Customer Reviews

ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL: MY TRUE STORY OF KIDNAPPING, TERROR, TORTURE AND HISTORIC FBI & KGB RESCUE

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Another title for this review could have been "Risky business". It is the intriguing tale of a woman who has lived on the edge for most of her life, and who has experienced things you and I would never want to imagine.

In a life story that the National Enquirer would have been proud to scoop, a headstrong and determined young woman named Yvonne Shilkin went against the tide, first carving a niche for herself as a singer, (a white, Australian Aretha Franklin), giving up that dream by refusing to compromise on her principles, marrying the man her mother warned her about, enduring a divorce from hell, witnessing the murder of her fiancé, and then finding love with a wonderful man, only to be kidnapped for eleven horrible days in Russia as a result of the couple's very lucrative but risky business ventures as barter/trade agents.

Unknowingly and perhaps naively putting their eggs in the same basket with criminals and thugs, the couple's ordeal only came to a relatively happy ending thanks to a series of fortunate events, some dependable friends, a brilliant and well connected Russian lawyer and a sympathetic, ambitious and competent Russian Colonel.

I say relatively happy, because the ordeal has had lasting effects on the author, leading to divorce, fear of victimization from the largely unpunished perpetrators, and financial ruin.

On the other hand, the fat lady hasn't sung, and the story hasn't ended. The author has since pulled herself together financially, found happiness with the soul mate she waited over forty years to find, and is now living with her extended family in the United States.

This true story is simply told, and although the most brutal parts are not graphically described, what we are told is more than enough to understand the meaning of Primo Levi's words, "I am constantly amazed by man's inhumanity to man."

Rated 4.5 stars


Amanda Richards, October 11, 2005

This story is a true account of an amazing woman's kidnapping and torture at the hands of Chechen separatist rebels trying to raise money for the beginnings of Osama Bin Laden/Al Qaeda's terrorist activities against the West. The direct link has been validated at the top of US government. But, that fact is a small part of this horrifying account of the ordeal of Yvonne Bornstein and her ex-husband who were kidnapped while on business in the collapsing former Soviet Union. Their rescue by the historic, unprecedented cooperation between the FBI and the KGB would sound unrealistic if it were not absolutely true. 'Eleven Days of Hell' is a testimony to the inner stamina of this brave woman. Yvonne Bornstein credits her 'Never Give Up' attitude to her memories of Senator John McCain's accounts of his endurance of capture and torture as a POW in Vietnam. The book includes photos of Yvonne in her youth, during her marriage, the Soviet dacha where they were held, and pictures of major players in the kidnapping and rescue. Not for the faint of heart, this book includes depictions of gruesome torture Yvonne endured at the hands of her keepers while they attempted to ransom Yvonne and her former husband for millions from their desperate family, again, to be used to fund Islamic terrorist activities. See also 'Why Courage Matters', 'Worth the Fighting For' by John McCain. See also Deputy Sec of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, 'Wolfowitz on Point' by Lee Crane. Also www.TalkLeft.com on links between Chechnyan fighters and Al Qaeda.

This is a true story of "man's inhumanity to man" and a wake up call for those living in the television provided security of their living rooms. One cannot accuse Yvonne of of any zest for growing roots into the sofa, au contraire. However, the dangers she encounters go far beyond anything she ever imagined. Russia's organized crime proves too tough, too well organized, and too cruel, when Yvonne and her former husband, Danny Wienstock, are kidnapped by predatory thugs. This terrifying account of the torture and dramatic rescue is recounted in vivid detail Bornstein's suspenseful tale, ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL.


Yvonne's testimony drives home the fact that the events taking place in Russia affect everyone ... it's a small world we live in today. This is a read that tears at the nerves; Bornstein paints a lucid picture of the events of her and her husband's captivity in the town of Noginsk, involving horrible mental and physical abuses heaped on them. Fortunately, back at the ranch some good guys still work at the CIA, and they manage to unite forces with Russian and Australian authorities. The two stories are entwined in a way that builds tension nicely to a thrilling rescue, yet this is not the end. Yvonne must now grapple with the internal demons unleashed by her tormentors. The made for TV drama may be over, but, in the aftermath, her real battle has only just begun.

For anyone who wishes a peak into the horrors and mind set created by events that few of us have or will ever experience, this book is a must read. That said, those who have already experienced "man's inhumanity to man" may have a difficult time getting through the disturbing sequence of events. On the other hand, other victims of violence may be reasssured that justice does exist in the world, and it is sometimes served to the thugs who deserve it.

Ah, yes: Russia, in the wake of glasnost and perestroika--following the collapse of Soviet Communism--was an infant frontier of venture capitalism. More than a decade ago, I knew some acquaintances who decided to seek their fortunes in the land of the czars. Contacts were established, contracts were written, money was borrowed, goods were bartered--officials were bribed. In the end, Russian organized crime proved to be too tough, while government officials were too corrupt; my acquaintances lost every red cent they had.

Yet they got off lucky, compared to Australian citizen Yvonne Bornstein. Lured to Moscow by an unscrupulous business partner by the name of Grigory Miasnikov, Yvonne and her then-husband, Danny Weinstock, were kidnapped by a band of brutal thugs in January of 1992. The kidnappers' demand: $1.6 million, or the Weinstocks would be killed. The harrowing account of the couple's abduction, horrific treatment, and rescue is described dramatically in Bornstein's riveting book, ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL.

This is an extremely disturbing and upsetting read, as Bornstein reproduces the events of her and her husband's captivity in vivid detail. Kept in a dacha in the town of Noginsk, the Weinstocks were subjected to beatings, humiliation, mental torture--and worse. Meanwhile, half a world away, a handful of concerned people were working feverishly to pull off the impossible: a joint, historic, rescue operation among the U.S., Russian, and Australian governments. The author weaves both stories--the ordeal of captivity, the simultaneous diplomatic and law enforcement negotiations--into a spellbinding thriller. Ultimately, with time running out for the Weinstocks, a bold rescue takes place, and Bornstein must cope with the aftermath of the effects of her experience, both emotionally and physically. The kidnapping did indeed take a tremendous toll.

ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL is a fascinating story; what's more, it is marvelously written. My only concern with the book is the trade paperback itself; even though they are few and far between, the book (a bane of small publishers such as Author House) does contain some annoying typos. A royalty publishing house would be well served to pick up this book and give it the exposure and distribution it deserves. This is a story that deserves a wide, captivated audience.
--D. Mikels, Author, WALK-ON

In a popular Hollywood movie, one of the characters, playing a tough businessman who fancied himself a master of negotiating, expressed the opinion that in a business deal, there is no difference between a gun and a fountain pen. To believe that this is true is to believe that the use of force or violence to obtain monetary reward is equivalent to using artful negotiation, rational persuasion, or skillful selling. Coercion then becomes just another technique for the acquisition of wealth, and individuals in the business community who refrain from using it are to be viewed as "unrealistic" or even weak-minded. Strength of character therefore has its origins in a willingness to intimidate physically other people in order to bring about a desired end. Real business involves "doing whatever it takes" to increase wealth, even if this means causing extreme pain or even death.

There are many who believe in this equivalence, but thankfully there are many who do not. As the events of her life and skill in entrepreneurship indicate, the author of this book is a member of the latter category, and in this book has written an engaging (and terrifying) story of how she and her business partner/husband were forced to deal with some individuals of the former category. Kidnapped for eleven days, where they were beaten and intimidated by a collection of moronic and confused thugs, who could not distinguish the acquisition of wealth from its plundering, and who sadistically enjoyed the pain they gave their captives, the couple nevertheless got away with their lives, with the assistance of a unexpected collaboration between East and West.

For those, such as this reviewer, who are extremely skeptical of the competence of governmental security personnel, and of their abilities to cooperate constructively with foreign governments, this story will alleviate some of this skepticism (although the author describes the FBI as being reluctant to get involved). There are not too many things that are more frightening than the prospect of being caught in a foreign country where the laws and sense of justice are different, and where envy towards Westerners is predominant. And if one does find oneself in such a situation and does survive it, the natural thing to do it seems would be to obliterate it from memory. Reminders of it would be draining, both emotionally and intellectually, and would serve no useful purpose in everyday living.

The author though has chosen to tell her story, and has written one that is fast moving but still gives insight into her moods as well as her captors. It focuses of course on the concrete details of her captivity, but also motivates the reader to consider why her captors behaved as they did, and whether the wealth that they expected to obtain was really worth the energy they expended to get it. It is always perplexing to see a group of individuals conniving, planning, and engaging in violent acts, and expending vast amounts of energy just to obtain by relative standards a paltry sum of money. Considerably less energy is needed to obtain the same sum by legal and creative means, but for some reason these types of individuals cannot see this. The answer must be that they love the intimidation and sense of power that violence gives them. The neurons in their brains are over trained by sadism, polluted with cynicism, and allow no expression of compassion or empathy. The money they obtain is spent in no time flat, on fruitless physical indulgences or one meaningless card game after another. They idolize and prop each other up, with their handshakes and backslaps, and any real sense of achievement is completely alien to them. Taking is always better then earning. They unite under the creed that "only suckers work."

Interestingly, when the author discusses her emotional state with respect to her captors, she mentions the "Stockholm syndrome." This is supposed to be a kind of brainwashing that causes the captive to express sympathy for or even admiration for the captor. On the surface this does not seem too surprising, since when in a situation of dependence one's emotional processes are completely out of equilibrium, with a consequent loss of self-esteem. It is difficult to find definitive research on the reality of the Stockholm syndrome, due no doubt to low occurrence of situations like that of the author, and lack of explicit documentation of the emotional states of the captives, before and after their confinement. Such a syndrome could explain the reason why so many abused wives tend to remain emotionally attached to their abusive husbands.

At the end of the book, the author describes her homecoming and the skepticism that she and her husband encountered by some members of the press, who did not believe her story. Their business in shambles, they did pick up and move on, although the author describes her life as being very stressful for sometime after the kidnapping. And what happened to their captors? "Whereabouts unknown" says the author. Unfortunately these creeps are still wandering around, and their behaviors have been emulated on a grander scale in the form of the Russian mob, part of which is active in the United States.

Having spent much of the past 17 years of my life working and going to school in Russia, including substantial time spent with the Russian military and police fighting Russian organized crime, the tale told by Ms. Bornstein provided many chilly reminders of the state of the world and victimization of those trying to make their way in it. It is always easy to choose a safe and conventional life. It is clear from her book that Yvonne Bornstein has never been guilty of this. Yet, despite her zest for adventure and warrior search of challenges she found herself in a world that was far beyond her understanding or ability to deal with its inherent dangers. In being so honest in revealing that which she experienced she has sent a message to the rest of America and the world, that the events taking shape today in Russia and the former Soviet Union can, and do, affect all of us. You do not have to be someone who lives and works in that distant land to recognize the impact its dangers pose to us, including the rise of Islamist terrorism in Russia. In "Terror At Beslan" I have attempted to provide some heretofore unknown information to the American public of the real threat that is facing us, trying to get people to recognize that not just Iraq, but Russia is providing us the blueprint of dangers yet to come to our shores. Yvonne Bornstein is one of the very few who has real life experience with this threat, and understands its significance to an America 8,000 miles away. I well recognize that in writing her book she has yet again risked much, this time to send a warning to others lest they suffer as she has suffered. For anyone who wishes to lift his or her eyes from books, magazines and television devoid of what is truly happening in the world, this is a must read.

I was in the middle of reading a novel when this book arrived in my mailbox and the title, the front cover art, the size of the text (readable without my glasses) immediately captured my attention. I set aside the novel and didn't set down Eleven Days of Hell until I finished it.

As a memoir fan, in the opening chapters I enjoyed getting to know the diverse and ambitious character that is Yvonne. (I could almost hear her Australian accent.) And then, as the book progressed and she and her husband were abducted, each of the 11 days of torture and uncertainty is carefully and descriptively laid bare. The story proved fascinating, unique and had me at the edge of my seat. Through the first person accounts, (presented in Roman type as opposed to the intermingling third-person narratives presented in italics), the reader experiences terror through the eyes of the victim and this is the strongest aspect of the book.

A truly riveting story, I highly recommend reading Eleven Days in Hell.

From the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life," and "The Things I Wish I'd Said," McKenna Publishing Group.

In the heady days following the fall of communism, many Western entrepreneurs were lured to the Wild East to make their fortune. But Russia's new crony-capitalism was in the hands of greedy government crooks, mobsters, oligarchs, scammers, and bandits. Yvonne and her then-husband were betrayed by their shady partners, and held for ransom for eleven terrifying days. Their captors were members of the Chechen mafiya, considered to be the most ruthless of Russia's organized mobs. They were known to bomb an entire marketplace to punish one offending kiosk, and their kidnap victims were rarely seen again. Perhaps fortunately for the Australian couple, their captors needed them alive, to ransom them for $1.6 million dollars. Certainly it was fortunate these Chechens were seemingly traditional Sufis and not converts to the Wahhabist extremism which later would infiltrate the Caucasus. The Jewish couple with "rich American friends" could be exploited for funds needed for the separatist rebellion. So Yvonne and her husband would be fed and kept alive -- but brutalized, beaten, and violated daily by their sadistic captors. Permitted a closely monitored phone conversation, Yvonne cleverly relayed to her American relatives that she was in danger. That's how the FBI got involved in the rescue of two Australian hostages. A Russian-American lawyer coordinated with the Russian KGB in an unprecedented cooperative mission. The couple was saved, but their ordeal not over. Nightmares and post-traumatic stress would take a toll on their marriage. It would take Yvonne more than ten years to write her story, in so doing, to exorcize the demons. But last week, she was smiling as she conversed with prospective customers at a book-signing. Difficult to believe this petite, soft-spoken woman with upbeat demeanor and charming Australian accent was a survivor of the most beastly terrorism! With such an amazing and inspiring story, I'd expect to see her soon on Oprah's TV show!

ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL by Yvonne Bornstein is a brave and inspirational true-life story of International intrigue and personal survival. Author Yvonne Bornstein is a courageous hero because of other courageous heroes. As the author writes "Nothing is impossible when people care enough."

ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL is a true action story of twelve years of nightmares. Yvonne Bornstein bravely shares her true-life tale - eleven days in the hands of Russian mobsters intent on collecting millions of dollars of ransom money. Yvonne recounts with surprising clarity her trials and triumphs in a recent interview. She says, "We were kidnapped 10 minutes after arriving at the Moscow airport. We had been picked up by the Manager of our Moscow office and thought we were being taken to a hotel. Instead we were taken on a different route than on previous trips and ended up at a rickety old Dacha approximately 80 kilometers from the airport. I was dragged by the hair from the car I had been in with my husband, into a second car where I was almost choking from two men who held me tightly with a gun at one side of my neck and a knife at the other."

ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL is one of the best books of the year regarding courage, bravery and 'people who care enough.' From Gerry, the longtime FBI agent and James, the veteran diplomat who feel, "It's all in a days work" to the brilliant and humanist lawyer, Dimitry Afanasiev. It is a a "Miracle" that Yvonne and her former husband (Daniel Weinstock) survived and are alive to tell this story. This is a must read book! If you only read one book this year make sure it is ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL. This is one "Hell" of a book, and everyone should stand up and applaud Yvonne Bornstein for her strength and inspiration for sharing this story with the world. This is a book that teaches us that one must never "give up" and shows us what happens when "people care enough."

---- Review by Charles Morgan for www.TheAuthorConnection.com

After reading Yvonne Bornstein's story, it quickly occurred to me that she must have been one of the first victims of attempted terrorist funding.
It is quite common knowledge that ex members of the KGB turned to terrorism after the fall of Communism.
I am awestruck to read how Yvonne Bornstein managed to leave a trail of clues to allow the FBI and "former" KGB operatives to find her and rescue her in the first ever open collaboration between the two "former enemies"
This is definitely a "sit on the edge of the chair" read.
I would not only highly recommend the book, but spread the word to all Hollywood producers and studios that this story would make a very appealing movie!