True story of an American lady’s fight, struggle and commitment to get back home from Iran. This is a story of a vacation (as it was portrayed) gone horribly wrong. A heart wrenching tale of Betty who was taken to Iran, her husband Mahmoody’s home, for a so called 2 weeks family get together, only to be told on the day of returning that she will have to stay here in Iran – for the rest of her life! And to worsen the situation they had a 5 year old daughter – Mahtob who was getting grind-ed in all this.
These events happened between August 1984 and February 1986. She was not allowed to make any phone calls or go out. She was in supervision all the time. Her lovely husband to whom she was married for more than 7 years and who has been living in the US for more than 20 years, turns into a monster, against her own wife and daughter.
Betty talks about the family’s living standard and how all women there actually lived as their husband’s property. The Iranian Law (at that time) said if you married a Iranian, you automatically become a Iranian Citizen and if you divorce the man of the house, the rights to the children goes to the man. She was stuck, big time.
I finished this 515 pager book in 2 days even when am a slow reader. Betty wrote this book amazingly with a lot of sarcasm and even humor at times. She has co-authored this book along with William Hoffer. Apart from everything you will amazed by the courage both the girls showed. I mean, in a land where (at that time) there was fear of being jailed even if a string of hair is seen flowing out, they managed to first of all stay for around 1.5 years struggling to come out and then actually got themselves smuggled out of Iran.
Sounds totally like a script written especially for a movie but then this is a true story. There’s also a movie by the same name, and I saw it as soon as I finished the book. I was disappointed. The detail and chill with which the book has been written is mission in the movie. I recommend you read the book and give the movie a miss. Available at all leading e book retailers at good discounts. Go indulge.