A Fireside Talk with John McCarthy – Learning from the Unexpected: A Life Between Extremes

“Coming to terms with that solitude within yourself – whether in the high Andes or the Patagonian wilderness – lets you run between extremes and come home with the knowledge that there are no finite edges to yourself.”
John McCarthy during his Fireside Talk

In January 2021 we were joined by John McCarthy, journalist, author and motivational speaker who was Britain’s longest-held hostage in Lebanon, where he spent over five years in captivity before his release.

John shared a rare view into the extremes of the most defining moments of his life so far. Reflecting on his experiences of travel and captivity, John provided insight pertinent to our current reality. In drawing on his experiences, John considered the importance, now more than ever, of British Exploring Society’s work with young people, giving them the tools and techniques to tackle life’s unknown future challenges.

John’s understated, thoughtful insights into coping with enormous adversity, on the power of friendship and how people from completely different experiences in life can support each other through unimaginable challenges were memorable. We do hope you go away uplifted – and full of thoughts to share with your friends.