Editing Terry Waite (section)

== Release and afterwards ==
Following his release, he was elected a [[Commoner (academia)|fellow commoner]] at [[Trinity Hall, Cambridge]] where he wrote his first book, ''Taken on Trust'' (1994), a [[memoir]] of his captivity in Lebanon. It became a [[best-seller]] in the UK and internationally.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Terry Waite - ARU|url=https://aru.ac.uk/graduation-and-alumni/honorary-award-holders2/terry-waite|access-date=2020-03-13|website=aru.ac.uk|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Former hostage Terry Waite on why he seeks solitude in Suffolk|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d5a1f264-7221-11e7-aca6-c6bd07df1a3c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/d5a1f264-7221-11e7-aca6-c6bd07df1a3c |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|url-status=live|access-date=2020-03-13|newspaper=Financial Times|date=4 August 2017 }}</ref>

Waite decided to devote himself to studying, writing, lecturing and humanitarian activities. His second book, ''Footfalls in Memory'', a further meditation on his captivity in Lebanon, was published in the UK in 1995 and also became a best-seller. His most recent book, published in October 2000, ''Travels with a Primate'', is a humorous account of his journeys with his former boss, Robert Runcie. Waite has also contributed articles to many journals and periodicals, ranging from ''[[Reader's Digest]]'' to the ''Kipling Journal'', and has also supplied articles and forewords to many books.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our President |url=https://newmarketopendoor.org.uk/what-we-offer/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Open Door Newmarket |language=en-GB}}</ref> 

In 2004, Waite returned to Beirut for the first time since his release. He told the BBC, "If you are bitter, it will eat you up and do more damage to you than to the people who have hurt you."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3503239.stm |title=Ex-hostage Waite free from bitterness |publisher=BBC|date=19 February 2004}}</ref>

On 31 March 2007, Waite offered to travel to Iran to negotiate with those holding British sailors and marines seized by Iran in disputed waters on 23 March 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6514567.stm |title=Bush attacks Iran over captives |work=BBC News |date=1 April 2007 |access-date=20 August 2010}}</ref>

Waite travelled again to Beirut in December 2012 to reconcile with his captors and lay to rest what he described as the ghosts of the past.<ref>{{cite news |title=Terry Waite returns to Lebanon 25 years after kidnapping |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/dec/09/terry-waite-returns-lebanon-kidnapping |access-date=31 March 2014 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=9 December 2012}}</ref>