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Original poster

Ok, odd topic, but - Brian Keenan...

59 replies

littlelamb · 13/10/2005 20:39

I am reading his memoir 'An Evil Cradling' for a class next week, and I am just really struck by it, but it is before my time and I suppose the only thing I can compare it to is the terrible situation last year with Ken Bigley. All I really want to ask is, what are your memories of that time? Was it a big news story?And how did the media react to his capture and release? Also, what was going on in the world at that time, the book makes the global situation seem very volatile indeed. Previous to reading this, I hadn't heard of him, but I assume thats because I'm only 22. And if anyone hasn't read the book, I highly recommend it, it's an amazing read.

OP posts:
LadySherlockofLGJ · 13/10/2005 20:46

Do you know, I really can't remember, it was 13 or 14 years ago.

I do know that the Keenan and Macarthy camps played a blinder at keeping their names in the public domain for all that time.

And I know exactly where I was when Brian Keenan was released, and I remember that I sobbed.

I don't think things were any more stable then as we had just had or were in the middle of the first gulf war.

We were on holidays when I got started to read the book and I stayed up late two nights in a row to try and finish it. When I finished DH was delighted as he thought he was getting his wife back, he did but I lost my DH as he couldn't put it down.

An excellent piece of literature.

Original poster
littlelamb · 13/10/2005 20:49

I still haven't finished it, but I stayed up til three last night trying. I'm amazed at what an achievement the book is to be honest, the fact that very little is going on, its more an exploration of what was happening to his mind

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frannykenstein · 13/10/2005 20:59

Blimey, I love An Evil Cradling - one of my all time favourite books.

"The fruits, the colors, mesmerise me in a quiet rapture that spins through my head. I am entranced by color. I lift an orange into the flat filthy palm of my hand and feel and smell and lick it. The color orange, the color, the color, my God the color orange. Before me is a feast of color. I feel myself begin to dance, slowly, I am intoxicated by color. I feel the color in a quiet somnabulant rage. Such wonder, such absolute wonder in such an insignificant fruit."

The man's a genius - a marvel - an absolute poet. The book deepened my understanding of the world situation as I was fairly ignorant before having read it. I remember a lot of media coverage at the time focused on John McCarthy as there was the love interest to keep it in the news. J. Mc Carthy's book is also worth reading, as is Terry Waite's, if you are interested in the subject, but neither can hold a candle to the tormented beauty of Keenan's writing.

donnie · 13/10/2005 21:01

it was HUGE news - I remember it well. That period ( late 80s moving into the 90s) was notorious for kidnappings in Beirut and other parts of the Lebanon : John McCarthy, Brian Keenan, Terry Waite, Jackie mann. Mainly journalists and diplomat types. As far as I remember Keenan shared a cell with McCarthy, who was a world service reporter. The strange thing was that the kidnappers - Hizbollah ( I think) never seemed to have any intention of killing their hostages but wanted to make a political point.Whereas eveyone knew Kenneth Bigley would be murdered by his captors, sadly.
When Brian Keenan was released it was front page news in every single newspaper, same for McCerthy and Waite. They had all been imprisoned for years. Your posting has brought a lot of memories back to me!

Original poster
littlelamb · 13/10/2005 21:08

Thanks for sharing your memories. I vaguely remember an awful lot of fuss when Terry Waite was released but I didn't really understand what it was about I suppose. I have John Mccarthy's book, which I'm going to start straight after this one. It will be interesting to compare the two. Now you mention it, I have vague recolections of news flashes from the Gulf War, mainly when they rescheduled programmes. I can't have been very old. I'm really looking forward to discussing this book next week, it really has blown me away, because it's not something I would ever think to read

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JanH · 13/10/2005 21:13

Terry Waite's release

He was on Desert Island Discs recently and I was staggered to be reminded that he was imprisioned for nearly 5 years.

franke · 13/10/2005 21:16

I remember that the kidnappings didn't really become serious front page news until Macarthy was taken; iirc Keenan was taken some time before and was vaguely mentioned now and again. But 'cos Macarthy was a media man himself the situation received front page attention (and of course, as someone mentioned, there was the love interest as well as him being quite good looking etc etc). But it did go on for years with long periods when none of these poor men were in the news at all - almost forgotten. But the elation when they began to be released, I'll never forget it. I believe Macarthy and Keenan have remained good friends.

codface · 13/10/2005 21:35

always fancied john mc c

codface · 13/10/2005 21:35

another profound statement ofrm c

teeavee · 13/10/2005 21:36

IIRC,wasn't keenan half northern Irish and also an Irish citizen, or rthing like that - hence, was released earlier than the English hostages?

codface · 13/10/2005 21:39

think so
john mc c haad a girlf reind who compagined endlesly

always wondered what they said when he was realsed

teeavee · 13/10/2005 21:40

they didn't stay together though did they? I thouight she was very brave for campaigining for so long

tamum · 13/10/2005 21:40

Yes, I think the Irish government were more willing to negotiate. I remember seeing the billboards sayign Terry Waite had been kidnapped and thinking it was a joke, because he was over there as a negotiator.

Original poster
littlelamb · 13/10/2005 21:43

I was just about to ask if john and jill stayed together. It would be a bit of an asre if either of them thought, actually, its been a long time, I forgot how much you p*ss me off! Just to completely lower the tone.

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JanH · 13/10/2005 22:04

He couldn't cope with togetherness after all that IIRC. No idea what either of them is up to now (John or Jill I mean).

I know he was big buddies with Sandi Toksvig's brother and I think he did something with her - on the radio/TV I mean.

Gem13 · 13/10/2005 22:07

John McCarthy had a baby with his wife last week - in the paper at the weekend. He is in his late 40s now. First child and his wife is not Jill Morrell. They split up pretty soon after he got back and they wrote a book together.

Tommy · 13/10/2005 22:08

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Gem13 · 13/10/2005 22:09

DH nearly ran over Terry Waite when he was crossing the road in Cambridge a year or so after he was released.

DH was quite shocked by the near occurence! Bad enough to run anyone enough over let alone Terry Waite!

JanH · 13/10/2005 22:09

She's called Lydia - the baby - google finds it in the Mail but the Mail won't let me look (bastards!)(typical) (His wife is called Anna and is 10 yrs younger.)

JanH · 13/10/2005 22:13

They want "as little as £2 a week" for access.

Dream on, Mail...

Beetroot · 13/10/2005 22:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

JanH · 13/10/2005 22:16

Keenan I think, beety.

JanH · 13/10/2005 22:18

Keenan 24/8/90

JanH · 13/10/2005 22:19

McCarthy 8/8/91

JanH · 13/10/2005 22:19

McCarthy 8/8/91