Eleven Days of Hell: My True Story of Kidnapping, Terror, Torture and Historic FBI & KGB Rescue

This is a true story of "man's inhumanity to man" and a wake up call for those living in the television provided security of their living rooms. One cannot accuse Yvonne of of any zest for growing roots into the sofa, au contraire. However, the dangers she encounters go far beyond anything she ever imagined. Russia's organized crime proves too tough, too well organized, and too cruel, when Yvonne and her former husband, Danny Wienstock, are kidnapped by predatory thugs. This terrifying account of the torture and dramatic rescue is recounted in vivid detail Bornstein's suspenseful tale, ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL. Yvonne's testimony drives home the fact that the events taking place in Russia affect everyone ... it's a small world we live in today. This is a read that tears at the nerves; Bornstein paints a lucid picture of the events of her and her husband's captivity in the town of Noginsk, involving horrible mental and physical abuses heaped on them. Fortunately, back at the ranch some good guys still work at the CIA, and they manage to unite forces with Russian and Australian authorities. The two stories are entwined in a way that builds tension nicely to a thrilling rescue, yet this is not the end. Yvonne must now grapple with the internal demons unleashed by her tormentors. The made for TV drama may be over, but, in the aftermath, her real battle has only just begun. For anyone who wishes a peak into the horrors and mind set created by events that few of us have or will ever experience, this book is a must read. That said, those who have already experienced "man's inhumanity to man" may have a difficult time getting through the disturbing sequence of events. On the other hand, other victims of violence may be reasssured that justice does exist in the world, and it is sometimes served to the thugs who deserve it.

Ah, yes: Russia, in the wake of glasnost and perestroika--following the collapse of Soviet Communism--was an infant frontier of venture capitalism. More than a decade ago, I knew some acquaintances who decided to seek their fortunes in the land of the czars. Contacts were established, contracts were written, money was borrowed, goods were bartered--officials were bribed. In the end, Russian organized crime proved to be too tough, while government officials were too corrupt; my acquaintances lost every red cent they had. Yet they got off lucky, compared to Australian citizen Yvonne Bornstein. Lured to Moscow by an unscrupulous business partner by the name of Grigory Miasnikov, Yvonne and her then-husband, Danny Weinstock, were kidnapped by a band of brutal thugs in January of 1992. The kidnappers' demand: $1.6 million, or the Weinstocks would be killed. The harrowing account of the couple's abduction, horrific treatment, and rescue is described dramatically in Bornstein's riveting book, ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL. This is an extremely disturbing and upsetting read, as Bornstein reproduces the events of her and her husband's captivity in vivid detail. Kept in a dacha in the town of Noginsk, the Weinstocks were subjected to beatings, humiliation, mental torture--and worse. Meanwhile, half a world away, a handful of concerned people were working feverishly to pull off the impossible: a joint, historic, rescue operation among the U.S., Russian, and Australian governments. The author weaves both stories--the ordeal of captivity, the simultaneous diplomatic and law enforcement negotiations--into a spellbinding thriller. Ultimately, with time running out for the Weinstocks, a bold rescue takes place, and Bornstein must cope with the aftermath of the effects of her experience, both emotionally and physically. The kidnapping did indeed take a tremendous toll. ELEVEN DAYS OF HELL is a fascinating story; what's more, it is marvelously written. My only concern with the book is the trade paperback itself; even though they are few and far between, the book (a bane of small publishers such as Author House) does contain some annoying typos. A royalty publishing house would be well served to pick up this book and give it the exposure and distribution it deserves. This is a story that deserves a wide, captivated audience. --D. Mikels, Author, WALK-ON

Another title for this review could have been "Risky business". It is the intriguing tale of a woman who has lived on the edge for most of her life, and who has experienced things you and I would never want to imagine. In a life story that the National Enquirer would have been proud to scoop, a headstrong and determined young woman named Yvonne Shilkin went against the tide, first carving a niche for herself as a singer, (a white, Australian Aretha Franklin), giving up that dream by refusing to compromise on her principles, marrying the man her mother warned her about, enduring a divorce from hell, witnessing the murder of her fiancé, and then finding love with a wonderful man, only to be kidnapped for eleven horrible days in Russia as a result of the couple's very lucrative but risky business ventures as barter/trade agents. Unknowingly and perhaps naively putting their eggs in the same basket with criminals and thugs, the couple's ordeal only came to a relatively happy ending thanks to a series of fortunate events, some dependable friends, a brilliant and well connected Russian lawyer and a sympathetic, ambitious and competent Russian Colonel. I say relatively happy, because the ordeal has had lasting effects on the author, leading to divorce, fear of victimization from the largely unpunished perpetrators, and financial ruin. On the other hand, the fat lady hasn't sung, and the story hasn't ended. The author has since pulled herself together financially, found happiness with the soul mate she waited over forty years to find, and is now living with her extended family in the United States. This true story is simply told, and although the most brutal parts are not graphically described, what we are told is more than enough to understand the meaning of Primo Levi's words, "I am constantly amazed by man's inhumanity to man." Rated 4.5 stars Amanda Richards, October 11, 2005

Having spent much of the past 17 years of my life working and going to school in Russia, including substantial time spent with the Russian military and police fighting Russian organized crime, the tale told by Ms. Bornstein provided many chilly reminders of the state of the world and victimization of those trying to make their way in it. It is always easy to choose a safe and conventional life. It is clear from her book that Yvonne Bornstein has never been guilty of this. Yet, despite her zest for adventure and warrior search of challenges she found herself in a world that was far beyond her understanding or ability to deal with its inherent dangers. In being so honest in revealing that which she experienced she has sent a message to the rest of America and the world, that the events taking shape today in Russia and the former Soviet Union can, and do, affect all of us. You do not have to be someone who lives and works in that distant land to recognize the impact its dangers pose to us, including the rise of Islamist terrorism in Russia. In "Terror At Beslan" I have attempted to provide some heretofore unknown information to the American public of the real threat that is facing us, trying to get people to recognize that not just Iraq, but Russia is providing us the blueprint of dangers yet to come to our shores. Yvonne Bornstein is one of the very few who has real life experience with this threat, and understands its significance to an America 8,000 miles away. I well recognize that in writing her book she has yet again risked much, this time to send a warning to others lest they suffer as she has suffered. For anyone who wishes to lift his or her eyes from books, magazines and television devoid of what is truly happening in the world, this is a must read.

This story is a true account of an amazing woman's kidnapping and torture at the hands of Chechen separatist rebels trying to raise money for the beginnings of Osama Bin Laden/Al Qaeda's terrorist activities against the West. The direct link has been validated at the top of US government. But, that fact is a small part of this horrifying account of the ordeal of Yvonne Bornstein and her ex-husband who were kidnapped while on business in the collapsing former Soviet Union. Their rescue by the historic, unprecedented cooperation between the FBI and the KGB would sound unrealistic if it were not absolutely true. 'Eleven Days of Hell' is a testimony to the inner stamina of this brave woman. Yvonne Bornstein credits her 'Never Give Up' attitude to her memories of Senator John McCain's accounts of his endurance of capture and torture as a POW in Vietnam. The book includes photos of Yvonne in her youth, during her marriage, the Soviet dacha where they were held, and pictures of major players in the kidnapping and rescue. Not for the faint of heart, this book includes depictions of gruesome torture Yvonne endured at the hands of her keepers while they attempted to ransom Yvonne and her former husband for millions from their desperate family, again, to be used to fund Islamic terrorist activities. See also 'Why Courage Matters', 'Worth the Fighting For' by John McCain. See also Deputy Sec of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, 'Wolfowitz on Point' by Lee Crane. Also www.TalkLeft.com on links between Chechnyan fighters and Al Qaeda.