A House in the Sky

A Memoir

By: Amanda Lindhout, Sara Corbett

Narrated by: Amanda Lindhout

Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Amanda Lindhout reads her spectacularly dramatic memoir of a woman whose curiosity about the world led her from rural Canada to imperiled and dangerous countries on every continent, and then into 15 months of harrowing captivity in Somalia - a story of courage, resilience, and extraordinary grace.

At the age of 18, Amanda Lindhout moved from her hardscrabble Alberta hometown to the big city - Calgary - and worked as a cocktail waitress, saving her tips so she could travel the globe. As a child, she escaped a violent household by paging through National Geographic and imagining herself in its exotic locales. Now she would see those places for real. She backpacked through Latin America, Laos, Bangladesh, and India, and emboldened by each experience, went on to travel solo across Sudan, Syria, and Pakistan. In war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq she carved out a fledgling career as a TV reporter. In August 2008, she traveled to Mogadishu, Somalia - "the most dangerous place on Earth" - to report on the fighting there. On her fourth day in the country, she and her photojournalist companion were abducted.

An astoundingly intimate and harrowing account of Lindhout's 15 months as a captive, A House in the Sky illuminates the psychology, motivations, and desperate extremism of her young guards and the men in charge of them. She is kept in chains, nearly starved, and subjected to unthinkable abuse. She survives by imagining herself in a "house in the sky", looking down at the woman shackled below, and finding strength and hope in the power of her own mind. Lindhout's decision, upon her release, to counter the violence she endured by founding an organization to help the Somali people rebuild their country through education is a wrenching testament to the capacity of the human spirit and an astonishing portrait of the power of compassion and forgiveness.

©2013 Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Gripping story

Gripping story-drew me in immediately. However-the reader(who was the author) lacked any emotion as she read. Perhaps it’s her way of coping and disconnecting from her horrific experience-but regardless-the reading was lack luster and took away from this incredible story! I’d still highly recommend!

Hope and Determination

Very interesting story. Eye opening and Mind opening. Although being tough to listen to sometimes, the thread of hope and determination runs through. 

Her  Resilience

I think the story made me uncomfortable, because it is true and tragic. I admit, I was incredibly uneasy, listening to all of it, and very grateful when it was over, and she was home with her mother.

A real nail-biter!

Will she survive the terrorist kidnappers? This is a fantastic true story. The author narrates beautifully.

Captivating story

What made the experience of listening to A House in the Sky the most enjoyable?

Amanda's story is one that I will not forget. I appreciated her candor, and her willingness to forgive everybody, including herself.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A House in the Sky?

When Amanda and Nigel escaped to the mosque, I was touched by the woman who tried to save her, and appalled that everybody else either ignored them, or aided their captors, without so much as a second thought.

What about Amanda Lindhout’s performance did you like?

This was a passionate first person account. I never doubted a word she said.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was moved by this book. I am afraid and hopeful at the same time.

Any additional comments?

I couldn't put this one down.

Amazing!

Thanks for sharing this most difficult journey. I applaud your bravery to share your experiences. I hated to press stop as I arrived to work each morning.

Captivating memoir

Captivating from the first chapter to the last. I find it sorrowful what humans can do to each other. Amanda's spirit of survival was amazing. Happy that she narrated her own memoir.

Amazing!

An amazing book! I first heard of Amanda's story through a dateline interview, after watching I knew I wanted to read this book and it did not disappoint. While listening you can truly relate to Amanda in the beginning, as I read further I became horrified at the torture this young woman had to endure, and at the same time, shocked (in a good way) how her survival skills kicked in and she found ways to relate to her captures. One of the best books I've ever listened to!

nonfiction, informative, interesting

I learned a great deal and not for one moment lost interest, even when she is describing a routine day. This book comes with outstanding professional reviews which are well deserved.
Horrible ordeals and experiences are described, yet not embellished to titillate. One realizes this could happen to any one of us.
The Narrator's work is excellent. There is very little foul language in this book which I appreciate. This story lacks comic relief, but is otherwise very well done.

Amazing story

This is a beautifully written book of adventure, pain and suffering, and hope. I feel that listening to Amanda tell her story is so much more powerful than reading the written word. Very moving and insightful.