'I sat down and began to prepare myself for an ordeal. I made three resolutions to support me through whatever was to come: no regrets, no false sentimentality, no self-pity.'

In his prison cell Terry Waite wrote his autobiography in his head. This is it, his own heart-rending account of how he survived for 1,763 days in captivity, almost four years of which were in solitary confinement. He tells of his constant struggle to maintain his faith and of the inner strength which helped him endure the savage treatment he received from his captors.

Above all it was his recollections of his life from childhood onwards sustained him. Born the son of a village policeman he was adviser to the first African Archbishop in Idi Amin's Uganda, he worked in Rome as consultant to religious communities and emerged on the world stage as the Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy to the Middle East.

Terry went on to become a negotiator for hostages in Tehran, Libya and Beirut, when he himself was taken hostage.

This classic account of one man's survival at the limits of human endurance now includes an updated foreword and new chapter from Terry, as he reflects on the aftermath of his release, his return to normal life and the new opportunities he now has to work with hostages in the fast-changing political landscape in the Middle East today.

'A poignant self-portrait' The Daily Telegraph

Terry Waite has led a remarkable life as a hostage negotiator. He survived five years in captivity and remains actively involved with hostages and their families as well as working with those who find themselves on the margins of society.