• The Dawn Prayer (or How to Survive in a Secret Syrian Terrorist Prison)

  • By: Matthew Schrier
  • Narrated by: Michael David Axtell
  • Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (320 ratings)

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The Dawn Prayer (or How to Survive in a Secret Syrian Terrorist Prison)

By: Matthew Schrier
Narrated by: Michael David Axtell
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Publisher's summary

A photographer captured in Syria and imprisoned for seven months recounts his story and how he became the first American ever to escape al-Qaeda.

"What is your name?" asked General Mohammad.

"Matthew," I said. I had stopped saying Matt a while ago because it means "dead" in Arabic.

On New Year's Eve in 2012, Matthew Schrier was headed home from Syria, where he'd been photographing the intense combat of the country's civil war. Just 45 minutes from the safety of the Turkish border, he was taken prisoner by the al-Nusra Front, an organization the world would come to know as the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda.

Over the next seven months he would endure torture and near starvation in six brutal terrorist prisons. He would face a daily struggle just to survive. And, eventually, he would escape. In this gripping, raw, and surprisingly funny memoir, Schrier details the horrifying and frequently surreal experience of being a slight, wisecracking Jewish guy held captive by the world's most violent Islamic extremists. Managing to keep his heritage a secret, Schrier used humor to develop relationships with his captors - and to keep himself sane during the long months of captivity.

The Dawn Prayer (or How to Survive in a Secret Syrian Terrorist Prison) is a tale of patriotism and unimaginable bleakness shot through with light, of despair and friendship, sacrifice and betrayal, in a setting of bombed-out buildings and shifting alliances. It's the story of the first Westerner to escape al-Qaeda - not a battle-hardened soldier, but an ordinary New Yorker who figured out how to set his escape plan in motion from a scene in Jurassic Park. From the prisoners' fiercely competitive hacky-sack games and volleyball tournaments (played using a ball made of shredded orange peels and a shoelace) to his own truly nail-biting breakout, Matthew Schrier's story is unforgettable - and one you won't want to miss.

©2018 Matthew Schrier (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Dawn Prayer (or How to Survive in a Secret Syrian Terrorist Prison)

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It’s a breakdown of one’s humanity

This was an amazing story. I felt that I could relate to the author in my experience in the Marine Corps. In the treatment received from all the terror groups was absolutely terrible but it really breaks down one’s humanity once they treat you like an animal. One’s morals and principles come out then you start to see who people really are. Lines are drawn in the sand and it’s interesting to see the mindset into his captors. You’re learning about a whole new world. It’s culture is otherworldly .

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not so great

Not so great, despite the fascinating and tragic experiences of the author, who invests a great deal of time discussing how terrible his cellmate was. I can't recommend this book.

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Inspiring and Moving

This man is an American hero. I will treasure the lessons this book has forever, he's such an inspiration. Using humor to get through dark times and coming out on the other side more badass than ever

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My favorite book

I enjoy audio books and I listen to them weekly. This one stands out as one of my, if not my, all time favorite. Not only was the authors words so personably presented, but the readers voice made it feel like you were there. What a story!

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Great Read

He spoke at my graduation from SERE. The guy is the real deal and he is hilarious so I made it a point to read his book. Loved it. A modern story of perseverance and grit. It’s written in a way that mirrors his “New Yorker” humor and swagger which is quite a humorous contrast with the jihadis’.

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Yikes!

This is an amazing story told very well. He didn't put extra energy into the horrific, and I had to stop and think about how bad it must've been.

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What an amazing story

Great action. And to believe it’s a true story. I recommend it to those who like action and prison escapes

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Really well Writ and Narrated

I enjoyed the book. I knew some stuff about it before hand, and I still really enjoyed it. There is a lot of language (if that’s a concern to people). The narrator does an excellent job of doing emotion and accents of the terrorists and prisoners. You could identify who a lot of the people were just by how he made them speak.

The story is awesome and a true story. The author is very smart in his story of survival. I like his methods, his brains and ideas. He’s kinda arrogant, but he has common sense in the problems.

This book is good for people that don’t mind language, people that like stories of captivity, torture, and suspense. It’s best read long portions at a time. Try to stop at a chapter’s end if you’re gonna stop.

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Edge of my seat reading

This was a great read. An unbelievable story of overcoming adversity, learning from mistakes, and managing relationships in a crisis.

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Excellent!

Masterpiece! Could not stop listening. Frightening story that could potentially save someone else’s life one day.

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