Out of Iraq

Regardless of your politics, if you've ever given any thought to what's going on in Iraq (and who hasn't?), this is a book you don't want to miss. It's a hair-raising page-turner, and a true story to boot. All of those who enjoy life in a democracy will come away with a new appreciation for how good we have it, and a deeper understanding of what conditions are like for people who live under brutal dictators. I have nothing but admiration for Alsamari. Get this book and recommend it to others! (Hey, if they make this into a movie, I wonder if they'd offer Alsamari the lead role? Would he take it?)

As someone who travelled to Iraq during the dark days of "Saddam rule," my heart broke while reading this book, yet I was enormously inspired by Lewis AlSamari's courage, as well as the enormous strength displayed by his loyal uncle Saad, who might be one of the bravest men alive. I could not tear myself away from the book, despite the fact I had so much work waiting on me that I had to fight guilt while reading. The journey with Lewis through his dangerous life in Iraq, and his escape through the desert to Jordan, was so intense I felt my stomach coil in fear. I was drawn back to my own lonely journey along those very roads, back in 1998 when I traveled from Amman to Baghdad on that long and difficult 12-hour journey. I felt apprehension, yet I was in a motor vehicle! I can't imagine running through those lonely deserts, alone, with wolves chasing me! After his escape, his single-minded determination to save his family, who were targeted by Iraqi security after his escape, was nothing short of breathtaking. This story "shows" rather than "tells" the horror of living in Saddam ruled Iraq, and the reader simply can't put the book down. It certainly makes one thankful to live without the fear of someone knocking on the door in the middle of the night to take you away to a hell hole prison. I so hope success for this young man, and safety for his family, and most particularly, for his Uncle Saad. My hat's off to them both! I hope that readers embrace this book because I do so want this story to become known world-wide.Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein;Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan: The True Story of a Freedom Fighter's Escape from Iraqi Vengeance