The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of a Terrorist, a Train, and Three American Heroes

The 15:17 to Paris is a non-fiction book by Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone and Jeffrey E. Stern. On Friday, August 21st, 2015, in Brussels, an ISIS terrorist boarded the 15:17 to Paris, armed with an AK-47, a pistol, a box-cutter and a large amount of ammunition. There were 554 passengers on the train, but before he managed to enact his plan, three men charged and overpowered him. There were injuries, but no lives were lost.

As well as describing the events on the high-speed THALYS train that Friday afternoon, this book describes Ayoub El-Khazzani's movements before and during this heinous intended act, as known from various sources. Also described are the youth, adolescence and early adulthood of the three brave American men, Anthony, Spencer and Alek, who took him on. Revealed are how they came to possess the skills that helped them disarm El-Khazzani, their mindset and the events that led them to be on that train.

The aftermath: a call from President Obama; the ceremony with the French President awarding them the Knight of the Legion of Honor; the emotional turmoil about further terrorist acts that occurred in Paris; the celebrity, interviews and media attention; the 9/11 parade in Sacramento; meeting President Obama; all are recounted. Sadler's narrative conveys just how surreal it all seemed, and how long what they had done actually took to sink in. A riveting read.