Defy the Stars is the story of a young man who went to the Middle East as an observer and lost his life through a single, selfless human act. In April 2003, 21 year old Tom Hurndall, an English photojournalism student, was shot in the head as he carried a Palestinian child out of range of an Israeli army sniper in the town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Despite wearing the internationally recognised peaceworker's fluorescent orange jacket and being unnarmed, Tom never regained conciousness after being shot.
This book is Tom's mother Jocelyn's account. Detailing his courageous quest, its tragic end and the devastating effect it had on his family. This book serves as both an expose on what happened and as a elegy to her son. Written with honesty and insight, this is a very moving story of a man who died to a hero.