LITERATURE + LECTURES

University of St. Thomas Pi Sigma Alpha and Brazos bookstore, Houston's local independent bookstore, are proud to present Gary Noesner (pictured,  photo by Lynlee Wastie). as he comes to St. Thomas to talk about his upcoming book and his experiences in the FBI. Tuesday, October 5, 2010 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

In Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator, Gary Noesner takes readers on a heart-pounding tour through some of the most famous hostage crises. Specially trained in non-violent confrontation and communication techniques, Noesner’s unit has successfully defused many potentially volatile standoffs, but perhaps their most hard-won victory was earning the recognition and respect of their law enforcement peers.

Noesner offers a candid as well as fascinating look back at his years as a rebel in the ranks and a pioneer on the front lines. Whether vividly recounting showdowns with the radical Republic of Texas militia, the terrorist hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro, and self-styled messiah David Koresh, or clashes with colleagues and superiors that expose the internal politics and power-plays of America’s premier law enforcement agency, Stalling for Time crackles with breathtaking suspense and insight in equal measure. Case by case, minute by minute, it’s a behind the scenes view of a visionary crime-fighter in action.

About the author: Gary Noesner retired from the FBI in 2003 following a thirty-year career as an investigator, instructor, and negotiator. An FBI hostage negotiator for twenty-three years of his career, he spent ten years as the bureau's Chief Negotiator. Following his retirement from the FBI he became a Senior Vice President with Control Risks, an international risk consultancy. Noesner has appeared on numerous television documentaries produced by A&E, the History Channel, Discovery, TLC, and National Geographic.

He is the founder of the National Council of Negotiation Associations, which represents about eighteen organizations and thousands of law enforcement negotiators nationwide. He continues to do consulting work for Control Risks part-time. He lives in Virginia.

For more information about the author or to order his book online, visit the Brazos Bookstore website.