No Hay Silencio Que No Termine / Even Silence Has an End (Spanish Edition)

Betancourt was running for president of Colombia in 2002 when she was kidnapped by the guerrilla group FARC. During the entire six years she was held captive, she suffered horrendous brutality under which many have and would buckle. To say that a human being in such conditions undergoes severe mental anguish is an understatement. Yet what emerges in Betancourt's memoir is a poignant retelling of her personal experience and the events she witnessed while held hostage. Written with a touch of cold removal that perhaps helped her share details that no one would want to relive, this book gives us a picture of defiance. Betancourt tried to escape and refused to be reduced to a designated number, insisting on being called "Ingrid" and thus retaining her humanity. While those kidnapped with her saw this as arrogance, she saw it as survival. Readers will have to make up their own minds. Betancourt published this exquisitely written memoir (the language is technically sound, graceful, and eloquent), lauded as superior to all the books written by those who were kidnapped with her, amid intense controversy. Leading the charge is Betancourt's former running mate, Clara Rojas, who alleges that Betancourt is lying in her memoir and then cites the circumstances surrounding Rojas's pregnancy during captivity as "proof." Is Betancourt lying? Does she remember things differently from those kidnapped with her? The bottom line is that Betancourt's memoir grips you from the first page and holds your attention. She's unafraid of presenting the rawness of her captivity, thus engaging her audience and inviting them to share in the triumph of her freedom. Strongly recommended for bookstores and academic and public libraries, as well as literature and history students.—Vivian Gómez, Woodside, NY