Interesting story about war, forgiveness and how things are not always what they seem. It seems only natural that we are pulling for our unfortunate hero because he was victimized all those years ago. But one is gripped with sadness when we realize he has, somewhat rashly, erred. Fine light reading.

Jim Lehrer is a smart and talented man, but this book is basically a male soap opera, with melodramatic and unrealistic plot twists.
You would think that someone with a background in television journalism would be able to capture an original take on a 'celebrity' trial, but all he's done is re-use every cliche that every other similar book has used. And, without giving any plot away, the behavior and motivation of the characters is neither sympathetic or excusable even given the most trying of circumstances.
It's a tossed-off work, and it does not do justice to either the POW genre, or as a study of moral behavior.
Lastly, and maybe this was corrected later in the book and I overlooked it, John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the US.

I recalled the line from "The Wolfman" after reading this well written tale ("even a man with a pure heart" or something to that effect). An unforgetable read. Past sins may be forgiven, but never forgotten. Get this one.

As a novel, this book in and of itself was disappointing. Great promise, but somehow it did not follow through as anitcipated. The issues are complex and I think that Lehrer did a great job of laying them out. Experience shapes us immeasureably and often invisibly. How we perceive life events changes as new events enter the equation. No matter how well we believe we have come to terms with the good and the bad in life, no matter how certain we are of ourselves and our relationships, how we ultimately react remains a mystery. The strength of this book lies in what goes on in the mind of the reader after completing this rather contrived (at least the second half) story. It would be a good choice for a discussion group as it invites the readers to explore these moral truths as general concerns, but look at their own beliefs and souls.

Jim Lehrer really pushes some buttons in this book, exposing the reader to the overwhelming emotion of an ex-POW upon seeing one of the brutal prison guards from his captivity, 50 years before. The story itself may seem a little contrived, but the emotions are real and Mr. Lehrer takes the reader for a ride. Well worth reading and recalling the sacrifices that others have made so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have.