The Shattered Lens

In this “gripping and personal view of war” (Andy McNab, author of Bravo Two Zero), a celebrated photographer crafts a powerful memoir about his experiences in some of the world’s most dangerous, war-torn areas—and his terrifying capture by Syrian rebels in 2013.

For a decade, Jonathan Alpeyrie—a French?American photojournalist—had ventured in and out of more than a dozen conflict zones. He photographed civilians being chased out of their homes, military trucks roving over bullet?torn battlefields, and too many bodies to count. But on April 29, 2013, during his third assignment to Syria, Alpeyrie became the story.

For eighty?one days he was bound, blindfolded, and beaten by Syrian rebels. Over the course of his captivity, Alpeyrie kept his spirits up and strove to find the humanity in his captors. He took part in their activities, taught them how to swim, prayed with them, and tried learning their language and culture. He also discovered a dormant faith within himself, one that strengthened him throughout the ordeal.

About the Authors

Jonathan Alpeyrie was born in Paris but moved to the United States when he was fourteen-years-old. His photography career stretches over a decade, and has brought him to more than twenty-five countries, covering fourteen conflict zones, from the Middle East and North Africa to the South Caucasus and Central Asia. His work has been featured widely, from the New York Times to Time to the BBC. He is a now staff photographer for Polaris Images and also has been working as a fashion photographer with Elle and various local designers. He lives in New York City.

Stash Luczkiw is a New York-born poet and translator based in Italy, where he works as the editor of Longitude, a monthly geopolitical magazine.