Not Without My Daughter - Betty Mahmoody

'You are here for the rest of your life. Do you understand? You are not leaving Iran. You are here until you die.'

It was back in the year of 2012. I was in Goa for a trip and at that time, I was reading one Iranian Novel (will write about it soon), my friend Rachna told me that if I am loving that book which I was reading then I am sure going to love, Not Without My Daughter. She told me that I should read it as soon as I finish my current reading. I came to Mumbai in late December, and bought the copy of Not Without My Daughter from Landmark, and read it in one week. One entire week I was lost in the world of Betty Mahmoody.

Such a harrowing story! After years of marriage and a beautiful child together, Betty agrees to travel with her husband to Iran to visit his family. There he becomes a completely different person, and refuses to let her and their daughter leave. At one point she is literally held prisoner by her husband, and her journey out of Iran with her daughter actually turned her hair gray. 

This isn't completely a catalog of how awful Iran is, though. She gives its beauties their due, and also details meetings with kind and compassionate people. She made many friends, and even among her in-laws there were those who were sympathetic to her plight. Many of her husband's relatives were actually shocked and scolded him for his treatment of her and their daughter, including his own mother.

There are many things the author wrote about that are very typical of Iranian behavior, things that I have grown to love about the culture (the best food, the love of tea, the strong family unit, the way they seem like they're arguing when they're talking).

This book gives a really positive message which is that there is good in people all around the world. There were many Iranians who were willing to help her no matter what the consequences were.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in equality and human rights and above all, a love which bounds a mother with her daughter.

Thanks Rachna for Recommending this book to me.