On 6 June 2004, Frank Gardner and cameraman, Simon Cumbers were in a quiet suburb of Riyadh, filming a piece on Al-Qaeda when they were confronted by Islamist gunmen. Simon was killed instantly. Frank was brought down by a shot in the shoulder, then the leg. As he lay in the dusty street, a figure stood over him and proceeded to pump 4 more bullets into him at point blank range..."Blood and Sand" is the story of a man who was left for dead but - and against all odds - survived. And not only did Frank Gardner survive but, drawing on his journalistic calling, he has given us an extraordinary, terrifying account of the whole, literally life-shattering, experience - from what it's like to be shot to the excruciating months of recovery. But his book is more than about this one incident and its aftermath. It is about a journey that began 25 years ago with a chance meeting on a London bus with the veteran Arabian explorer, Sir Wilfred Thesiger, who inspired in the young Frank what would become a lifelong passion for the Arab world. This abiding interest would lead him to travel throughout the Middle East, experiencing at first hand peoples, places and cultures that few have encountered - a colourful world of scorpion-infested Bedouin tents, of Cairene hash dens and vibrant Egyptian slums. It's a journey that would eventually lead, via the world of banking, to Frank becoming a journalist with the BBC. And it was this passion that would, in the wake of the world-changing events of 9/11, send him on the journey that came to dominate - and so very nearly end - his life: his coverage of the phenomenon that is Al-Qaeda. Written with honesty, integrity and humour, this is a powerful, haunting account of survival, of over-coming adversity and a determination to carry on - a moving and inspiring personal story that reveals a deep understanding of the Islamic world and an insider's compelling analysis of the on-going 'War on Terror' and what it means in these uncertain times.
Blood and Sand
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
Gardner is a superb reporter; his terrible experience only make his analysis all the more telling (EVENING STANDARD )
Gardner tells his remarkable tale well and bravely, with an astonishing lack of anger and enduring love and respect for the Islamic world (SUNDAY TIMES )
Chilling, graphic and admirably unsentimental... Gardner comes across as a modest, thoroughly decent man... an exemplary foreign correspondent (GUARDIAN )
A witty, self-deprecating, inspiring testament (DAILY TELEGRAPH )
Vivid detail... entertaining anecdotes... Gardner is a tremendous model for what relations between East and West can be... a fine introduction both to journalism and to the culture of the Middle East (INDEPENDENT ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Gardner tells his remarkable tale well and bravely, with an astonishing lack of anger and enduring love and respect for the Islamic world (SUNDAY TIMES )
Chilling, graphic and admirably unsentimental... Gardner comes across as a modest, thoroughly decent man... an exemplary foreign correspondent (GUARDIAN )
A witty, self-deprecating, inspiring testament (DAILY TELEGRAPH )
Vivid detail... entertaining anecdotes... Gardner is a tremendous model for what relations between East and West can be... a fine introduction both to journalism and to the culture of the Middle East (INDEPENDENT ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Book Description
BBC security correspondent's bestselling memoir about the attempt on his life, his recovery and his experiences in the Middle East.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Labeed Hamid
Format:Hardcover
Frank Gardner describes what every young man would have liked to do in his twenties and thirties (except getting shot). His spirit of adventure, his travels in the Middle East , his emersion in the culture gave him a better insight into that part of the world than some of the best available academic studies. Living with an Egyptian family in a poor neighborhood of old Cairo, spending many days traveling the desert with a Bedu tribe in Wdai Rumm in Jordan, jetting around the Middle East during the boom years of the eighties and nineties makes fascinating reading. His work as a correspondent which landed him in a situation of becoming a target for extremists assassins who left him almost dead did not seem to have changed his mind about the people and the culture he loved.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I enjoyed this book immensely. It is simply written and keeps the interest of the reader from start to finish. Frank's adventures catch the imagination chapter after chapter.
The main body of the book tells the reader about Frank's career in banking centred on the Middle East and Frank's degree in Arab studies. Reading the book you find Frank is looking for a far more exciting career, one centred on journalism. It is this desire to enter journalism that leads to the final chapters. These chapters reveal the shooting of Frank and his cameraman Simon Cumbers and the amazing recovery of Frank.
The story is compelling and exposes the futile waste of a mans life and the near loss of Frank's life too. Frank makes the point that he has no real belief in a God. Yet he was disappointed when he greeted his killer with the words "and upon you the peace and the mercy of God and his blessings." A strange phrase for a non believer to use!
However, despite all the odds Frank survived thanks to some amazing good luck and maybe some "unknown" intervention. It this survival that makes the reader feel as though they are reliving the ordeal, the shooting and the months of recover. It exposes Franks desire to cling onto life and to be able to continue being part of the life of his children and his wife Amanda, despite his disability.
I think anyone who reads this book will agree that it is a fascinating and moving story. Overall, well worth buying.
The main body of the book tells the reader about Frank's career in banking centred on the Middle East and Frank's degree in Arab studies. Reading the book you find Frank is looking for a far more exciting career, one centred on journalism. It is this desire to enter journalism that leads to the final chapters. These chapters reveal the shooting of Frank and his cameraman Simon Cumbers and the amazing recovery of Frank.
The story is compelling and exposes the futile waste of a mans life and the near loss of Frank's life too. Frank makes the point that he has no real belief in a God. Yet he was disappointed when he greeted his killer with the words "and upon you the peace and the mercy of God and his blessings." A strange phrase for a non believer to use!
However, despite all the odds Frank survived thanks to some amazing good luck and maybe some "unknown" intervention. It this survival that makes the reader feel as though they are reliving the ordeal, the shooting and the months of recover. It exposes Franks desire to cling onto life and to be able to continue being part of the life of his children and his wife Amanda, despite his disability.
I think anyone who reads this book will agree that it is a fascinating and moving story. Overall, well worth buying.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Like most people I had seen Frank Gardner on the BBC reporting on Middle East issues and had never though to much about it till after he was attacked. This fascinating book shows the growth of Gardner's interest and love for the Arabic world. It tells us of his student days in Egypt, and his travel to Yemen and the Sudan, and guides us through his life as he takes his first steps in finance and ultimately journalism. Where this book really comes into its own though it to highlight the physical and mental trauma Gardner faced as he fought for survival and recovery from potentially fatal gunshot wounds. I found most of this section incredibly moving, but their were also lighthearted sections that made me smile - his daughters with bedpans on their heads is an amazing visual. What struck me most though is the sheer determination that he has shown throughout his recovery and subsequently on his return to work as the BBC's security correspondant. He clearly has amazing inner strength to have coped with something so terrible and to have in some senses came out at the other end. A must read for anyone interested in Middle East politics and for any one he wants to read about a truly inspirational person!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see the review
4.0 out of 5 stars
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
EXCELLENT
Book arrived very quickly and in surprisingly good condition for a secondhand book. Looking forward to reading it as it has been highly recommended!
Published 4 days ago by Alison Dodds
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blood and Sand
A brilliant book. Having lived in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia until recently i can understand the problems and difficulties. Read more
Published 5 days ago by patsy
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a man!
Well written and interesting biography with no holds barred, the man loves the Middle East and tries to get the best side of it across even though he went through what he did. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Kaygee
2.0 out of 5 stars
Okay but very smug
This is, in places, an interesting book however it is spoiled by the smug and supercilious tone in which it is written. It's very me, me, me and not in a good way. Read more
Published 1 month ago by P. Devoy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blood and Sand
I loved it....and found it totally absorbing. Seeing last night's programme on BBC 2 on Frank's return to Saudi reminded me how much I enjoyed his book which I read a couple of... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ann Bailey
4.0 out of 5 stars
Blood and Sand
I really enjoyed 'Blood and Sand' partly because it was so familiar to me. Having travelled in Egypt during the eighties and worked in the Gulf in the nineties his book brought... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bobby
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very accessible
This book explores national and political contexts in the middle east, from the author's very personal perspective. Read more
Published 3 months ago by LJ
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very worthwhile read
Gives a very interesting insight into the terrorist threat worlwide. One of those books that you are sorry to finnish.
Published 5 months ago by J. Alcock
5.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't put it down!
Engaging, insightful and well written - I loved this book. Gardner offers an easy to follow introduction to the Islamic world and violent extremism, all from the point of view of... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful, informative, almost tragic read
I loved this book. I have always admired the way Frank Gardner reported on the Middle East and how much knowledge and understanding of the region he has. Read more
Published 21 months ago by SGC Grenyer
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
