Midnight Express [Paperback]

Billy Hayes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1984

For Billy Hayes, 1970 was a horrifying year. It was the year when he tried to smuggle 4lbs of hashish from Istanbul back to his home in America. It was the year when he was arrested at Istanbul airport, tried, and sentenced to 30 in a Turkish jail. For five years he suffered the filth, brutality and degradation of imprisonment in an environment of hellish squalor, while his family fought in vain to secure his release. Finally in desperation, he made a daring escape bid and incredibly the bid succeeded. This is the astounding true story, told in Billy Hayes's own words, of those five years of living hell and of the harrowing ordeal of his time on the run. Vivid and realistic without being morbid, it is a classic story of survival and human endurance, told with humour, intelligence and total honesty.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Billy Hayes was born in New York City. He went to Marquette University, dropped out before graduation and the following years are recounted in this book. William Hoffer is co-author of CAUGHT IN THE ACT and is Director of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Warner Books Inc (Mm) (March 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446311219
• ISBN-13: 978-0446311212
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,256,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Blatant smuggler versus Turkish brutality, June 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Midnight Express (Hardcover)

Many of the reviews that I have read about Midnight Express seem to focus on whether Billy Hayes was a smuggler or not, and, having established that he was then go on to tarnish everything he says and dismiss all that has happened to him. whether or not he was a possessor or a smuggler is irrevelant - it is almost certain that he was a smuggler, as he states in the book and film that he did it for money. The point that people seem to want to gloss over is that he spent far too long in a Turkish Hell-hole, with a regime that no-one deserves. I wouldn't subject my worst enemy to such a depraved and abused existence. The book by Mr Hayes and William Hoffer graphically depicts the Turkish mis-justice system for what it is. to serve an entire sentence only to have it re-heard and re-sentenced is cruel and barbaric. The Turkish prison system is accurately depicted in the book and film, as can be proved by reading any of the other books about prison regimes in many similar countries - not just Turkey. The book is quite excellent and one of the best reads that I can remember: it is just a pity that it is out of print, people will now be denied the chance to read and judge it for themselves. Anyone with current information on either of the authors please let me know; also if there is a copy for sale in a shop near Liverpool, England.

20 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book. Not an attack on Turkey, December 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Midnight Express (Paperback)

Please note that at the time of Billy Hayes's story, Turkey was basically a dictatorship; just as Spain, Greece, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc. were. 30 years ago Turkey along with the other countries just named all had dictators and were not 100% free societies. Therefore his portrait of Turkey and their justice system is true. One must remember however that a lot has changed since 30 years ago. This should make people be aware Turkey is not like this today. It was, however, like this in 1970. Therefore, judging the book by one's ideas of Turkey today is a faux pas. No one would judge Germany of today when reading William Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. So beware that many reviews of this book are biased and based on their views of the Turkey of today and not of 1970. Also, be advised that any person who lived through Billy Hayes's horror would no doubt have formed strong opinions on an entire people and society especially when still fresh. Such angers only leave after generations of people. Lastly, though the movie is excellent and follows closely to the book in some cases, the movie screenplay was written by Oliver Stone who rewrites his work for his own agenda and also uses his work as propaganda for some unknown cause which only he knows in that mind of his. He has done so in this case, changing many things that the book says and creating completely fictional accounts that never happened to Billy Hayes.

14 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars amazing real life page turner, May 29, 2001

By 

S. Clark - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Express (Paperback)

This young man's adventures in a Turkish prison are simply fascinating, and told very well. This book is one of the few that I was sincerely sorry that it had to end. My only complaint is that it is a little too slick, a little too Hollywood-ready. It would be interesting to read an account that showed a little more of the warts-and-all detail of the experience. It's a pity that this is out of print. And in answer to one of the reviewers comments below about what this book says about Turkey, well, in my opiniion, this book is an attack on Turkey. The author has almost nothing good to say about Turkey, and he never loses an opportunity to slag it off. But I am definitely interested in finding books that portray modern Turkey, and other countries in this region, in a more positive light. There never was a region that more needed reabilitating in the world's eyes, than the middle east today, I believe. Another good reason to read this book is to show the difference between it and the popular film that was made of it. It was quite an eye opener to me to find that two of the most horrific and lurid episodes that occur in the movie, do not occur in the book, most notably, the disgusting tongue-biting-off sequence.