A Rope and a Prayer - by David Rohde & Kristen Mulvihill (Paperback)

About the Book

"New York Times" reporter Rohde and his wife, Mulvihill, present the compelling and insightful account of Rodhe's abduction in 2008 by the Taliban, and Mulvihill's struggle to free him.

Book Synopsis

The compelling and insightful account of a New York Times reporter's abduction by the Taliban, and his wife's struggle to free him.

In November 2008, David Rohde, a Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent for The New York Times, was kidnapped by the Taliban and held captive for seven months in the tribal areas of Pakistan. In the process, Rohde became the first American to witness how Pakistan's powerful military turns a blind eye toward a Taliban ministate thriving inside its borders. In New York, David's wife Kristen Mulvihill, together with his family, kept the kidnapping secret for David's safety and struggled to navigate a labyrinth of conflicting agendas, misinformation, and lies. Part memoir, part work of journalism, A Rope and a Prayer is a story of duplicity, faith, resilience, and love.

Review Quotes

"A love story, as well as a political drama...A Rope and a Prayer should be required reading."
-The New York Times Book Review

"Vivid...A fine read."
-Time

"An important and valuable story of love, faith and courage."
-The Washington Post

"Gripping."
-The Boston Globe

"[A] singular and harrowing account of a journalist's captivity in the most important place on earth, and what it means to be the one left behind."
-The Daily Beast

"Equal parts love story and international intelligence thriller, this memoir delivers a crash course in resilience and loyalty."
-Allure

"A gripping, true-life romance."
-The Observer's Very Short List

"Vivid...A fine read."
-Time

"Truly remarkable and bold...A painstakingly reconstructed, harrowing account."
-Kirkus

"Equal parts love story and international intelligence thriller, this memoir delivers a crash course in resilience and loyalty."
-Allure

"A gripping, true-life romance."
-The Observer's Very Short List

About the Author

David Rohde, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes in journalism, is a reporter for The New York Times and the author of Endgame: The Betrayal and Fall of Srebrenica.
Kristen Mulvihill has been a photography editor and director at various women's magazines, including Marie Claire and Self. Most recently, she was the photography director of Cosmopolitan. They live in New York City.