Under the Cover of Light by Carole Engle Avriett and Thomas Jerry Curtis

Under the Cover of Light: The Extraordinary Story of USAF Col Thomas "Jerry" Curtis's 7 1/2 -Year Captivity in North Vietnam

by Carole Engle Avriett, Thomas "Jerry" Curtis (Contributor)

This is the amazing autobiography of a colonel shot down down over North Vietnam in 1965. Colonel Thomas ''Jerry'' Curtis' life was changed as he endured the next 7 1/2 years in brutal captivity. That alone should be enough to make anybody want to read this biography, right? Add to it the fact that this account is a testimony of how a true Christian's faith is strengthened under hardships and trials such as this. Over and over again I was astounded by the fortitude Jerry showed. I absolutely loved how this book emphasized God's faithfulness and the hope Jerry had through Christ. This is a must-read! At first it took me a while to get into the book but for some (good) reason by the third chapter I was fully interested and didn't want to put the book down. I believe the reason I wasn't as engaged at first was that there are so many foundational details the author (Carole Avriett) is trying to lay down in the first chapters before getting to the action as it were. I found the writing style a little choppy (especially after being spoiled by Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken). However, I think the writing style definitely improved further into the tale! One thing I loved about this book was the absence of foul language and crude names which were given by the Americans to their tormentors. (''Unbroken'' includes all the rude names given to the torturous captors and many of them are unrepeatable) I found this more appropriate for younger readers. The descriptions of the tortures, sickness and hardships made me cringe and weep and wonder how those men lived through them but are not unacceptable for even young teenage readers (thinking girls here :) ) to read. This book will make a perfect gift for anyone, especially for Dad's this upcoming Father's Day!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

In 1965, Col. Thomas "Jerry" Curtis's helicopter was shot down over North Vietnam. He was immediately captured and spent 71/2 years confined in a filthy 5′ x 7′ cell at the notorious Hanoi prison camp. Thousands of miles from home and unable to communicate with his wife and children, Jerry endured months of solitary confinement, suffocating heat, freezing cold, grueling physical and psychological torture, constant hunger, and unimaginable mental duress. And yet, time and again, the Light that darkness cannot overcome became his beacon of hope. Now, for the first time in print, Jerry shares the full story of his 2,703 days in captivity and what he learned about faith, hope, and the indomitable power of the human spirit.