Midnight Return: Escaping Midnight Express

Midnight Returns details Billy Hayes' life back in the U.S. after his escape from the Turkish prison island in Imrali and deportation from Greece and how he had to re-adjust to life back home. After a blissful reunion with his family, Billy is in sort of a crossroads over what to do with his life now that he is free and finds he still has some life lessons, some very painful, to learn even now that he is a free man.He is also haunted by the fact that a friend of his back in Sagmalcilar Prison (where Billy was serving his unjust life/30 year sentence before being transferred to Imrali) is still locked up behind bars in Turkey while he himself is free. These two had attemped an unsuccessful escape from Sagmalicilar before the plot was discovered and the friend, Harvey Bell, was brutally beaten and transferred to another jail before returning there after Billy's escape.Back home, Billy writes a novel, Midnight Express (the prison slang for escape) about his arrest, imprisonment and escape from the Turkish jail island. And of course, as everyone knows, Hollywood comes calling and his book is turned into a motion picture starring Brad Davis as Hayes. The real Billy also has to deal with the not surprisingly backlash from the Turkish government, angered over the book and movie's charges of prison brutality, the unreasonable and illogical legal system, and of course the not so flattering portrayal of Turks (the film is more guilty of this than the book, IMO however. In the book Billy does point out that he knew plenty of decent Turkish inmates). A warrant is issued for Billy's arrest, but he is assured by the State Department that he will not be extradiated. He will however have to be content to enjoy his freedom in the states and forget about travel outside the country since Interpool holds the warrant for his arrest (it wouldn't expire until 20 years later).Still not all is gloom and doom. Even as he loses the friendship of one of his childhood friends over a woman (not that that hasn't happened between friends before), Billy ironically meets the woman who would become the light of his life and his wife (whom he has remained wed to this day) at the Cannes premiere of Midnight Express. And he is still determined to help out Harvey, still imprisoned and also suffered from the controversy that the movie stirred in Turkey. Billy now ironically finds himself in the position that his parents had been during his own imprisonment.....the frustration of, despite their best efforts, not effectively being able to help someone near and dear to them locked up so far away.But like his family with him, Billy refuses to give up on Harvey.....and that's all I will say.This is a very well written sequel to the excellent Midnight Express. I always wondered what became of him after he got out of prison and returned to America . He endures ups and downs and still found he had much to learn even after escaping from Turkish imprisonment but he still went on and never let whatever setbacks that came his way post-prison life overpower him.I very much recommend this book to anyone interested in the endless fascination of the story of Billy Hayes.

I read Midnight Express and saw the movie. I was curious to know how "Billy Hay-ess" was doing decades after the trauma of life in the Turkish prison system. I suspected there would be many things to learn. I was not disappointed. I was surprised. I was aware Hollywood took some literary license in the screenplay and was prepared to read a few new facts, not much more. Pow!! This book flowed through the horrific and spiritually uplifting details of a tortured soul literally gambling his life seeking freedom, as though it was rocket propelled. I couldn't put it down until I was finished. It is an easy read that skillfully paints vivid pictures with every chapter. So well constructed, it seemed to anticipate my every question and answered all of them in the seamless roaring flow of emotions it created. I highly recommend Midnight Return for all the reasons stated herein, with only one caveat: To increase the value of the reader's experience, also read Midnight Express, and The Midnight Express Letters: From a Turkish Prison 1970-1975. The group taken together will move you to places in your mind you never expected to go. Excellent!!

Same as midnight express. Regurgitating a lot of stuff from midnight express

I read and enjoyed Midnight Express and thought I would enjoy learning more. However, having read Midnight Return, I can safely assert that there is no point in reading this book if you've read the original. The first third of this book alone is just a re-hash of the same, almost word-for-word in some places.You get the sense that Billy Hayes wrote this book solely to make money, and to keep commercializing his experience from the 1970's. Shoudln't a best-selling book, and an academy award winning movie be enough? Clearly not for Mr. Hayes. Enter this gratuitous tome, as well as another book in which he publishes his letters from prison, a one-man Broadway play, and now a BALLET (seriously?! you all need to Google this if you don't believe me). What was an extremely compelling tale in Midnight Express has now descended into a desperate attempt to commercialize, stay relevant, and keep milking and re-milking 15 minutes of fame.For just one small example of how Billy Hayes is mailing it in with this book: he tells an anecdote of seeing a boy leading a bear on a leash in Istanbul, while in transit between prisons. However, in the original Midnight Express, he tells the same anecdote, but it happens the night before he gets arrested, at the start of the ordeal. That Billy Hayes couldn't even be bothered to keep little anecdotes straight is all you need to know about this book, and the effort that went into itMidnight Express is a classic for sure, but I'm very sorry I wasted $9.99 on this.

More to the story here as well as a general retelling that can be skimmed. Hollywood and Oliver Stone put words in Hayes' mouth that he's had to live down over the years in more ways than one. Transcendent and cautionary tale.

Got to give the author credit for honesty. Doesn't come off as portrayed in the movie.

Well told story that kept my interest every minute. I remember the effect that the original book had on me and was surprised by the authors confession regarding the movie version of his story.

Continues where the original book left off. Also, corrected some things from the 1st book and the movie

After reading midnight express a few times, I had high hopes for this sequel. However I was soon disappointed. While it portrays Billy's life out of prison, it seems like a re-hash of the previous book with extras thrown in. Another thing I disliked is the constant telling of how much he loves women and what he wants to do to them. We get it! You had a gay experience in prison and now you want to make sure people know you're straight! We get it. He also comes across as arrogant, sexist and misogynistic. I'd say if you've read midnight express, leave it at that and don't spoil it with this book

If you liked Midnight Express - you'll love this book. It takes up where Midnight Express left and gives a fascinating insight into how Billy's life progresses after his escape. It is a must read for fans of the original book and the surreal situation Billy finds himself in.Billy Hayes shows that his 'against all odds' escape was not just down to luck but his constant drive to move his life forward is down to his grit and determination and inner strength.

After reading Midnight Express which was an amazing book, Midnight Return could really never compete in terms of excitement. Personally l would have bought the book about the letters first.

Very interesting and informative