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Letters from Guantánamo
- Narrated by: Mansoor Adayfi, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Elias Khalil, Ibrahim El Helw
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
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Letters from Guantánamo
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Summary
In weeks after the September 11 attacks, 18-year-old Mansoor Adayfi was kidnapped by Afghan militia and sold to US forces for bounty money. After months of interrogations, he was sent to the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, as one of its first prisoners. Like the nearly 800 other men imprisoned at Guantanamo, Adayfi didn’t know why he was imprisoned or for how long. He had never seen a skyscraper and couldn’t imagine what the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center looked like, much less how they were destroyed.
At one point during his first days at Guantánamo, he was instructed to write a letter to his family. He knew interrogators would use whatever he wrote as leverage against him, so he wrote a fake letter to his family. That small act of rebellion made him feel human again and allowed him to address his captors in a way he couldn’t during interrogations. So Adayfi continued to write to his captors disguised as letters to the outside world. He wrote to the pope, space aliens, President Obama, Men’s Health Journal, the Founding Fathers, Martin Luther King, Jr., Donald Trump, and many, many others.
In this three-act production, we experience Adayfi’s coming of age and transformation from a willful and sardonic teenager accused of being an Al-Qaeda general into a hardened resistance fighter to a mature student and artist released after 15 years of imprisonment without ever being charged with a crime. In the story’s epilogue, Adayfi, now freed, finds catharsis by writing one final letter back to Guantánamo. Inspired and encouraged by Adayfi, others whose lives were turned upside down by Guantánamo write their own letters, including families of former prisoners, attorneys, CIA analysts, and former prisoners.
This unforgettable Audible Original brings you close to all the things that make us human—despair, humor, imagination, and an unwavering will to thrive in the most unimaginable circumstances.
What listeners say about Letters from Guantánamo
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 05-06-24
Such a good book!
This is a great read, well written and had moments of humour. So much strength, courage and more importantly faith!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ahmed borwin
- 30-05-24
Depressing and funny
I have not finished the book yet but already it’s a 5 star for me. The faith that Allah blessed him and others to cope with their situation,not to mention their courage and the sense of humour.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MAB
- 06-07-24
Fascinating
This was an incredible listen I completed it in one sitting. Well worth listening to. Hard hitting in some places but persevete, definitely.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Nancy
- 04-06-24
Interesting listen
I enjoyed this insight into Guantenemo and the spirit it must have taken to endure such torture. Despite the sadness of his story, there were times I couldn’t help but chuckle along. It’s shocking what these ‘prisoners’ went through and that the west was allowed to hold people without trial. I hope the stigma attached to Muslim men as being terrorists is lifted and with stories like this people can humanise them again. I really hope Mansour has managed to find happiness in his life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 06-06-24
Heartwrenching
This true story told by the prisoner himself was so heartwrenching, touching and absolutely amazing. It is a must listen and gives us an insight of what on in the Guantanamo prison.
Highly recommend it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SL
- 09-06-24
Not an easy listen
As the title suggests, it could be anything other than difficult to listen too. The book and letters deserve oxygen and light but it is not an easy listen. Proc÷eed with caution.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Zen10
- 07-06-24
What Spirit!
I am humbled by this story. I think when foul deeds are described with humour and good nature they seem more brutally awful. That was possibly the most powerful story I’ve ever listened to. Thank you.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Pooja
- 09-06-24
Was OK, decent listen
I actually stopped listening after a few mins, as I didn't think it was for me, then after reading the reviews again, I thought give it more time. Ended up being a decent book. Has an element of humour even though we get told about the horrific torture the prisoners went through. Heartbreaking as this actually happened.
I don't think the book is as brilliant ss others say it is, but toad I listened to it, as it is a decent listen
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