A Season in Hell

by Robert Fowler

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For decades, Robert R. Fowler was a dominant force in Canadian foreign affairs. In one heart-stopping minute, all of that changed. On December 14, 2008, Fowler, acting as the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Niger, was kidnapped by Al Qaeda, becoming the highest ranked UN official ever held captive. Along with his colleague Louis Guay, Fowler lived, slept and ate with his captors for nearly five months, gaining rare first-hand insight into the motivations of the world's most feared terror group. Fowler's capture, release and subsequent media appearances have helped shed new light on foreign policy and security issues as we enter the second decade of the "War on Terror." A Season in Hell is Fowler's compelling story of his captivity, told in his own words, but it is also a startlingly frank discussion about the state of a world redefined by clashing civilizations.… (more)

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Fowler, a UN official, tells his harrowing story of captivity in the Saharan desert. His insights into Muslim fundamentalism are striking. His candor about politics and the people who worked for his release is wonderful. (

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LindaLeeJacobs | Feb 15, 2020 |

Robert Fowler was kidnapped by Al Qaeda in northern Africa and spent 130 as a prisoner. This is the story of how he survived those days.

Mr. Fowler talks about his experience, and provides a portrait of several of the men who held him and fellow Canadian, Louis Guay, hostage. Through this book, I was able to learn about the Al Qaeda movement in northern Africa and some of the broader political issues at play.

More importantly, I learned about human spirit and courage in listening to Mr. Fowler's account of how he and Louis worked to maintain their physical and mental health while not knowing how or when their ordeal would end. I applaud the generousity of spirit that Mr. Fowler has displayed in sharing his story so that other can learn and be inspired by it. (

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LynnB | Nov 21, 2011 |

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Awards

British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction (Shortlist – 2013)

Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence (Shortlist – Nonfiction – 2012)

Ottawa Book Award (Finalist – English Non-fiction – 2012)

RBC Taylor Prize (Longlist – 2013)

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People/Characters

Robert R. Fowler

Louis Guay

Important places

Sahara

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Epigraph

The author uses five verses of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge as his epigraph

Dedication

For Mary, whose love, drive, and spirit brought me back

For my wonderful girls, Linton, Ruth, Antonia, and Justine, and their familes, who made coming home so important

For Louis, without whom I would likely not have come through

For Presidents Toure and Compaore, their brave negotiators, and all those in the Canadian government who worked tirelessly and effectively to make it possible

For all those who can't go home

First words

As we waited for the ferry, our driver, Soumana Moukaila, oversaw a gaggle of nearly naked young boys as they competed for the privilege -- and a few coins -- of washing his carefully tended white Land Cruiser, which proudly sported a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) logo in pale blue on each front door.

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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

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Blurbers

Lewis, Stephen

Annan, Kofi A.

Dallaire, Romeo A. (Ret. Senator, Lt.)

Orbinski, James (M.D.)

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Wikipedia in English (1)

Robert Fowler (diplomat)

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For decades, Robert R. Fowler was a dominant force in Canadian foreign affairs. In one heart-stopping minute, all of that changed. On December 14, 2008, Fowler, acting as the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Niger, was kidnapped by Al Qaeda, becoming the highest ranked UN official ever held captive. Along with his colleague Louis Guay, Fowler lived, slept and ate with his captors for nearly five months, gaining rare first-hand insight into the motivations of the world's most feared terror group. Fowler's capture, release and subsequent media appearances have helped shed new light on foreign policy and security issues as we enter the second decade of the "War on Terror." A Season in Hell is Fowler's compelling story of his captivity, told in his own words, but it is also a startlingly frank discussion about the state of a world redefined by clashing civilizations.

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