My Story

By: Elizabeth Smart, Chris Stewart

Narrated by: Elizabeth Smart

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

For the first time, 10 years after her abduction from her Salt Lake City bedroom, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime.

On June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life.

Now for the first time, in her memoir, My Story, she tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served.

In the nine years after her rescue, Smart transformed from victim to advocate, traveling the country and working to educate, inspire and foster change. She has created a foundation to help prevent crimes against children and is a frequent public speaker. In 2012, she married Matthew Gilmour, whom she met doing mission work in Paris for her church, in a fairy tale wedding that made the cover of People magazine.

©2013 Elizabeth Smart (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Very well written...

What did you love best about My Story?

It was very well told and made my heart hurt for what u went thru. There is a girl missing here in Conway N.H.. When a listened to this story all I could do is pray for this girl and hope she has the will power u did Elizabeth. I have put the word and face out all over face book so no one gives up looking for her. I'm glad u made it home....And you are strong enough to tell your story.

Bless You
Evelyn

What was one of the most memorable moments of My Story?

The whole thing...and Her straight. Plus she never gave up hope.

Which scene was your favorite?

When she said "Yes, My name is Elizabeth."

Amazing! Her story is told so well!

I remember when she was taken and I remember the day they found her. As a young mother at the time, I had such compassion for Mrs. Smart. This truly is an amazing family with strong beliefs and values. I loved hearing Elizabeth tell the story. You can hear her strength in her voice. Amazing!

Amazing story!!

Elizabeth Smart’s story... I almost have no words. Her ability to overcome such horrific evil is astounding. She is a light for those who’ve experienced tragedy and provides hope for healing. I could listen to this one again and again. Thank you for sharing your story.

Loved this book.

Great reminder of how faith can get you through the hardest of times. Don't ever allow yourself to think that he is not there for you.

Compelling and inspiring

This story was heart wrenching and yet told with such Grace and honesty, that you felt you were right there with her on this horrific journey of terror and absurdity. The most frightening part was how this horrible man and his diabolical companion, justified their deeds with their twisted “religion”.

So inspiring

I wasn't sure what to expect, but the matter-of-fact presentation, the dry humor, and the outright faith had me laughing, crying, and examining what I thought I knew in a whole new light. Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your story.

Ms Smart is breathtakingly brave and courageous

Overall - 5 stars for perfect. The storytelling from the writing to the narration is flawless. Elizabeth's story is captivating and heartbreaking. What happened to this young lady was horrific, yet she has set an example to the rest of the world of how strength and faith can set a person free from the bonds of rape, captivity and abuse. She should be considered a hero to the victims of such crimes.

Performance - 5 stars for perfect. Elizabeth has a lovely voice. Her grammatical inflection keeps the story very interesting, easy to listen to, easy to follow. I have a very hard time following a story if the narration is lousy, Elizabeth delivered an on-point performance.

Story - 5 stars for perfect. I cannot think of a thing that should change. Also, I was struck by her humor... her ability to use dry sarcasm in describing difficult moments was very telling of her resiliency. It wasn't "ha ha" humor, yet it made me feel like there was hope in the moment. Humor is a human necessity, a gift from God in getting us through life's difficult moments, and it was also good to know that she was able to maintain her humor and sense of irony. I believe her parents should be acknowledged in how Elizabeth handled herself during her captivity, and how she handled it afterward. This book is an enormous testament to their outstanding parenting skills.

I was very thankful to see that she does not place Mitchell and Barzee in a mental box of fear in her mind. Rather, she is dismissive of them, understanding that they're evil, not worthy of her time - yet she remains humble. Elizabeth is a beacon of hope in today's sad and bitter world.

but the story keeps you turning pages.

why didn't she just run away? I was fascinated by the story and couldn't wait for her eventual escape.

Mesmerizing story of resiliency.

Amazing story and amazing example of faith. Elizabeth’s strength to suffer through this is astounding.

crazy story!

this memoir was so interesting and frankly told. what elizabeth went through was horrific and her resilience is astonishing. this book focuses on her period of capture and I cannot believe that someone would do this to a little girl. elizabeth ends up living her dream regardless which is nothing short of inspiring.