's terminal illness, yet 10 years later he is still alive, so I wonder what type of terminal illness he has?
It was interesting to see pieces of the story from Nigel that Amanda left out all together. Not sure if that was for a more dramatic feel for her book, if she forgot certain things or if she felt they weren't important.
I also found it upsetting that Nigel let Amanda take the fall for the escape attempt and only vaguely brushed over that fact in the book.
July 3, 2015
I would be interesting to know what I would have thought about this book if I had read it before Amanda's account in A House in the Sky and if I would have enjoyed it more, but without a time machine, all I know is this book was an utter disappointment and its poor writing was more glaring in comparison to A House in the Sky. To the book's credit, knowing *some* of the backstory about how the rescue came to be was interesting and helpful, but only after the contextual knowledge provided by Amanda Lindhout. Wading through the whining and rambling of the sister and sister-in-law to get that information was not worth it.
January 25, 2015
Don't waste your time if you want to get the other side of Amanda's story. This book spends so much time with his sister and sister-in-laws point of view that there is little to compare. Nigel writes short sections, but less than a third of the book. Otherwise we're reading the diaries of the family at home. Obviously they're stressed out, but it's just not interesting. The timelines are disorganized, the women ramble. The book needs some serious editing- whoever edited this book doesn't deserve their job.
May 25, 2016
This is a great book to read after A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett. Though not at well written as A House in the Sky, The Price of Life tells the 'other' story, that of Nigel Brennan's life in captivity, from not only his perspective but that of several members of his family. The reader is provided with a true glimpse of the challenges faced by families in trying to free their kidnapped loved ones when most countries will not negotiate with terrorists.
October 6, 2012
Really!! What do u expect if you go to a Gorilla state!!!!!!!
August 17, 2011
Having known some general clues of the kidnapping story, I started the breath-holding read with a great longing for all the details on Nigel’s incredible experience as a journalist held hostage in Somalia and what his family went through before getting him released. And the book doesn’t let me down from the first minute I got my hand on it. Rather than beginning with Nigel’s part, the story is unfolded empathetically with the scenario in the family when Kellie received the phone call saying Nigel has been kidnapped in one of the most dangerous place in the world. The angle of human interest or family ties is very well infiltrated and manifested from the starting chapters, which I believe leads readers into the whole picture of the 462 days in a very smooth but genuine way.
The three-author approach is an innovative and bold try but I think it works perfectly by offering three different perspectives to comprehend the context and enormity of what’s going on for the ordinary Aussie family – Nigel’s ordeal and struggling in darkness, Kellie’s description on her own mood curves and her observation on the Brennan’s emotional tensions as well as Nicole’s role as the negotiator dealing with various government departments at first and then the captors. From Nigel’s cliff-hanging failed escaping attempt to the happy reunion of the family in Nairobi, the surreal story is told in a convincingly real manner that for many times my thoughts went beyond the words, trying to feel how Nigel and his family member felt during the 15 hellish months.
It’s very touching and thought-provoking. As a fellow journalist working in a relatively peaceful region, I start considering the nature of journalistic operations in conflict zones, the meaning of frontline coverage, the responsibility and the inevitable risks involved in the business. Can journalism change the world even just for a teensy bit? What does it cost even if so? Should journalists firmly hold the faith that what we are doing everyday will make people see and think differently? How to come up with such great bravery just as Nigel did to look into the ‘forgotten’ areas and call for attention and affection? Are there any other paths to extend a helping hand to people who are living in danger and desperately in need of assistance and salvation?
Well, this is a good read whatsoever, particularly a must-read for those who is part of the media industry. And most importantly, the book reminds us of the strength of family love.
The three-author approach is an innovative and bold try but I think it works perfectly by offering three different perspectives to comprehend the context and enormity of what’s going on for the ordinary Aussie family – Nigel’s ordeal and struggling in darkness, Kellie’s description on her own mood curves and her observation on the Brennan’s emotional tensions as well as Nicole’s role as the negotiator dealing with various government departments at first and then the captors. From Nigel’s cliff-hanging failed escaping attempt to the happy reunion of the family in Nairobi, the surreal story is told in a convincingly real manner that for many times my thoughts went beyond the words, trying to feel how Nigel and his family member felt during the 15 hellish months.
It’s very touching and thought-provoking. As a fellow journalist working in a relatively peaceful region, I start considering the nature of journalistic operations in conflict zones, the meaning of frontline coverage, the responsibility and the inevitable risks involved in the business. Can journalism change the world even just for a teensy bit? What does it cost even if so? Should journalists firmly hold the faith that what we are doing everyday will make people see and think differently? How to come up with such great bravery just as Nigel did to look into the ‘forgotten’ areas and call for attention and affection? Are there any other paths to extend a helping hand to people who are living in danger and desperately in need of assistance and salvation?
Well, this is a good read whatsoever, particularly a must-read for those who is part of the media industry. And most importantly, the book reminds us of the strength of family love.
May 9, 2016
I read this because my book club is reading A House in the Sky, and having already read it, I figured I'd expand on it by reading Nigel's account of their kidnapping and time in captivity. This book was OK. I knew that it would present much more information about the negotiations and efforts that went in to Amanda and Nigel's release, but there was way too much detail on that front, and it was often repetitive because we were getting the point of view of both Nigel's sister and sister-in-law.
Having read A House in the Sky a few years ago, I have spent some time stewing over what should and shouldn't have been done - and so a few things rubbed me the wrong way.
First, Nicky's constant irritation at the government and their refusal to pay the ransom. I understand her frustration, and perhaps someone should have recommended to their earlier to find an outside source to deal with the negotiations and ransom, BUT I completely side with the Australian (and Canadian, for that matter) government in their refusal to pay ransoms to terrorists. It simply can't be done.
Next, when Nicky gets to Nairobi, she actually complains about being given instructions on what is safe and where they can't go. She goes as far as to say "Nigel didn't get kidnapped until he went to Somalia, and he wasn't staying in a nice hotel like we are". Yes, Kenya is safer than Somalia, but considering what you are there to do, you might want to heed the warnings.
Of course, Nigel's part of the story was the most riveting, and it was interesting to read how his time in captivity differed from Amanda's. And knowing that one of the kidnappers has since been arrested, also made it more satisfying.
Having read A House in the Sky a few years ago, I have spent some time stewing over what should and shouldn't have been done - and so a few things rubbed me the wrong way.
First, Nicky's constant irritation at the government and their refusal to pay the ransom. I understand her frustration, and perhaps someone should have recommended to their earlier to find an outside source to deal with the negotiations and ransom, BUT I completely side with the Australian (and Canadian, for that matter) government in their refusal to pay ransoms to terrorists. It simply can't be done.
Next, when Nicky gets to Nairobi, she actually complains about being given instructions on what is safe and where they can't go. She goes as far as to say "Nigel didn't get kidnapped until he went to Somalia, and he wasn't staying in a nice hotel like we are". Yes, Kenya is safer than Somalia, but considering what you are there to do, you might want to heed the warnings.
Of course, Nigel's part of the story was the most riveting, and it was interesting to read how his time in captivity differed from Amanda's. And knowing that one of the kidnappers has since been arrested, also made it more satisfying.
April 29, 2016
Took awhile to finish this. It's a heavy read. I read this after A house in the sky by Amanda Lindout. I liked the style of writing better In Amanda's book as it was more to the point. Nigel's book was too detailed. Though I much preferred the inclusion of his families story in this tale of events. It really goes to show you that the truth and experience is in the eye of the beholder. What I am pleased about with these stories is the extent of the human spirit. I think many of us (me included) are oblivious of the trials and horrors that others of our fellow humans go through. As the saying goes......walk a mile in another's shoes..... I am so sad these things happened to Nigel and Amanda, their families and friends and even the lives of the hostage takers. I will forever be grateful to have been born a Canadian. I have no idea who I would have been had I been born in Somalia.......none of us do. Reading books like this sure make me appreciate my life and the lives of my loved ones. I have seen Amanda speak several times and am pleased she and Nigel have used their experiences for good.......it could have easily gone another way.
I have also really enjoyed reading other reviews on these books. To see how others felt about the predicament Amanda and Nigel got themselves into. I would encourage anyone to read both these books..... But be prepared for seeing the ugly sides of human nature.
I have also really enjoyed reading other reviews on these books. To see how others felt about the predicament Amanda and Nigel got themselves into. I would encourage anyone to read both these books..... But be prepared for seeing the ugly sides of human nature.
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