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Escape to Hell and Other Stories
A collection of short stories including "The City," "The Suicide of the Astronaut," and "Prayer on the Last Friday", and four essays
193 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1998
15 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Muammar Gaddafi
15 books230 followersمعمر القذافي
Muammar al-Gaddafi
معمر محمد أبو منيار القذافي
Muammar Al-Qaddafi
The de facto leader of Libya since 1969 although he hasn't got an official title he is often referred to as "Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" and "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution"
His policy is reffered to as an mix of Pan-Arabism and Islamic socialism. Although nowaday he calls for Pan-Africanism as well.
His politicial philosophy is outlined in his booklet the "Green Book"
On august 2008 Qaddafi has been titled Africa's king of kings by an council of 200 kings of Africa in Libya.
Muammar al-Gaddafi
معمر محمد أبو منيار القذافي
Muammar Al-Qaddafi
The de facto leader of Libya since 1969 although he hasn't got an official title he is often referred to as "Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" and "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution"
His policy is reffered to as an mix of Pan-Arabism and Islamic socialism. Although nowaday he calls for Pan-Africanism as well.
His politicial philosophy is outlined in his booklet the "Green Book"
On august 2008 Qaddafi has been titled Africa's king of kings by an council of 200 kings of Africa in Libya.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 20, 2016
Difficult book to review and rate. It certainly requires some explaining; and so...
First off I should probably mention that I think Gaddafi was a visionary. I have serious problems with the Western painted picture of who he was and what he did. And the more I look into it the more unclear it becomes as to why exactly he received the label "tyrant" and "mad dog". But (despite this man's supposed history) an idea is not a series of faults in and individual's life, it is forever and, in this instance, has a potential that should not be ignored.
That aside here is a collection of stories, or more like ideas and part philosophical yearnings and queries that cover a large range of systematic problems in the world systems such as religion, government, nationalism, tribalism, etc.
The book, for me, improved greatly towards the end. His thoughts on communism are fascinating, and his idea of what a political party is and who "the people" are exactly are concepts the western world could benefit from thinking about.
The difficulty in reviewing comes mainly from the translation. It is a struggle at times to understand where he is coming from thanks to some very poorly worded sentences. But 4 stars it receives all the same, as I would read it again and contemplated many things I'd not previously give time to. A terribly sad loss.
First off I should probably mention that I think Gaddafi was a visionary. I have serious problems with the Western painted picture of who he was and what he did. And the more I look into it the more unclear it becomes as to why exactly he received the label "tyrant" and "mad dog". But (despite this man's supposed history) an idea is not a series of faults in and individual's life, it is forever and, in this instance, has a potential that should not be ignored.
That aside here is a collection of stories, or more like ideas and part philosophical yearnings and queries that cover a large range of systematic problems in the world systems such as religion, government, nationalism, tribalism, etc.
The book, for me, improved greatly towards the end. His thoughts on communism are fascinating, and his idea of what a political party is and who "the people" are exactly are concepts the western world could benefit from thinking about.
The difficulty in reviewing comes mainly from the translation. It is a struggle at times to understand where he is coming from thanks to some very poorly worded sentences. But 4 stars it receives all the same, as I would read it again and contemplated many things I'd not previously give time to. A terribly sad loss.
November 21, 2017
بالصدفة عرفت ان معمر القذافي كتب شيء تاني غير الكتاب الاخضر ، و خجلت من نفسي اني ارتضيت ان تكون معلوماتي عن الرجل مجرد منشورات على شبكات التواصل عنه ،و انني لم استمع له من فمه ، عشان كده فوجئت بهذا الكتاب و القصص اللي فيه ، فوجئت بان هذا الرجل يحمل فكر شاطح و فلسفي اعمق مما روج له ، متاثر بفلاسفة المسلمين و العدميين.
اعتقد اني سابحث لو كان كتب اي شيء اخر لادخل في عقل هذا الرجل اكثر مما لقن في فمي.
اعتقد اني سابحث لو كان كتب اي شيء اخر لادخل في عقل هذا الرجل اكثر مما لقن في فمي.
June 13, 2022
The second book by Gaddafi, it isn't bad. It was of interest to me as I have been conditioned to hate and fear this man since childhood without knowing anything about him. Admittedly seeing his televised murder disturbed me and was of such a nature that I could see no justification for it. He writes of the poisonous environment of living in a city, the peace of the village, and the futility of over emphasis on fundamentalism by religious extremist. Overall, it is an appeal to reason directed at both his supporters as well as his critics.
March 23, 2025
A fascinating and unexpected glimpse into the mind of a controversial figure. Escape from Hell and Other Stories blends fiction, allegory, and raw emotion in a way that’s both thought-provoking and surprisingly literary. Gadaffi’s storytelling is bold, symbolic, and layered with philosophical undertones.
Whether you read it for the politics, the psychology, or the sheer curiosity, it’s a compelling collection worth exploring.
Whether you read it for the politics, the psychology, or the sheer curiosity, it’s a compelling collection worth exploring.
November 3, 2019
une philosophe ideologue a la, Sartre. the death of communism, suicide of the astronaut and, escape to hell, chapters stood out.
a Libyan nationalist.
a Libyan nationalist.
April 13, 2023
This book is unusual in that it has a selection of short stories juxtaposed with the feelings and opinions of Gadaffi.
In the introduction Gadaffi talks about how he felt that Libya was falsely blamed for the Lockerbie bombing after investigations by the US and British governments had originally found Iran and Syria were responsible and they changed their mind after the Gulf War when they wanted to 'see progress in Middle East peace talks', of which Syria were a 'crucial' part.
This book was published in 1999 and in December 2022 Al-Jazeera* reported a Libyan man, Abu Agela Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi was in US custody suspected of making the bomb after admitting in an interview to Libyan law enforcement in 2012, to building and carrying out the attack. He also said the 'operation was ordered by Libyan intelligence and that Gaddafi thanked him.' This was after the 'collapse of the government of the country’s longtime ruler, Muammar Gaddafi'.
What is interesting about this Al Jazeera report is that Gadaffi didnt consider himself a 'ruler' as he felt that a system of 'direct democracy' had been established in Libya where the people ruled and there was no 'president' or 'government' and there was also no law enforcement/ police force when Gadaffi lived according to his book 'My Vision', so according to this the Libyan law enforcement must have been established after his death, unless they meant it was the masses, who took 'responsibility for security and defense' whilst Gadaffi was alive.
It also says that there were no homeless, unemployed or badly paid people with Gadaffi and talks about how employment forces people to live in the city and how this 'necessity separates relatives from one another' and also how 'the city devours agricultural production and demands more and more of it, although this agricultural production requires land and peasants' to work the land.
Gadaffi writes 'Depart from the city and flee to the village...you will see constellations in the sky that will make you despise the chandeliers made of sand'.
*https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1...
In the introduction Gadaffi talks about how he felt that Libya was falsely blamed for the Lockerbie bombing after investigations by the US and British governments had originally found Iran and Syria were responsible and they changed their mind after the Gulf War when they wanted to 'see progress in Middle East peace talks', of which Syria were a 'crucial' part.
This book was published in 1999 and in December 2022 Al-Jazeera* reported a Libyan man, Abu Agela Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi was in US custody suspected of making the bomb after admitting in an interview to Libyan law enforcement in 2012, to building and carrying out the attack. He also said the 'operation was ordered by Libyan intelligence and that Gaddafi thanked him.' This was after the 'collapse of the government of the country’s longtime ruler, Muammar Gaddafi'.
What is interesting about this Al Jazeera report is that Gadaffi didnt consider himself a 'ruler' as he felt that a system of 'direct democracy' had been established in Libya where the people ruled and there was no 'president' or 'government' and there was also no law enforcement/ police force when Gadaffi lived according to his book 'My Vision', so according to this the Libyan law enforcement must have been established after his death, unless they meant it was the masses, who took 'responsibility for security and defense' whilst Gadaffi was alive.
It also says that there were no homeless, unemployed or badly paid people with Gadaffi and talks about how employment forces people to live in the city and how this 'necessity separates relatives from one another' and also how 'the city devours agricultural production and demands more and more of it, although this agricultural production requires land and peasants' to work the land.
Gadaffi writes 'Depart from the city and flee to the village...you will see constellations in the sky that will make you despise the chandeliers made of sand'.
*https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2011
WTF?????
This is unreadable nonsense.
This is unreadable nonsense.
May 27, 2015
Enter the mind of Mad Dog Gaddafi! Interesting stuff...
April 24, 2017
I actually found this an interesting read although I don't know why it's got the word "stories" in the title because it appears to be more a collection of Gaddafi's thoughts and feelings.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews