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Midnight Express

By: Billy Hayes, William Hoffer
Narrated by: Billy Hayes
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Publisher's summary

Midnight Express tells the gut-wrenching true story of a young man's incarceration and escape from a Turkish prison. A classic story of survival and human endurance told with humor, honesty, and heart, it became the Academy Award-winning blockbuster film of the same name.

In 1970, Billy Hayes was an English major who left college in search of adventures to write about, like his hero Jack London. He had a rude awakening when he was arrested at the airport in Istanbul trying to board a plane while carrying four pounds of hashish, and given a life sentence. After five brutal years, relentless efforts by his family to gain his release, and endless escape-plotting, Hayes finally took matters into his own hands. On a dark night in a wailing storm, he began a desperate and daring escape to freedom.

This is the astounding journey, told in Billy Hayes' own words, of those five years of living hell and of the harrowing ordeal of his time on the run.

©1977, 2013 Billy Hayes (P)2017 Billy Hayes
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What listeners say about Midnight Express

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Great to re-visit this story

I read the book 40 years ago, it was nice to hear Billy read it in his own voice.

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4.5 overall.

Recommend it, even IF you saw the movie - especially considering how it gave the Turks an undeserved bad rap (or worse rap, rather).

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Incredible story and performance

This is one of the best audio book performances I have heard. Very emotional and clear.

The tense story of a young and foolhardy guy trying to make a quick buck by smuggling hashish out of Turkey is timeless and transports you right back to the tarmac where it started

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  • Overall
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basically a perfect audiobook

extremely suspenseful-- well written and never boring-- Billy Hayes' narration of his own story makes it even better

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  • Overall
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Good Story. Different from movie.

Good Story. Different from movie. Enjoyed hearing the actual details of Billy Hayes’ ordeal and escape.

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Great Story! Great Writing! Great Performance!

I knew about this true life adventure in the 70s. I still have never seen the movie. The book and the audio performance is wonderful. The story will scare the hell out of you. I look back at all the mistakes I made when I was young and see how much trouble I could have gotten into. Man, did Billy get into trouble! Truly one of the greatest adventure stories ever told.

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wow

what an amazing book I hate to sound cliche but this was better than the movie

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Awesome from start to finish!!

Such a good book a real page turner didn't want to stop listening once I started.

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Great story

The narrator did a good job telling the tale with enthusiasm I really enjoyed the story

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Live Life

what a book I could not stop listening I would wake up at 3 am and listen till my alarm went off just loved it

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