We’ve all been touched by the story of Tom Sutherland, the Iowa State graduate who was kidnapped in Lebanon in 1985 and held for over six years. Equally inspiring is his wife, Jean, who remained in Beirut during her husband’s captivity, the only American wife to do so.

She continued to teach at the American University of Beirut — her employment contract stated that she came to Lebanon “at your own risk,” — and worked for Tom’s release until he was eventually freed.

Both Tom and Jean Sutherland will be on hand tonight at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union from 8 to 10 p.m. to sign copies of their book, At Your Own Risk. The book chronicles, with two alternating voices, the story of Tom’s captivity with a rare portrait of the Middle East.

After Tom’s release, the couple went back to Beirut with NBCNews, making Tom the only former hostage ever to return.

Tom was born in Scotland and received his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Glasgow University in 1953. He came to the United States for his graduate study at Iowa State, where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees.

Jean was born and reared in Ames, and she also graduated from ISU with bachelor’s degrees in English and history. She and Tom met at school and got married.

They now live in Colorado, where Jean taught and worked toward advanced degrees (Colorado State University for her M.A. in English literature and the University of Colorado for her Ph.D.). Both Tom and Jean combine their professional lives with traveling, speaking and writing.

Tom is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State, while Jean is on leave as a professor of English. They have three daughters: Ann, Kit and Joan.

Copies of At Your Own Risk are available at the University Book Store and the Great Hall for $27.95.