Not Without My Daughter: The Harrowing True Story of a Mother's Courage

I'm amazed at the venom spewed from hate filled minds about this book. The poor woman was, literally, kidnapped. She deserved a chance to escape. Love Iran? Hate Betty Mahmoody? Then go back there.

This is one of my all time favorite books. A true story where you are kept on the edge of your seat as this mother searches for ways to bring her daughter back with her from a foreign country to the United States. You tense up as they are smuggled through road blocks or are escaping over rough terrain. Even after the book ends, you find yourself wanting to know more and more about where they are today and how things are with them. Word comes they have had their identities changed and live among us. Excellent spell-binding reading.

In this fascinating book, Betty Mahmoody relates the story of her life as the wife of an Iranian man who was a doctor in the U.S. when she met him. Although possessed by moods of depression, Moody is a loving husband and father most of the time. When his nephew comes to visit, they begin to plan for Moody's family to come to Iran for a two-week vacation. Betty suspects that Moody may try to detain them in his native land, but she relents when he promises on the Koran that this will not be the case. They go to Iran, where Betty finds Moody's relatives to be rude and arrogant, as well as having filthy houses and bodies. She cannot wait for the 2 weeks to be over, but when the time comes to return to the States, Betty's worst nightmare comes true when Moody detains them. While he is in Iran, Moody's word is law and no one can interfere with his decision to keep his family there. What follows is a nightmare of beatings, harrassment, and virtual imprisonment, as Moody returns to his traditional Islamic ways. This is an incredibly eye-opening book, and the courage of Betty and her daughter during their ordeal is inspiring.

Betty is a woman of strength and her courageous struggle to flee her tormentor clearly emphasises this fact. The book is one of the most exhilirating books that one can read as it strongly highlights the unbroken human spirit as well as faith and devotion to Jesus Christ. I believe that the experience that Betty as an individual undergoes gives hope to even the most pathetic souls. The fact that she and her daughter are conquerers in their own right allows for us to look upon them with admiration and satisfaction that prayers are always answered.