I tried to read this book both the physical and the audio. I found it disjointed and hard to read---perhaps because of the translation. I'm disappointed because I really wanted to connect with it.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

Heartbreaking and eye-opening, this is one of those memoirs that everyone (!) must read at some point. I’ve read a lot about of the horrors that went on at Guantanamo during the height of the “War on Terror,” but Adayfi’s book provided a new, horrifying look into all that happened there and what he experienced firsthand. Though the subject matter makes it a difficult read at times, it’s a book we cannot afford to ignore.

<i>This moving, eye-opening memoir of an innocent man detained at Guantánamo Bay for fifteen years tells a story of humanity in the unlikeliest of places and an unprecedented look at life at Guantánamo.

At the age of 18, Mansoor Adayfi left his home in Yemen for a cultural mission to Afghanistan. He never returned. Kidnapped by warlords and then sold to the US after 9/11, he was disappeared to Guantánamo Bay, where he spent the next 14 years as Detainee #441.</i>

Wow! This is definitely one of the most heart wrenching memoirs I've ever read. This book will make you feel all the emotions and most of the time it is very hard to get through, because there are a lot of very graphic scenes. If you have any triggers in general, you might want to stay away from this one as it's filled with horrifying scenes that are extremely graphic. But at the same time, I couldn't stop reading this book because I was so captivated by Mansoor's story. His story also had small moments of hope, laughs, and happiness even though they were unfortunately cut short 😭

I honestly can't stop thinking about this book, and Mansoor's story will stay with me for a long time. I really hope he comes out with a sequel soon as I would love to read about his life after Guantanamo.

I love memoir so if you love memoirs too, I highly recommend reading this one! It's a 5/5 star read for sure and a MUST read!

This was a powerful, difficult, heartbreaking book. While I thought I was familiar with the situation at Guantanamo, I clearly had no idea what really was going on and I'm sure I'm not alone in that statement. This is such an important read for everyone.

At age 19, Mansoor Adayfi was sold to the CIA by warlords after 9/11 and taken to Guantanamo Bay where he became known as Detainee 441. Suspected of being an Egyptian general named "Adel," Adayfi was interrogated and tortured and though there was never official evidence of any wrongdoing, he was kept at Guantanamo Bay for nearly 15 years, much of which was spent in solitary confinement. This is his story of Guantanamo.

Adayfi takes the reader through all of his emotions during this time: his resistance, his confusion, his fear, and his relationships with the other detainees and guards. I had to take frequent breaks from this book as it weighed so heavily on my heart. But ultimately, I'm so glad I was able to read Adayfi's story.

This was such an interesting look into a very complex issue. I think the author offers such a unique perspective that I don't believe it should be ignored. It begs a lot of questions.

In its archaic sense, the term hell refers to the underworld, a deep pit or distant land of shadows where the dead are gathered. From the underworld come dreams, ghosts, and demons, and in its most terrible precincts sinners pay—some say eternally—the penalty for their crimes. Welcome to hell on earth - Guantánamo Bay. Don’t Forget Us Here is a moving, graphic and brutal memoir of an innocent man detained at Guantánamo Bay for fifteen years. Mansoor Adayfi tells us a story that would make hearts of stone, bleed to death. The pain, the trauma, the torture, the sleep deprivation, the complete disregard of humanity are just some of the sick and inhuman incidents that happen, daily routine.

But what is amazing that even in the dark depth of this hellish abyss, there is hope and the triumph of spirit.

At the age of 18, Mansoor Adayfi left his home in Yemen for a cultural mission to Afghanistan. He never returned. Kidnapped by warlords and then sold to the US after 9/11, he was disappeared to Guantánamo Bay, where he spent the next 14 years as Detainee #441.

Don't Forget Us Here tells two coming-of-age stories side-by-side: a makeshift island outpost becoming the world's most notorious prison (could possibly serve like a narrative for Abu Graib as well) and an innocent young man emerging from its darkness determined to not have his spirit broken. Arriving as a stubborn teenager, Mansoor survived the camp's infamous interrogation program and became a feared and hardened resistance fighter leading prison riots and hunger strikes and organising peaceful protests against their inhuman treatment.

Earning the moniker, "Smiley Troublemaker": Mansoor became a self taught student, writer, advocate, and historian. And in his 14 years at Guantánamo, he wrote a series of manuscripts he sent as letters to his attorneys, which he then transformed into this incredible book, in collaboration with award-winning writer Antonio Aiello. With unexpected warmth and empathy, Mansoor unwinds a narrative of fighting for hope and survival in unimaginable circumstances, illuminating the limitlessness of the human spirit. And through his own story, he also tells Guantánamo's story, offering an unprecedented window into one of the most secretive places on earth and the people—detainees and guards alike—who lived there with him. Some pure evil. Others, self-aware but helpless.

Twenty years after 9/11, Guantánamo remains open, with more than 50 inmates still
Awaiting freedom. Mansoor Adayfi’s story is one of the almost 770 prisoners there and helps us understand who the real terrorists, really are.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mansoor, unlawfully detained at Guantanamo Bay for 15 years tells about his experience and the experiences of his brothers who suffered along side him
This book was hard to digest and process. Often leaving me gutted at what humans are capable of.
Leaving me wondering how people could possibly be conditioned to be so cold and callous to other humans
I frequently had to put this book down because of how horrific things were
This isn’t fiction. This is reality. And everyone should read it because being ignorant about what has and continues to happen just makes you part of the problem
Mansoor, the US took 15 years from you. Not only that it gave you only one option upon release, to go to Serbia, further imprisoning you. The world owes you more, you deserve better
Please don’t stop writing
Your life is valuable and your story should be heard
This is one of those things that will sit with me for years

Don't Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantanamo
by Mansoor Adayfi

This is a book that should be read by ever American so maybe we will not allow our government to go against the Geneva Convention again. This is one man's nightmare of being sold to the CIA for $1,500 dollars even though he was innocent. The majority of those locked up were innocent. Mansoor was only 19 years old and was locked up for 14 years.

Monsoor describes the whole tragic ordeal of the capture, the torture, transfer to a black site, and then to Guantanamo. He also what happens with others around him. What they endured, how they tried to fight back in subtle ways, and the fact they never expected the Americans would do this to them.


There was daily beating, and other tortures such as rectal probes, holding their eyes open and pepper spray applied, keeping them naked, freezing them, little to no sunshine, loud noises to make them not sleep, constantly grabbing them for interrogation claiming they were guilty, having dogs attack them, and so much more.

None of these people were charged with anything. Some were teachers, journalists, doctors, farmers, and kids! When one of Monsoor's friends got a broken tooth from fist or boot, he was in so much pain. No one would help him. The cell mates made a big stink so after a couple of weeks, they took the kid away. When he came back they had pulled eight teeth! One of the nice guards wrote up a report and was relocated off base. No one was allowed to complain. Another had frost bite to the tips of a couple of fingers. He came back with no fingers.

Although this upset me greatly to read, I think it is important to know what our government did in our names! It was an illegal war in my opinion and to drop our humanity on top of that and be okay with it is beyond words!
When Monsoor was finally released after 14 years of hell, he didn't even have a choice as to where to live. Others that left before him didn't do well. Some were killed because they were feared because America called them terrorists.

I hope the Bush Administration and everyone of them that played a part in lying to get us into that war reads this and sees what they have done.

There is so much in here! What I touched on is just the tip of the iceberg. Knowledge is power, read this!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book. Monsoor, I will think of you daily!