Book Review: Miracle in the Andes

Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado

Many of you might recall that god-awful movie, Alive, in which a young Ethan Hawke stars as a rugby playing cannibal who eats his team after his plane crashes in the mountains of Chile. Okay, so I don’t entirely remember the specifics, but I do recollect the standard Hollywood sensationalization and crappy ending so many of these “based on a true story” movies are known for. I also recall one redeeming quality in the form of a small cameo by John Malkovich…surely the film’s shining moment.

Anyway, the character that Hawke portrayed is named Nando Parrado and is no more fictional than present-day rugby star, Dan Carter. Parrado had the misfortune of boarding the plane destined for disaster on October 12, 1972. This book, Miracle in the Andes, is a first hand account of the 72 day ordeal this young Uruguayan rugby player experienced while being trapped deep in the Andes Mountains. As is the case with most books, this one is much better than the movie (even though the movie was actually based on the 1973 novel with the same title).

In the beginning, the reader learns that there are 45 passengers on board the Fairchild F-227. This includes family, friends and players of the Montevideo-based Old Christians Rugby Club. The team is on their way to Santiago to play an exhibition match. Although the weather looks ominous, the plane pushes on. Midway through flight, severe turbulence occurs and within seconds the plane crashes down in the mountains, dismembering both wings and tail.

Following the accident, Parrado lay unconscious for three days. When he awakes he learns his best friend and mother are dead and his sister is nearly lifeless. Over a dozen others were killed, including the pilots. With little food and even less medical supplies the remaining survivors band together. Injuries are treated and alcohol is rationed. While the players wait for a search team, moral is high that they will be found. However, as time passes, no rescue is successful and through the eventual repair of a radio the team learns their search has been called of completely. They are trapped at 12,000 feet with no plausible escape route.

As would be expected, the longer the players are stranded, the more lives are lost. But it is through Parrado’s unexpected leadership that so many men do survive. This extraordinary man leads the reader through a first hand account of surviving hypothermia, avalanches and making the ghastly decision of eating human flesh. His miraculous 10-day trek out of the Andes still leaves me baffled. Two months of less-than-minimal nutrition and makeshift alpine gear (his snowshoes were made of airplane seat cushions) are his only defense in the harsh tundra. How he down climbed some of those peaks in his condition with no ropes still confounds professional climbers!

One might think the trite motives such as hope, determination and religion were what kept Parrado alive for so long. While they may have played a small part (barring religion – see chapter ten), Parrado emphasizes love as his impetus for survival. Love for his dead mother and sister. Love for his hardworking father. Love for his unknown future wife. “Death has an opposite, but the opposite is not mere living. It is not courage or faith or human will. The opposite of death is love…only love can turn mere life into a miracle, and draw precious meaning from suffering and fear.”

Miracle in the Andes is a book that every reader can find relevance in. A few of its themes include: death, despair, isolation, religion, maturity, friendship, cooperation, confidence and love. For me, this book simply makes me want to be a better person. It inspires me to work hard at all my relationships, treasure what already exists and strive for what I have yet to achieve. I think that you, too, should give it a chance. Even if you are not the kind of person to allow a book to influence you, at the very least it does have educational value.

Book Review: In the Name of Honor - A Memoir

In the Name of Honor: A Memoir by Mukhtar Mai

The first time I was introduced to an honor crime was in an anthropology class my freshman year of college. The crime took place in Iran and involved a girl in her mid-teens. She was accused of raising her head and making eye contact with a man. Less than 24 hours later, she was dead; stoned to death by over thirty villagers. I was shocked and appalled! How in the 21st century could these medieval practices still be tolerated? Little did I know, that was only the beginning. Over the next two hours, dozens of more brutalities were described. These women were beaten, tortured, disfigured, raped, and killed for crimes which included dressing “inappropriately”, partaking in “forbidden” relationships, and looking at someone the “wrong” way. I saw pictures, watched videos, and listened to personal accounts. I felt nauseous… disgusted…and powerless.

In the Name of Honor: A Memoir rekindled those disturbed feelings. This narrative is a reminder that these atrocities continue throughout the world on a daily basis. This is the story of a single event so gruesome, it should have killed its victim. But instead of succumbing to societal expectations, this author fought back. Her story is one of suffering and despair, but also courage, dignity and hope. Thankfully, in the spirit of a happy ending, it proves that one person really is capable of impacting this world.

In 2002, Mukhtar Mai was a 28-year-old woman living in the Meerwala village in the Punjab providence of Pakistan. Like most Muslim women in this feudal farming community, Mukhtar never learned to read or write. Although divorced, Mukhtar was a peaceful, honorable woman who taught the Koran (through memory and recitation) to the village children. She was as respected as a woman in her position could be.

On a late June day, Mukhtar’s 12-year-old brother was falsely accused of talking to a daughter from a powerful caste. In a matter of hours, the accusations against the young boy progressed from talking, to stealing the family’s sugar cane, to raping the woman. Mukhtar’s family begged her (her tribal justice council orders her) to visit the neighboring Mastoi clan and ask for forgiveness. Her brother has been in jail for nearly 12 hours, and she is his only hope. She faithfully agrees and travels to her neighbors. Instead of understanding, she is met with pistols, rifles, and men filled with hatred and contempt in their eyes. In front of hundreds of bystanders she is dragged through the street and locked in a stable. She is repeatedly gang-raped by four men (all Mastois) and then tossed out on the street, naked, alone, and shamed.

These men did not kill her. They did not have to. In rural Pakistan, women so defiled are expected to commit suicide. They are no longer pure in the eyes of men, and are a source of shame to their family. For days, Mukhtar contemplates how she will kill herself. Only the watchful eye of her caring mother prevents her suicide. Then, as anger for what has been done to her and her younger brother begins to consume her, Mukhtar becomes empowered. She no longer feels shame for what has been done to her, only hatred for her attackers. Although it has never been attempted before in her village, she decides to seek justice by pressing charges. This is an extreme decision for a woman in her village, where as Mukhtar says:

“A woman is nothing more than an object of exchange from birth to marriage… Men have the monopoly on vengeance, which passes through violence inflicted on women… Before I lived in absolute submission; now, my rebellion will be equally relentless.”

With no education and little support from her village, she battles corrupt officers, lying testimonies, and endless threats on her life. After numerous setbacks, she finally is victorious and her government begins to change its “blind eye” acceptance of local clan tribal justice, which has meted harsh punishments without any type of judicial protection on women for so-called honor crimes. Her case gained international notoriety and NGOs from all over the world pledge their support.

In a matter of months, Mukhtar transformed from a submissive Islamic peasant woman to an outspoken women’s activist. With money from her settlement, she opens the first school in her village, the Mukhtar Mai School for Girls (Mukhtar means “respected big sister”). After the first year, over 300 children, both boys and girls are enrolled. Children from the Mastoi clan are even invited to attend. Her goal is to teach literacy to young girls so they are not powerless and develop tolerance and respect in young boys. Five years later, her school is still growing. She has employed more teachers and purchased livestock in an attempt to make the school self-sustaining. She travels the world, acting as an ambassador for human rights, but always returns back to her village in Meerwala.

This book is translated first from Mukhtar’s native language into French, and then into English. It is written in casual speaking style, and at first I was concerned that its message might be lost in the translation. But that is not the case with this 170 page narrative. The simplicity of the writing makes it all that more accessible for people of all walks of life. Hatred is Hatred, Violence is Violence, Strength is Strength, and Love is Love...no matter how you word it. All of which strongly resonate with the reader. I highly recommend committing a few hours to reading, In the Name of Honor: A Memoir. Mukhtar Mai’s story, both heartbreaking and inspirational, deserves to be heard.

Book Review: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston

Imagine being stranded alone in a remote desert canyon for 6 days with limited water, little food and no cold-weather gear. Sound unnerving? Now imagine the same scenario, except with one more obstacle: your arm has been ensnared by a boulder, leaving you trapped and in a very serious predicament. This is exactly what happened to 27- year old mountaineer, Aron Ralston, in April 2003. Between a Rock and a Hard Place provides a first-hand, detailed account of the living hell this author experienced in that week and the drastic action he was forced to take to save himself.

Although this book was published 3 years ago, it took me that long to discover it. Once I did - I read it voraciously. I found myself reading it at home and at work and politely declining social invitations because I had a date with Aron. Be warned: this book could run your life for 2 whole days!

As an outdoor enthusiast and wannabe climber, I can relate to Aron’s choice of isolated Blue Johns Canyon in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. It is a gorgeous park with amazing scenery and terrain for all levels of rock climbers, canyoneers and mountain bikers. Unfortunately, I can also relate to his ignorance of Hiking Rule #1: always tell someone where you are going. Lucky for me, I was never harmed as a result of the violation. I can further relate to some of the foolish decisions he made throughout his life (which repeatedly brought him a little too close to the edge). Just like Icarus tempted the sun, Aron tempted destiny, and on that dreaded spring day, fate decided to take control.

The book tells of Aron's venture into the park and his unfortunate landing on a loose boulder. The heavy stone went rolling, causing Aron to fall and end up with his right arm pinned between the boulder and the canyon wall. It relives the agonizing six days he spent trying to free himself from the weight of the boulder and the amputation he finally performed on his arm to get free - with just a measly multi-tool as his sole surgical instrument. If that isn’t incredible enough, Aron then made a 150 foot rappel out of the canyon (one-handed and in shock) and hiked 8 miles to safety! His epic story is interlaced with vignettes of past near-death experiences involving rivers, icy mountains and avalanches. Oh, and did I mention that with no access to water, he had to drink his own urine? I am stowing that away for future survival usage.

It is a story of bravery and determination; idiocy and ego. But as Alexander Pope said, “To err is human…”, and that is why everyone should read this book. Whether it is in the wild or in the office, at home or out on the town, we have all made mistakes. Some more severe than others (especially in this case)! Some of us have escaped responsibility, others have not - even the experts muck up. When they do, sometimes they can make a pretty penny by writing books about it, becoming inspirational speakers, or starring in beer commercials. Apparently, Miller Lite doesn’t think it gets more manly than cutting off your own appendage!