Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero [Hardcover]

Ashley Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2005

Ripped from the headlines, this will be the explosively inspirational and news making life story of the young female hostage who earlier this year, single–handedly talked the infamous Atlanta courthouse killer, Brian Nichols, into surrendering peacefully by gaining his confidence through her prayers and personal faith and by reading passages to him from the Christian blockbuster A Purpose Driven Life.

Ashley Smith's memoir will resonate from coast to coast with the riveting story of her amazing courage and great faith in persuading her murderous hostage–taker to surrender to a heavily armed dragnet of police officers after he went on a wild killing spree through the courthouse and streets of Atlanta in April. The 26–year–old widowed mother of a six year old girl will tell for the first time in this book the inside details of her hours with the killer –– revealing numerous headline–making details –– and expanding on how the Lord and the bestselling book A Purpose Driven Life helped her survive the ordeal, and bring the killer's murderous rampage to a peaceful end. "He believed that I was an angel sent from God," she told the media the day of the killer's surrender. It has been widely reported that Ashley eventually convinced the killer that his "purpose" in life was to commit the murders, take her hostage, so she could convince him that his ultimate "purpose" was to end up spending the rest of his life in prison, preaching the teachings of Jesus Christ to his fellow inmates. Likewise, she now believes she experienced this horrendous event in order to spread the same message to the masses via this book which will give her a public platform to do so.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This is less the story of a woman being held hostage in her apartment than an inspirational tract that could serve as a companion volume to The Purpose-Driven Life and become required reading in rehab clinics. Smith had been weaning herself off of speed, pot and Xanax when, after having been up the previous night snorting "ice" (methamphetamines, or "those drugs," as she frequently says) and setting up her new apartment, Brian Nichols held her hostage after killing several people while escaping from an Atlanta courthouse. Over the next seven hours, Smith convinced herself that God sent Nichols to straighten her out, and, between her cutting lines of speed for him to snort off her bathroom counter, showing him pictures of her daughter and family, reading him passages of ThePurpose-Driven Life, helping him ditch a truck he'd stolen, telling him about her murdered husband and cooking Nichols a pancake breakfast, she persuaded him to turn himself in. The pedestrian writing and Smith's moment-by-moment analysis of what's happening make for a frustrating read, but those looking for a simple story about overcoming addiction and persevering in the face of adversity will find this worthwhile. (Sept. 27)
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Review

"This is a woman who understands grace." (Rick Warren, author of A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE, quoted in Christianity Today )

"...a remarkable tale of redemption." (Augusta Chronicle )

"Smith's revelations offer a new wrinkle to a story that...captivated the country." (Newsweek )

"...a newly minted author and celebrity." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution )

"Smith leads the reader through the long, dangerous night, minute-by-minute." (The Sunday Oklahoman )

"...could serve as a companion volume to The Purpose-Driven Life. (Publishers Weekly )

"...required reading." (Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (September 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310270677
• ISBN-13: 978-0310270676
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #950,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ashley Smith, a native of Augusta, Georgia lives with her family and six-year-old daughter, Paige, and is active in her church. Ashley believes that God led her through those dark hours with Brian Nichols and that she is called to tell us the highly publicized experience to help people everywhere find their purpose.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For those of you who wonder....., October 20, 2005

By 

Aunt Kim "Kim" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero (Hardcover)

I am Ashley's Aunt Kim. Her mother and I brought Ashley home with us the night of her ordeal with Brian Nichols. She has been with us (and Paige) since then. I know it is hard for many of you out there to take her story for what it is... A story of redemption. Ashley will be the first to tell you that she was no Angel and no Hero. In fact, she will tell you that she was a drug addict and a woman who made one wrong decision after another. My family lived the horror of those choices she made. We are qualified to comment on Ashley's life.

We all struggled with writing this story. We prayed through the process and sought out those that would not lose the message of hope in this story. This is why we went with a Christian writer and Publisher. Yes...God was in this whole ordeal. Yes...he brought some good out of this horrible tragedy. Yes...He wants to do the same in every one of our lives. Yes...whether you want to believe it or not...God has done a miracle in Ashley's life these past 7 months. We have watched her grow physically, emotionally and spirtually. She has shared her earnings in a most generous and Biblical way with her church, victims funds, and other organizations such as Katrina Relief and World Vision. She has made the transition back into Motherhood, seeking counsel along the way. I could go on and on of her healing, but unless you are around her on a regular basis, you wouldn't understand what I'm talking about.

Those of you who are skeptics, should have sat in the jail last week as she spoke with inmates on the horrors of her life. I wish you could have sat in on the "Celebrate Recovery" meeting in Omaha as she poured her heart out to those hurting women. Seeing the looks of hope on those women's faces was such an amazing sight. Ashley's comment..." I am so unworthy."

I struggled through the book. I cried as I was reminded of all the things she and our family suffered through. But...as I closed the book, I was able to thank God that He loved her enough to reach down and pull her out of her living hell and to give her a platform to share her story to those who are hurting in this world. I realize that my words will fall on deaf ears to those of you who want to be self-appointed judges and critics. But the truth of the matter is this....God knows as well those people close to Ashley what is truly in her heart. We all know the motivation behind her actions and are very proud of her for standing up for God and what she believes is His will in her life.

48 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sincere Book, September 28, 2005

By 

B. Kim - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero (Hardcover)

The one star reviews you see were written by people who haven't actually read the book and are cynically disgusted with all "book deals" for 15 minute celebrities. I too am a cynic who is highly suspicious of opportunistic "book deals."

It is a shame, because this book doesn't deserve much of the criticism leveled by the detractors who are mostly bitter at the genre and not this specific title.

Unlikely Angel is a sincere story of a woman living in the tension between the Christian faith and the reality of a struggle with drugs. She knows how she ought to live her life and yet fails to achieve the ideals expected by her devout Christian grandfather and family members.

Despite what many cynics will believe. This book is not a brazen grab for publicity by Smith. She is clearly uncomfortable with celebrity and is driven by the desire to come clean and tell her story as a way of exorcising her past. Addiction and secrecy always go hand in hand and this is her attempt to put both these demons behind her. Oh sure, the publisher wants to make money, but Smith is, present tense, healing from a wounded past.

I'll also mention that Ashley Smith is incredibly smart. Though she has yet to finish her formal education and she has never had training in negotiation strategies, Smith has brilliant intuition. Police negotiators, psychologists and business negotiators would do well to pay attention to her technique.

Is Ashley Smith a hero? Maybe not. Smith did not intentionally put herself in the hostage situation. However, Smith does show sincere concern for the welfare of other people. She goes back to her apartment with her captor to avoid a public shootout when she could have driven away. For once in her life, she was more concerned for others than she was in getting her next fix.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly, inspirational story, April 4, 2006

By 

rnorton828 "rnorton828" (Riverbend, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero (Hardcover)

Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero is a truly inspiring read. It is a story about bravery, as well as a story about redemption, and a story about what God can and will do when He moves in someone's life. Ashley Smith recounts her seven-hour ordeal of March 12, 2005 when she was held hostage by Brian Nichols, who had shot up the Fulton County Courthouse the previous afternoon, killing three people before he had made his escape. Smith tells the story of her ordeal being held hostage, but she also writes about the murder of her husband Mack in 2001 and the drug addiction problems which cost her custody of her daughter Paige. All of these events build up to Ashley's spiritual awakening, when she finally realizes that God truly does have a plan for her life, and she surrenders herself to His will. A lot of skeptics and naysayers out there have been quick to judge and label Ms. Smith. I'm sure that she would be the first to say that she is neither a hero or an angel. She is only human, but like the rest of us, she is a human being for whose life God has a plan. He has already moved in a mighty way within her life, and I believe He will continue to use her. His plan for her life is far from finished. Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero is an excellent read, and I recommend it to Christians and non-Christians alike. This is a great book.