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Guest of the Revolution
"This is not a definitive account of fifty Americans. Rather it is my recollection of how I handled the situation during days "on the job" that ranged from a little tougher than normal to downright terrifying. Each of the fifty-two of us was treated differently, and this only tells my story - and part of Ann's after we were finally permitted to become roommates on March 12, 1980. I understand from looking at headlines and articles that were written during the time of our captivity that the going was rough here in the United States. The time inside the compound was tough, too, but often in a way that was much different from the picture the American public carried in its mind's eye. Here, then, is what I remember as being important in my life from those days when I was an involuntary "guest of the revolution." -- Kathryn Koob from Foreword
- GenresNonfictionIranMemoir
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 25, 2017
I recently saw the movie “Argo” about the 6 American hostages who were rescued as Canadian actors/actresses during the first year of revolution in Iran. So, since I had this book on my to read shelf for ages,;I thought it’s the best time to read about the other 52 hostages who were kept captive for 444 days in US embassy by religious students during those chaotic days after the revolution which each religious group acted on their own impulse to bring new revolutionary ideas to life.
However; this book was not what I expected at all. Instead of a memoir of her days of captivity, Kathryn Koob sounded like a preacher to renew her commitment to Jesus Christ and her religious upbringing which was a bit disappointing.
However; this book was not what I expected at all. Instead of a memoir of her days of captivity, Kathryn Koob sounded like a preacher to renew her commitment to Jesus Christ and her religious upbringing which was a bit disappointing.
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May 1, 2012Turns out being kidnapped by Muslim fundamentalists can make you get Jesus... Who knew?
If you're not SUPER Christian, you can probably live without at least 70% of this book. There are some great descriptions of being held hostage, especially earlier on, but the Jesus and home ec details get a little intense. I really liked hearing her take on the young female guards, sort of wish there'd been more of that and fewer hymns, but what can ya do... Koob does seem like a nice, sweet lady, and she does convey a sense of the hostage experience.
To me this book is an interesting illustration of what is good and what's bad about religion. On the one hand, her faith clearly helped Koob immeasurably in getting through her ordeal, and preserving a seemingly upbeat and admirable attitude throughout. On the other hand, religious faith is also much of what created that mess in the first place, and it's also what makes this book something of a slog for the heathens among us. Most of the good parts are repeated elsewhere in more secular accounts, so unless you're specifically after an inspirational religious captivity narrative you might as well just stick with those.
If you're not SUPER Christian, you can probably live without at least 70% of this book. There are some great descriptions of being held hostage, especially earlier on, but the Jesus and home ec details get a little intense. I really liked hearing her take on the young female guards, sort of wish there'd been more of that and fewer hymns, but what can ya do... Koob does seem like a nice, sweet lady, and she does convey a sense of the hostage experience.
To me this book is an interesting illustration of what is good and what's bad about religion. On the one hand, her faith clearly helped Koob immeasurably in getting through her ordeal, and preserving a seemingly upbeat and admirable attitude throughout. On the other hand, religious faith is also much of what created that mess in the first place, and it's also what makes this book something of a slog for the heathens among us. Most of the good parts are repeated elsewhere in more secular accounts, so unless you're specifically after an inspirational religious captivity narrative you might as well just stick with those.
October 9, 2017
Katherine Koob was working at the American Embassy in Iran when the Revolution started in 1979 and was one of the people taken hostage and held for 444 days. This was her recounting of her experience.
If Goodreads allowed for half stars this would be a 2.5. It wasn't bad, but it certainly was not what I expected the tale of the experiences of one of the Iranian Hostages to be.
Now, I don't know if that is because I was 6 when she was taken hostage and my memories of the time are vague at best, and my life experiences have caused me to have a different view on "being a hostage" from other stories, movies, tv and such than what Ms. Koob did, but I found myself frustrated by her.
She said she told an interviewer that she and the other female hostage that she ended up sharing quarters with as being scared all the time. But that certainly did not come across in the writing. I expected more descriptions of the fear, the isolation before she was quartered with Ann, the pains of hunger because they didn't always feed her, the general uncomfortableness of having to wear the same clothes day in and day out, etc.
Instead she describes spending her days reading the bible and hymnal she had with her, praying, making plans for what she would cook for dinner, etc. But frankly the entire read made it seem like it was just an inconvenience for her, not an ordeal. She talked about decorating whatever room she was in to celebrate the holidays, chatting with the female guards, cooking meals for all the hostages. She even describes back-talking her captors and doing other things that in my mind I'm screaming "are you insane, that's how you get shot?!?!?" She says she was allowed to write letters home and then was completely upset that they were never mailed.
Again, I can only think that it is a cultural difference over the last 37 years that made me go "what made you think they would send them?" She talks of the outrage she felt that she did not receive the letters that were being sent to her with any kind of regularity. Again...HOSTAGE... not vacation guest.
I am not upset I read this book. In fact it did make me think and reflect on how much the world and socio-political feelings have changed in the near 40 years since this happened. That is always a good thing to see where we were and where we are and where we could be.
If Goodreads allowed for half stars this would be a 2.5. It wasn't bad, but it certainly was not what I expected the tale of the experiences of one of the Iranian Hostages to be.
Now, I don't know if that is because I was 6 when she was taken hostage and my memories of the time are vague at best, and my life experiences have caused me to have a different view on "being a hostage" from other stories, movies, tv and such than what Ms. Koob did, but I found myself frustrated by her.
She said she told an interviewer that she and the other female hostage that she ended up sharing quarters with as being scared all the time. But that certainly did not come across in the writing. I expected more descriptions of the fear, the isolation before she was quartered with Ann, the pains of hunger because they didn't always feed her, the general uncomfortableness of having to wear the same clothes day in and day out, etc.
Instead she describes spending her days reading the bible and hymnal she had with her, praying, making plans for what she would cook for dinner, etc. But frankly the entire read made it seem like it was just an inconvenience for her, not an ordeal. She talked about decorating whatever room she was in to celebrate the holidays, chatting with the female guards, cooking meals for all the hostages. She even describes back-talking her captors and doing other things that in my mind I'm screaming "are you insane, that's how you get shot?!?!?" She says she was allowed to write letters home and then was completely upset that they were never mailed.
Again, I can only think that it is a cultural difference over the last 37 years that made me go "what made you think they would send them?" She talks of the outrage she felt that she did not receive the letters that were being sent to her with any kind of regularity. Again...HOSTAGE... not vacation guest.
I am not upset I read this book. In fact it did make me think and reflect on how much the world and socio-political feelings have changed in the near 40 years since this happened. That is always a good thing to see where we were and where we are and where we could be.
November 14, 2021
Kate was my high school drama teacher for three years in Newton, Iowa. She was one of the most delightful and compassionate people I've ever know. And she full-well understood that I'm an atheist. No matter to either of us, despite her long-enduring love for Christianity.
My TV was turned to Tom Snyder one night in 1979 while I painted. I heard him say, "Our guest tonight is (whomever) Koob, sister of Kathryn Koob an Iranian hostage." That got my attention! I had received a letter from her ten years earlier writing that she had quit teaching and (if I remember the details correctly) had gone to work for an oil firm in Saudi Arabia (don't quote me on that!). In any case, the connective arch began to make some sense.
There was footage of her helping decorate a Christmas tree on the news that year. She looked like the woman I remembered: cheery-faced, smiling, and with too much extra weight. The same scene was repeated a year later. Her face was drawn, unsmiling, the cheeriness gone; she had lost a terrific amount of weight. And that weight fell upon my already-weighted heart.
It's been about fifteen years since I read the book and don't recall much about it other than what those have written about here, rescuing for me many marvelous moments. Of course, I was biased toward liking it, and I did. It's not a great book but it is well-written. I pleasurably read through the Jesus parts with no problem. And, as I remember her from so long ago, she is not a cardboard dyed-in-the-wool conservative. I suspect quite to the contrary. She's religious and is happy with it.
In times of great stress, we turn to what we know best to make it through. This book should be seen as a well-written memoir by a lovely, intelligent, honest, and inspired woman and should be read in that light. I never found it proselytizing. Although I haven't seen her since 1968, I'll always remember Kate (Miss Koob) as a kind, supportive, and intelligent friend who helped me through several of my own tough times. A tear often comes to my eye when I think about her.
My TV was turned to Tom Snyder one night in 1979 while I painted. I heard him say, "Our guest tonight is (whomever) Koob, sister of Kathryn Koob an Iranian hostage." That got my attention! I had received a letter from her ten years earlier writing that she had quit teaching and (if I remember the details correctly) had gone to work for an oil firm in Saudi Arabia (don't quote me on that!). In any case, the connective arch began to make some sense.
There was footage of her helping decorate a Christmas tree on the news that year. She looked like the woman I remembered: cheery-faced, smiling, and with too much extra weight. The same scene was repeated a year later. Her face was drawn, unsmiling, the cheeriness gone; she had lost a terrific amount of weight. And that weight fell upon my already-weighted heart.
It's been about fifteen years since I read the book and don't recall much about it other than what those have written about here, rescuing for me many marvelous moments. Of course, I was biased toward liking it, and I did. It's not a great book but it is well-written. I pleasurably read through the Jesus parts with no problem. And, as I remember her from so long ago, she is not a cardboard dyed-in-the-wool conservative. I suspect quite to the contrary. She's religious and is happy with it.
In times of great stress, we turn to what we know best to make it through. This book should be seen as a well-written memoir by a lovely, intelligent, honest, and inspired woman and should be read in that light. I never found it proselytizing. Although I haven't seen her since 1968, I'll always remember Kate (Miss Koob) as a kind, supportive, and intelligent friend who helped me through several of my own tough times. A tear often comes to my eye when I think about her.
May 22, 2023
This is an interesting first person account of being a hostage during the Iran hostage crisis. Koob was sustained by her faith which was a refuge and strength during the incarceration. I expect that this will not appeal to many readers, but it is a satisfying read with a happy conclusion.
April 26, 2021
444 days is a long time to be held captive, but Kathryn did it with grace. I did like when she got rowdy though. Good for her. Good read.
February 20, 2017
After reading "Guests of the Ayotollah," which gives one the bigger picture, I enjoyed this personal view of one of the 52 American hostages held for 444 days in Iran, back in 1979-1980. Her faith carried her through with grace and made a big difference.
October 14, 2015
In 2012, Ben Affleck won raves for his movie "Argo". This book tells the other side of the story - - the story of those hostages that did NOT make it out of Tehran, but survived 444 days of captivity.
Let me be clear; I am not a non-fiction fan. Nor am I overly religious in the sense of feeling a need to "witness". But - - I really liked this book.
For one thing, I think that it's quite well-written for the non-political buff. There is no over-documentation of what was going on in outside negotiations, or the botched rescue attempt. This is simply one woman's account of her treatment, her thoughts and her feelings during 444 days of captivity.
Second, Koob is clear that her faith is what sustained her during this time, and she refers to it repeatedly. But in light of the fear and frustration and deprivation she endured, those faith references don't seem like overkill. Instead, they seem to represent a truth about human nature; that when the going gets tough, we all tend to turn to some supreme Being outside of ourselves for strength.
Someone on Goodreads described this book as "old news". Perhaps so, but if you saw the movie "Argo" and you look at newsclips appearing daily on our screens, you know that this hatred and anti-American sentiment is alive and well in many, many parts of the world. I would contend that enduring that hatred, being respectful even in the company of one's captors, and emerging after 444 days of little contact with anyone from the outside world is not an old story, but a recurring one.
Let me be clear; I am not a non-fiction fan. Nor am I overly religious in the sense of feeling a need to "witness". But - - I really liked this book.
For one thing, I think that it's quite well-written for the non-political buff. There is no over-documentation of what was going on in outside negotiations, or the botched rescue attempt. This is simply one woman's account of her treatment, her thoughts and her feelings during 444 days of captivity.
Second, Koob is clear that her faith is what sustained her during this time, and she refers to it repeatedly. But in light of the fear and frustration and deprivation she endured, those faith references don't seem like overkill. Instead, they seem to represent a truth about human nature; that when the going gets tough, we all tend to turn to some supreme Being outside of ourselves for strength.
Someone on Goodreads described this book as "old news". Perhaps so, but if you saw the movie "Argo" and you look at newsclips appearing daily on our screens, you know that this hatred and anti-American sentiment is alive and well in many, many parts of the world. I would contend that enduring that hatred, being respectful even in the company of one's captors, and emerging after 444 days of little contact with anyone from the outside world is not an old story, but a recurring one.
July 19, 2010
Kathryn Koob beautifully describes her life as one of the hostages held in Iran for 444 days. Reading her accounting of what she went through made me appreciate my freedom that much more. It was amazing to read how creative one can be when in captivity to keep things going, to keep the spirit alive. This book is an interesting read if you want to know what it's like to be held against your will. In the last chapters, tears of joy flowed down my face as I read about her release and reunion with family.
September 7, 2014
As it is the 40th anniversary of the release of the Iranian hostages, I was reflecting on how powerful this book was when I read it in 1982. I wanted to know if she is living and attending the reunion this weekend. Here's a great article on her and yes she is living! I want to reread this book again.
http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/...
http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/...
August 10, 2016
A very good read about one person's experience during the Iranian hostage crisis and her spiritual experience. Kathryn Koob was one of two women held hostage during the 1980-81 hostage crisis. As she herself states, their experience was not typical of the men's experiences but held enough tension for the two. I think anyone who has strong beliefs and is going to work in a foreign country should read this beforehand.
December 4, 2014
I'm a little bias since the author is my great-aunt, but she explains her 444 days as one of the Iranian hostages during the late 1970s. Not at all what I had expected her memoir to be about. Sadly, I do not get to see her enough to talk to her about her experience.
June 12, 2016
Kathryn Koob was one of the 52 hostages held in Iran after its revolution. This is an inspiring account of human strength and the importance of her faith in sustaining Ms. Koob through those difficult 444 days.
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January 11, 2016Aunt Lois gave me this book and wrote in it - "Dear Shawn, May this story by a Lutheran woman warm your heart as it has mine. Happy Holidays & travels, Aunt Lois"
June 26, 2017
Fascinating look inside captivity. Kathryn Koob's faith and marvelous ability to make lemonade out of lemons got her through this personal and national crisis.
June 2, 2017
interesting spiritual journey, in a time of great stress
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews