The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East – A Gripping Memoir and Reportage on Trauma and Terrorism in Lebanon

by Sulome Anderson

In this gripping blend of reportage, memoir, and analysis, a journalist and daughter of one of the world’s most famous hostages, Terry Anderson, takes an intimate look at her father’s captivity during the Lebanese Hostage Crisis and the ensuing political firestorm on both her family and the United States—as well as the far-reaching implications of those events on Middle Eastern politics today. In 1991, six-year-old Sulome Anderson met her father, Terry, for the first time. While working as the Middle East bureau chief for the Associated Press covering the long and bloody civil war in Lebanon, Terry had been kidnapped in Beirut and held for her entire life by a Shiite Muslim militia associated with the Hezbollah movement. As the nation celebrated, the media captured a smiling Anderson family joyously reunited. But the truth was far darker. Plagued by PTSD, Terry was a moody, aloof, and distant figure to the young daughter who had long dreamed of his return—and while she smiled for the cameras all the same, she absorbed his trauma as her own. Years later, after long battles with drug abuse and mental illness, Sulome would travel to the Middle East as a reporter, seeking to understand her father, the men who had kidnapped him, and ultimately, herself. What she discovered was shocking—not just about Terry, but about the international political machinations that occurred during the years of his captivity. The Hostage’s Daughter is an intimate look at the effect of the Lebanese Hostage Crisis on Anderson’s family, the United States, and the Middle East today. Sulome tells moving stories from her experiences as a reporter in the region and challenges our understanding of global politics, the forces that spawn terrorism and especially Lebanon, the beautiful, devastated, and vitally important country she came to love. Powerful and eye-opening The Hostage’s Daughter is essential reading for anyone interested in international relations, this violent, haunted region, and America's role in its fate.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Middle East, History, Biography, Politics, Biography Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2016

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of good information here, but it feels as if Anderson was not really sure exactly what book she wanted to write, so just went with it. A mishmash of investigative journalism (and kudos to her for tracking down some of these folks), memoir, op-ed, and even perhaps a little soapbox for getting out her feeling against her parents and ex-boyfriends. Honest in that she reveals drug problems and mental illness, but that material I liked less than the historical stuff. Her descriptions of her Dad were fair to the opposite of what I expected---he doesn't come off too well in the telling. Some may not like the slant of her views, but she does ask legitimate questions.

[Jane Hammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting read, more for the journalism, in my opinion, than the memoir--though these elements are seamlessly interwoven. I tend to like more reflective memoirs. But the parts of this book that are investigative--Sulome Anderson trying to get a more detailed, deeper story (not to mention truth) of her father's kidnapping--are riveting. It took a lot of courage to write this book--Anderson puts a lot on the line in terms of her personal safety and her willingness to look at her past and the history that shapes her relationship with her father, an enormous force in her life. I hear the movie rights have been sold. I can see how this would make a great movie--as long as it doesn't go "Homeland" on us :)

[Jeanie Blyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a raw, honest & brave memoir, I'm really impressed by this young woman"s personal courage and transparency. I was drawn to read this because I loved Brian Keenan's 'An Evil Cradling', but this woman is something else. The writing is fresh, unpretentious and accessible, & considering how complex and harrowing her subject matter is, she seems to have found just the right tone and balance.

[Everydayreader1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terry Anderson was taken hostage in Lebanon before his daughter, Sulome Anderson, was born. She was a seven-year-old little girl before she met him, when he was released by his captors, in 1991. The Hostage's Daughter tells the story of her childhood, her reunion with her father, her search to learn who kidnapped him and why, and finally of her making peace with him and herself. This book also gives the reader a better understanding of the conflicts and the complex political climate in the Middle East.

The honesty in this book brought me to tears many times. It is a story of real courage in so many ways. A great read.

[Samar Dahmash Jarrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and painful inside look into the lives of a hostage's daughter after the Cameras are gone. I had the privilege of interviewing the author. Will post the interview here later. UPDATE.

Here is a link to my interview with author Sulome Anderson.
http://samarjarrah.com/en/radio-shows...

[Ben Ricketts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting and kept me engaged. My only complaint is one that shows up quite a bit here: the structure is all over the place. There are essentially two stories here: (1) a journalist seeking answers to the biggest questions of her life by diving deep into conflicts in Lebanon, and (2) a journalist looking back over her problematic past in a sort of “coming of age” tale. These things are undoubtedly connected (given the author’s past and the root of her personal issues being the same thing she is actively researching), but the parts don’t always smoothly connect.

This book really shines in its humanistic portrayals of Middle Eastern figures. It never presents the relevant conflicts in a single dimension; respect is given to the immense complexities and nuances of the events covered.

If you’re interested in varying perspectives of Middle Eastern conflicts, I recommend this book.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

In March 1985, American journalist Terry Anderson was kidnapped in Beirut. His daughter Sulome, born in June of the same year, did not meet her father until his release six years later. Part investigative journalism, part memoir, this book follows Sulome's investigation of the Lebanese Hostage Crisis through numerous interviews both in the US and in the Middle East, interspersed with brutally honest passages about how her father's experiences influenced her childhood and adolescense as well as her struggles with drug addiction and mental illness and the decision to eventually follow in her father's footsteps as a reporter in the Middle East. It's not an obvious concept, and perhaps it shouldn't work as well as it did, but I at least found both parts of the book equally gripping.

[Dee Halzack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-written page turner by the daughter of one of the many Westerners kidnapped in Lebanon at one point gives insight into the Middle East, political kidnapping, and mental health. If you're interested in the Middle East, like a good personal story, or are interested in journalism I highly recommend the book. In spite of the fact that it focuses on a story that was well xcovered in the news at one point, there are twists and turns and surprises.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disjointed. Indulgent.

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book in a while where my reaction once I started was "Keep reading, sleep later." It hooked me right away, and I finished in two days. Sulome Anderson delivers an expert understanding of the complicated political forces that shape the Levant region (and beyond, if you want to include Iran and the United States), while also connecting the big picture of Hezbollah, the Israel/Palestine conflict, and regional/global powers' influences on events, to her personal story of her father's abduction and the aftermath. People might criticize Anderson's turning the spotlight on herself and her family as a cheap gimmick, but I believes it serves an important part in one of her book's main themes: the human angle that often gets lost when chronicling events from the 30,000-feet perspective. In particular, Anderson emphasizes the cost of violence-to those who endure it, those who report on it, and those who inflict it. I highly recommend The Hostage's Daughter to anyone trying to gain a better understanding of why Lebanon was so important in the 1980s (as well as today) interwoven with the story of someone whose life was profoundly shaped by events that transpired there.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe every book published by released hostages from Lebanon. Some were really bad books and some were very good. The best was probably Den of Lions from Terry Anderson and Madeleine Bassil. Madeleine was pregnant with Mr. Anderson’s second daughter at the time of his abduction and the books gives perspectives from both during his seven years in captivity. This book is written by that daughter. She is now a journalist and the book travels two paths. The first is about what the abduction and the damage done did to her family and her personally. The second is her investigation into the events surrounding her father abduction, including several meetings with one her father’s abductors. The books chronicle the events in Lebanon at the time very well. Included are interviews with two other key players at the time, fellow Hostage Terry Waite and former Mosad Agent Victor Ostrovsky. Both of them also wrote books of that time in the middle east which are well worth reading as well.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book can be summed up with two excerpts:

(1) “Much of what I’ve written in this book could be the ravings of a woman driven out of her mind by circumstance; I imagine many people will say that. Perhaps it’s all just the product of a fevered imagination racked with delusions and my words are completely removed from the ordered existence we can all believe in.
Or maybe it’s all of us who are crazy. […] when I feel hopeless it seems like maybe this whole fucking world is off its meds. […]. Maybe we’re vividly hallucinating safety in a world that’s slowly metamorphosing into a snake, the kind that eats its own tail.”

(2) “This is the nature of war. Journalists see the insanity that possesses people when their world suddenly turns hell-like and human life loses its value. Some make the right choices under those circumstances; others […] make the wrong ones. As with the victims and the perpetrators of conflict, some reporters manage to keep their souls intact. Many don’t.”

[Gayle Slagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East by Sulome Anderson is part memoir and part journalism. The daughter of Terry Anderson, the journalist who had been captured in Beirut and remained a prisoner for seven years, she thought of her father as a super-hero, larger than life. When he was returned to the seven year old girl, he was not able to live up to her expectations, which led to many problems in her later life. Plagued by PTSD, Terry was moody and aloof and had a difficult time connecting to the daughter that he loved. Years later, after battles with drug abuse and mental illness, Sulome travels to the Middle East as a reporter in an attempt to find out who was behind the capture of her father and to gain an understanding of them. The book is well-written and well-researched and the memoir sections are honest and revealing.

[Jacinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sulome's search to uncover the truth and all aspects surrounding her father's abduction leads to a rather fascinating tale and the ensuing fallout of a person who was help as a hostage for 7 years. As a journalist the author has gone far beyond a brief insight into uncovering the truth and in the end comes face to face with one of the terrorists responsible for holding her father. However the story also investigates various political motivations behind what may have initiated the terrorist organisations, the personal fallout the author suffered from her father's abduction as well as covering her own memoirs. its a fascinating read that highlights some interesting history behind some highly wartorn regions of the world.

[Cristina Rueda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a confusing book: it is part memoir, part investigative journalism piece. Anderson narrates her difficult childhood along with her attempt at trying to find out the ultimate party responsible for her father’s seven year kidnapping ordeal. Neither goal is achieved. The memoir reads like a spoiled only-child brat’s diary. She is annoying and selfish. The investigative piece is more interesting, Anderson is a good writer and gets really good interviews and she is well-versed into the Middle East conflict. However one finishes the book with a bad after taste for her and with only conflicting conspiracy theories that resolve nothing.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many times throughout this book I wondered at Ms Anderson's writing style and also if maybe she was high at some times. It wasn't always a smooth thought and would abruptly leave one conversation to follow another conversation, without ever returning to the first interview. Beyond that, I think she shared a lot of very pertinent information, both about herself and her father's captivity. She definitely is a dogged reporter at getting the information she needs and is persistent in obtaining it. I especially loved to see her growth throughout and the amends she was able to make with herself and her father. Very worthwhile read.

[Margo Perin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extraordinarily well written, researched, enlightening and engaging blend of reportage, history, and memoir. Honest and deep on all levels. One of the most revealing parts of the book are what she has to go through as a journalist who is a woman. I hope male journalists read this and take note. Yet another instance of how women have to navigate a male dominated world. Anderson is a courageous and insightful reporter of the complicated and challenging landscape of the Middle East as well as her own life. Many bravas to her.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure I would have rated it higher if I had a better understanding of the Middle East and it's history, but most of it went over my head (that's on me, not the author). It's very well written and researched and there's an audience for it somewhere. Even though I skipped through a lot of the political stuff, I did enjoy the human relationships described and the effects the events had on those humans.

[Scott Carmichael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this to be a disturbing and confusing book at times. Solume wraps it up nice in the end. Perhaps her father's kidnapping wasn't as confusing and mixed up international plot as many make it our to be. Just some desperate people trying to do whatever they can? I am sure this quest helped Solume find some closer and peace. Quite a journey. God Bless

[Mary Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

This booked a lot of current and past history of Lebanon which was interesting to a degree but the part that really spoke to me was her personal journey. Sulome is a brave honest woman who has struggled through many challenges and she tells her story with all the heartbreak and triumph.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sober retell ing retell ingot Terry Anderson being held by his daughter and what this did to her and her family . She became sick on and off with behavior disorders . She became a journalist and went to the Lebanon where she did find out the story good book

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracking down the abductors if her father Terry Anderson. Four stars for covering this fascinating history, but a less interesting memoir as well. Not sure the writer knew what form the book should take, sometimes way too much of a private confessional.

[Yaman Hukan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written and truly a page turner. A personal story of suffering and agony, one out of the millions caused by a brutal 15 years long civil war, with an insight on some of its actors including Hizbollah, Israel, and Iran.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anderson melds personal and political to create a compelling account of her father's abduction. Her journalistic eye isn't jaded by her intimate connection to the crime; instead, we're privileged to an otherwise privately held perspective.

[Cierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read that was outside of the usual types of books/genres I typically lean towards. I liked the author and I think she told her story well. The quotes at the beginnings of the chapters I also quite liked.

Overall, a interesting read.

[Hugh Stowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the better books I have read; touches on the whole Israeli - Palestinian conflict. It is visceral and thought-provoking. I admired the way Sulome described her own struggles and emotions through various chapters in the book. Definitely 5 Stars.

[Lucy Shanker]

I don’t rate memoirs, so I shall say that I learned a lot because she included a lot of nuanced opinions in her research, but I did find it somewhat hard to follow (maybe just that it was going over my head). also i’ll say…. you can tell that this was written by an only child lol

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Terry Anderson's account of his captivity in Lebanon in the 80s, and it was excellent. His daughter's story was also just as great. Really amazing, honest tale of her experiences. Highly recommend!

[Elisabeth C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was too disjointed for me to follow. The writing is not particularly bad, but it jumps all over the place. I couldn't finish it.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and informative book - especially for me!!