Beyond Survival
New York: Putnam Publishing Group, 1990. First Printing. Hardcover. 287, [1] pages. Includes Acknowledgments; Foreword; 22 chapters, including I Surrender; The Enemy's Other Face; Forgiving Oneself; The "Fiery Forge; Passageways through Fear; From "Why Me?" to "Show Me!'; A Letter Home; Like Steel, We Are Tempered by Extremes; the "Commune" of Communicating"; The Hanoi March; Jerry, Jr.; Embracing the Good Fairy; Unity over Self; Hanoi Moon; God = Strength; Peepholes and Cracks; Free to Choose; Kinship with All Life; The Voice of Vietnam; Peace with Honor; Celebration; Beyond Survival. Gerald Coffee was interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam after he was shot down on February 3, 1966, and was held until his release on February 12, 1973. U. S. Navy (retired) Captain Gerald Coffee flew low-level reconnaissance missions over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which provided photographic proof of Soviet nuclear-tipped missiles, turning the tide of the dangerous Soviet – U.S. standoff. During the Vietnam War, Jerry was flying a combat mission off the USS Kittyhawk when he was shot down by North Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns. Immediately captured, he was held prisoner for over 7 years in the infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ communist prison where torture and solitary confinement were routine. His book, Beyond Survival, describes his experiences in gritty detail and his keynote talk has inspired thousands worldwide with a message of hope, faith, courage, and honor. A brutally honest account of Captain Coffee's experience, and how he used this experience as an opportunity for promoting his own personal and spiritual growth. This book is a journey into the invincible human spirit that unites heart and mind in a compelling and unforgettable experience. Drawing from his seven years as a POW, Captain Coffee offers a message we can draw on in any trying situation. His story demonstrates that conviction must come from within, and in telling that story he touches the place inside of us where growth begins. This book is a positive statement about love and commitment in the midst of war and division. It contrasts the cold reality of war, degradation, and torture with the warmth of human connections, inner serenity, and kinship with all of life. It Poignantly illustrates that to be stripped of every thing that is familiar and by which we identify ourselves leaves us with only what unites us--our human identity. It conveys truths about relationships at every level--with ourselves, with others. Derived from a Publishers Weekly article: Retired U.S. Navy captain Coffee was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam from 1966 to 1973, most of the time in Hanoi and in a cell by himself. How he endured and what he learned from the experience are the subjects of this inspiring book. By calling on his inner resources, such as his faith, his conviction that the United States was right to be in Vietnam, his love for his family, and his respect for his fellow prisoners, he was able to overcome loneliness and the pain of torture. Each chapter is headed by a paragraph of invincible principles that Coffee discovered for himself during his ordeal: ``The only real security we have is the certainty that we're equipped to handle whatever happens to us''; ``Humor is integral to our peace of mind and ability to go beyond survival.''. Condition: good, good / Good.
Keywords: Adversity, Freedom, Leadership, Naval Aviation, Vietnam War, POW's, Prisoners of War, Survival, Torture
ISBN: 0399134166
[Book #38678]
Price: $45.00