A Sliver of Light is a non-fiction book detailing the imprisonment of Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer & Josh Fattal. The book is told in each of their perspectives. Chapters are titled by the teller, and it brings about a chronological order of their imprisonment - start to finish.
The story starts off with the hike that ended the three in prison in Iran. They make no bones about their detestation of the United States of America - their home country. Shane and Sarah had lived outside of the US - in the Middle East - for some time. Their anti-American views are poured through the pages of their story.
It seems as though they were treated humanely - with the expection of not being able to call home or receive letters. I can not imagine having no contact with my family, but they were permitted to spend time together - nearly every day.
Im sorry for their ordeal and wholeheartedly believe they were tricked into crossing the border. I do believe they were waived over by the Iranian soldiers, but I find it hard to believe that three educated people thought they were hundreds of miles away from the Iranian/Kurdish border. You have such knowledge of the middle east, yet you didn't think to look at a freaking map?
After they were imprisoned, they state repeatedly their expectation for the United States government to bargain for their release. What I don't understand is why the US Government should have been expected to get them out of a situation they put themselves in, especially when they are so Anti-American it makes me ashamed they are fellow citizens. You hate your government, yet you get yourself into trouble and demand its action on your behalf? Im not sure that's what my husband had in mind when he signed up to protect the free. Just sayin!
After their release, they refused to answer any questions to the FBI who were looking for information on another American being held captive believed to be in Iran. First of all - they refer to the American as Peter Levinson in two locations of the book (on my kindle) - his name is Robert "Bob" Levinson. A fellow American may be held in even worse captivity then you - especially since there is not the public outcry in the media for Mr. Levinson the way there was for these three - and you cant even answer a few questions that could have given insight to conditions, locations, behaviors, interrogators etc.??? You want the United States government to act on your behalf and yet you can not be bothered to help a fellow human being? Guess they figured he was unworthy because they don't agree with is career choice. That makes them scum in my book.
I'm sure their views skewed my opinion of the memoir. I think these people where whiney brats who illegally crossed a sovereign nations borders, either by being waived over (which they still willingly went) or by sheer stupidity because they couldn't be bothered to read a map, and they expected the United States to ride in on its white horse to save them. When it did not, their Anti-American sentiment was fueled even further and gave them the righteous indignation to make themselves out to be innocent mistreated Americans, even though they weren't much of citizens to the US. Also, I have some serious questions about their statements on the true nature of the hike. They took no sleeping bags, and hardly any provisions? Conveniently one person stayed behind? Who takes a camping hike and doesn't take a sleeping bag or enough provisions to last them in case of delays - let alone not enough for the scheduled amount of time? Something seems off to me overall about their story.
I recommend it as a semi-fiction read. It was interesting to hear their perspective, but it is just that, their perspective. I assume their are truths somewhere in there - but overall it came across as disingenuous.
The story starts off with the hike that ended the three in prison in Iran. They make no bones about their detestation of the United States of America - their home country. Shane and Sarah had lived outside of the US - in the Middle East - for some time. Their anti-American views are poured through the pages of their story.
It seems as though they were treated humanely - with the expection of not being able to call home or receive letters. I can not imagine having no contact with my family, but they were permitted to spend time together - nearly every day.
Im sorry for their ordeal and wholeheartedly believe they were tricked into crossing the border. I do believe they were waived over by the Iranian soldiers, but I find it hard to believe that three educated people thought they were hundreds of miles away from the Iranian/Kurdish border. You have such knowledge of the middle east, yet you didn't think to look at a freaking map?
After they were imprisoned, they state repeatedly their expectation for the United States government to bargain for their release. What I don't understand is why the US Government should have been expected to get them out of a situation they put themselves in, especially when they are so Anti-American it makes me ashamed they are fellow citizens. You hate your government, yet you get yourself into trouble and demand its action on your behalf? Im not sure that's what my husband had in mind when he signed up to protect the free. Just sayin!
After their release, they refused to answer any questions to the FBI who were looking for information on another American being held captive believed to be in Iran. First of all - they refer to the American as Peter Levinson in two locations of the book (on my kindle) - his name is Robert "Bob" Levinson. A fellow American may be held in even worse captivity then you - especially since there is not the public outcry in the media for Mr. Levinson the way there was for these three - and you cant even answer a few questions that could have given insight to conditions, locations, behaviors, interrogators etc.??? You want the United States government to act on your behalf and yet you can not be bothered to help a fellow human being? Guess they figured he was unworthy because they don't agree with is career choice. That makes them scum in my book.
I'm sure their views skewed my opinion of the memoir. I think these people where whiney brats who illegally crossed a sovereign nations borders, either by being waived over (which they still willingly went) or by sheer stupidity because they couldn't be bothered to read a map, and they expected the United States to ride in on its white horse to save them. When it did not, their Anti-American sentiment was fueled even further and gave them the righteous indignation to make themselves out to be innocent mistreated Americans, even though they weren't much of citizens to the US. Also, I have some serious questions about their statements on the true nature of the hike. They took no sleeping bags, and hardly any provisions? Conveniently one person stayed behind? Who takes a camping hike and doesn't take a sleeping bag or enough provisions to last them in case of delays - let alone not enough for the scheduled amount of time? Something seems off to me overall about their story.
I recommend it as a semi-fiction read. It was interesting to hear their perspective, but it is just that, their perspective. I assume their are truths somewhere in there - but overall it came across as disingenuous.
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