Means of Escape

"A riveting memoir of years of living dangerously" by the journalist and New York Times–bestselling author of A Rumor of War ( Kirkus Reviews). As a journalist, Philip Caputo has covered many of the world's troubles, and in Means of Escape, he reveals in moving and clear-eyed prose how he made himself into a writer, traveler, and observer with the nerve to put himself at the center of conflict. As a young reporter he investigated the Mafia in Chicago, earning acclaim as well as threats against his safety. Later, he rode camels through the desert and enjoyed Bedouin hospitality; was kidnapped and held captive by Islamic extremists; and was targeted and hit by sniper fire in Beirut; with memories of Vietnam never far from the surface. And after it all, he went into Afghanistan. Caputo's goal has always been to bear witness to the crimes, ambitions, fears, ferocities, and hopes of humanity. With Means of Escape, he has done so. This powerful recounting of his life and adventures is now updated with a foreword that assesses the state of the world and the journalist's art. "An episodic, impressionistic, and dead-honest narrative that affords memorable as well as consequential insights into a chaotic era's noteworthy conflicts." — Kirkus Reviews "This is, make no mistake about it, a startlingly honest and brutal book. . . . The writing is suberb. Highly recommended for all." — Library Journal "One of the few absolutely essential writers at work today." —Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Mr. Spaceman