Proof of Life

Twenty Days on the Hunt for a Missing Person in the Middle East

By: Daniel Levin

Narrated by: Will Collyer

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

​“Truly thrilling. Daniel Levin brilliantly conveys both the menace and the evil of Middle Eastern intrigue, and some victories of human kindness over cruelty and despair.”—Daniel Kahneman, New York Times bestselling author of Thinking, Fast and Slow

“In laying bare the raw human toll of the ferocious and cruel Syrian conflict, Proof of Life asks the reader to make a choice between cynicism and compassion.”—Ayaan Hirsi Ali, New York Times bestselling author of Infidel

Daniel Levin was at his office when he got a call from an acquaintance with an urgent, cryptic request to meet in Paris. A young man had gone missing in Syria. No government, embassy, or intelligence agency would help. Could he? Would he? So begins a suspenseful, shocking, and at times brutal true story of one man’s search to find a missing person in Syria over twenty tense days. Levin, a lawyer turned armed-conflict negotiator, uses his extensive contacts to chase leads throughout the Middle East, meeting with powerful sheikhs, drug lords, and sex traffickers in his pursuit of the truth. He also discovers remarkable people who retain their essential goodness and spirit in the face of adversity.

In Proof of Life, Levin dives deep into a shadowy world where few have access—an underground industry of war where everything is for sale, including arms, drugs, and even people. He offers a fascinating study of how people use leverage to get what they want from one another and where no one does a favor without wanting something in return, whether it’s immediately or years down the road.

Proof of Life is a fast-paced thriller wrapped in a memoir, a must-hear for anyone interested in power dynamics, international affairs, the Middle East, or our growing number of forever wars.

The son of a diplomat, Daniel Levin spent his early years in the Middle East and in Africa and then trained as a lawyer. Currently a board member of the Liechtenstein Foundation for State Governance, he has, for the past twenty years, worked with governments and development institutions worldwide, focusing on economic development and political reform through financial literacy, political inclusion, and constitutional initiatives. He is also engaged in track 3 diplomacy and mediation efforts in war zones. Levin’s first book, Nothing but a Circus: Misadventures among the Powerful, was published in Germany, Japan, Russia, and the UK. Proof of Life is his first book to be published in the United States. He lives outside New York City.

©2021 Daniel Levin (P)2022 Algonquin Books

Critic reviews

“Riveting . . . . Well-written and highly compelling . . . Mr. Levin seems to grasp the region’s complexity, but instead of flaunting his insider status he draws the reader into the picture. This is a welcome departure from other books on the region that let their authors’ views overshadow the subjects’ stories. On the surface, Proof of Life is a thrilling account of intrigue and espionage, but lurking underneath are important lessons on the Syrian conflict and the entrenched interests that will make ending the war—and curtailing the massive profits it provides to a new elite—a difficult prospect."—Wall Street Journal

“A portrait of a contemporary morass in the Middle East emerges, as Levin thoughtfully interrogates the signs of hope and hopelessness.”—CrimeReads

“Levin’s narrative ably depicts the complex interactions of Middle Eastern politics.”—Kirkus Reviews

Compelling

I just finished the second epilogue and have tears in my eyes. I am so glad that Rym (unsure,of the spelling) and her little sister and the “Evil One”’s wife and daughter are also safe in Europe. I have read over the many years as the horrible events in Syria have unfolded. Reviews question whether the author mainly created or actually experienced the events in the book. To me it does not matter. The tale is all too true.

Wow!

What a strong story on the recall of this man’s work finding missing people in Syria. It invoked so many emotions. I can’t wrap my head around how much I did not know about the workings and politics of war and it’s effects on people.
I cannot recommend this read enough. You will not be disappointed.

Very disturbing story

Very disturbing story that needs to be told. Will shatter many preconceptions about the Middle East

Gripping story, terrifying characters

After hearing an interview with Daniel Levin on the Jordan Harbinger podcast, I was intrigued and wanted to learn more than what the news outlets used to share, since they don’t seem to even mention Syria any more.

The story is gripping, and terrifying, and frankly pretty discouraging. Although maybe that’s the point…to remind us to question our leaders and policies and the various organizations around that world that purport to help, but are contributing to the madness.

More sobering than many other reads/listens, but something absolutely worth listening to if you want to further understand the consequences of conflict and the war economies that emerge.

Riveting

At many times I had to remind myself this is a true story. Shocking and eye opening. The narration was also outstanding. Highly recommend this book.

Please read

This eye opening, heart wrenching, easy read, speaks volumes regarding Syria in its current state…especially regarding the victims and violent perpetrators.