Back from the Dead: Peter Hughes' Story of Survival and Hope after Bali

by Patrick Lindsay

259 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Diane in Australia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The terrorist bombings occurred on 12 October 2002 in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali. They killed 202 people, of which, 88 were Australians. This book follows an Australian, Peter Hughes, on his journey from happy tourist to severely burned victim, and more.

I felt the book was well-written, and it definitely kept me turning those pages. The horror these folks suffered is beyond description. Including so much info from the perspective of others who were there, his son (who was not, thankfully), friends, and family made for an in-depth story.

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for the Alphabet Challenge 2024 - the Letter B.

Back from the Dead tells the story of survivor, Peter Hughes, before and after the Bali Bombings in 2002. The tagline is a story of survival and hope after Bali.

I believe this story is as much about Peter Hughes, as it is his Family and Friends, that were there or looked after him in the aftermath. They are all very strong people.

4 stars given.

A must read if you are into True Crime, or tales of survival.

[Yasmin-marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had this book for a while in my pile to read, decided to give it a go. Compelling and at times confronting, it really details the horrible events and the fate of many that faced the Bali bombings. It also displayed the courageous hope that the survivors mustered, revealing the true force of the will to live.

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 5 out of 5]

October this year - 2012 - marked the 10 year anniversary of the Bali bombings. A total of 202 people were killed, 88 of which were Australian.

With this 10 year milestone in mind, I wanted to read some material related to the event and turned to Patrick Lindsay's biography of Peter Hughes, in Back From The Dead - Peter Hughes' Story of Survival and Hope After Bali.

Peter Hughes was interviewed (you can watch the interview below) in hospital immediately after the bombing and despite his obvious burns and poor physical condition he diverted attention away from himself with his: 'I'm alright, there's plenty of people worse off than me' attitude. It was this attitude that made an impression on the memory of many Australians and ensured Peter was to become irrevocably linked to the Bali bombings.

In fact Peter was so badly burned and his face was so swollen that he was mistaken for a Maori rugby player and his own son watching the interview footage didn't recognise him.

Patrick Lindsay introduces us to Peter, his son Leigh, a few of Pete's friends and takes us back to Bali before the bombings to step us through the planning of the devastating terrorist act. Leigh kept a diary during his Dad's hospitalisation and excerpts are incorporated throughout the book which make for very real and confronting reading. Lindsay has also interviewed Pete's mates and fellow survivors of the bombings and included their survival stories as well.

Back From The Dead is inspirational and deeply moving. Reading it makes you feel proud to be Australian as you read about medical staff pulling together and volunteering during the crisis, the incredible journalism and of course Pete's fight for life, dying and coming back to life three times.

There was one particular segment that really stuck with me though, when Pete is talking about being bathed twice a day by the nurses, and how they had to be cruel to be kind on page 219:

"...But I knew that they had to do it and a lot of time they were crying because they were doing it, you know, you could see it in their faces. They weren't happy doing it but they had to block it out. The nurses were just incredible people."

Amazing and inspirational for anyone suffering from chronic pain or a setback. Surprisingly Peter Hughes doesn't harbour bitterness, anger or a desire for revenge over the Bali bombings and makes a brilliant role model for many Australians. Thoroughly recommended.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in a second hand shop a few months ago, and although I knew how sad the story would be when I bought it, I was almost not prepared for the story it contained. I burst into my book room, ready to grab any title to take away with me this weekend. I was halfway through 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall', but I knew I would polish that off in a few hours, but what to go with next? Peter Hughes' story called me from my thousands of titles, so I went with that.

I realized as I grabbed the book that it has been ten years since the Bali bombings this Friday gone. Ten years? I remember hearing about it like it was yesterday! The shock felt by many Australians was one I shared; my sister was good friends with a woman who lost her daughter that day. But still I was young, and I can honestly say that I did not connect any one face with the tragedy, and now I will. Peter Hughes survived although the odds were against him. He had his loving son there for all of it.

I think his son's diary entries touched me the most in this book. They felt so raw, and so true. They were sad, but I knew that Peter would get through in the end. Others weren't so lucky.

So ten years on, and I'm able to fully appreciate the tragedy that was the Bali Bombings. Peter's story was sad, but it has given me an appreciation for an event that before I had known little about. I am glad I read this book and discovered the hard truths within; but be prepared for a very sad tale within.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me cry at times, very intresting tale of one survivors experience after the Bali bombings.
You can't begin, even after reading this, what the experience must have been like for these people.
It is truely a coragous story, of a journay with no end really, they will always live with the scars, and the memories