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CAPTURED BY THE RUSSIANS: A True Story
"You do it our way. Here, there is no God." On September 11, 1984, I was taken hostage by the Soviet Union and held captive in Siberia. This is the story of what happened. Few have the courage to follow their dream. Mine led from a small town in upstate New York to a dingy cell in Siberia. Leaving my hometown with a yearning for adventure, my travels brought me to Alaska where I obtained work on a merchant ship skippered by one of the youngest ship captains in the United States. Two years later, on a freight-hauling mission to the Arctic, our ship was seized by the Soviet Union and taken hostage to Siberia. Held at gunpoint and threatened with 30 years in prison, this is the story of how five young American sailors took a stand for their faith against high-ranking officers in the Soviet military.
258 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 23, 2020
"You do it our way. Here, there is no God."
On September 11, 1984, the young Charlie Burrall was taken hostage by the Soviet Union and held captive in Siberia. This was at the height of the Cold War. Charles had had a somewhat adventurous life up until then, and had followed his dreams in a way that was rather unusual considering his middle American background, but had never expected that it would come to this. The story turns into a real cliff-hanger at the climax but all throughout the descriptions of people and places are gripping and hold your attention. Amazingly, it's a true story which was followed in the newspapers at the time.
I would recommend this especially for young men and teenage boys, but I think anyone can enjoy it. Charles is a gifted writer, especially if you enjoy detail and reading something that has been crafted with care. This second edition is well done.
On September 11, 1984, the young Charlie Burrall was taken hostage by the Soviet Union and held captive in Siberia. This was at the height of the Cold War. Charles had had a somewhat adventurous life up until then, and had followed his dreams in a way that was rather unusual considering his middle American background, but had never expected that it would come to this. The story turns into a real cliff-hanger at the climax but all throughout the descriptions of people and places are gripping and hold your attention. Amazingly, it's a true story which was followed in the newspapers at the time.
I would recommend this especially for young men and teenage boys, but I think anyone can enjoy it. Charles is a gifted writer, especially if you enjoy detail and reading something that has been crafted with care. This second edition is well done.
November 6, 2023
I met the author at a fair this past summer and was just able to finish this book. The book is well-written and interesting. I think it would be helpful to include a map of the Diomede islands! Anyone who lived through the Cold War will have a better appreciation for this story. It’s very impressive how many details Charles and his friends were able to remember about the entire ordeal.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews