Buried Alive by Roy Hallums

Imagine being buried alive for 311 days wondering if you will get out alive, wondering how your family was making it. Buried Alive: the True Story of Kidnapping, Captivity and a Dramatic Rescue, published by Thomas Nelson, is the true story of Roy Hallums. Roy is a retired Navy Commander and was working as a civilian contractor in Iraq. The company that he worked for provided food for the US Army in Baghdad. He was taken as a hostage in 2004 by Sunni Muslims. For almost a year, his kidnappers demanded money from his family and his employer.

Buried Alive is quite an intriguing piece of non-fiction. Roy paints the picture of his harrowing account and at times you are with him. You can smell the sweat of the guards, feel the humidity of the oppressive heat of the Middle East, and feel an overwhelming sense of appreciation for what he endured. Today, very few new books grab my attention and hold it for the entire book. This one did. Commander Hallums is to be commended for keeping his mind while enduring the abuse and horrid conditions of his captivity. I highly recommend the book.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”