May Book Discussion

The May book selection is Not without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody. We will meet in the WR Beginner's Room at 9 a.m. EST on Saturday, May 23rd. An interesting discussion should ensue with both positive and negative opinions about the book, the story it tells, and relevant topics. If you are interested in participating, please either email or mention it to Marla, Faith, Anissa, Cross or Janet and we will make sure you get a copy of the discussion questions prior to that day. Otherwise, feel free to just drop in and join the conversation.

The following is a synoposis taken from the publisher's website:

Betty Mahmoody and her husband, Dr Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody ('Moody'), came to Iran from the USA to meet Moody's family. With them was their four-year-old daughter, Mahtob. Appalled by the squalor of their living conditions, horrified by what she saw of a country where women are merely chattels and Westerners are despised, Betty soon became desperate to return to the States. But Moody, and his often vicious family, had other plans. Mother and daughter became prisoners of an alien culture, hostages of an increasingly tyrannical and violent man.

Betty began to try to arrange an escape. Evading Moody's sinister spy network, she secretly met sympathisers opposed to Khomeini's savage regime. But every scheme that was suggested to her meant leaving Mahtob behind forever...

Author: Betty Mahmoody, Publisher: Transworld Publishers, Ltd., 2004; 521 pages