Mayada Daughter of Iraq One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein

During a 1998 visit to Baghdad, Jean Sasson crossed paths with Mayada Al-Askari. A year later, Jean discovered that Mayada had been secretly abducted from her print shop and imprisoned in the infamous Baladiyat Prison, the stronghold of Saddam Hussein's feared secret police. Mayada's story, which spans both past and present, is a remarkable one. Her family's lineage includes a grandfather who fought alongside Lawrence of Arabia, another who was the first Arab nationalist and admired by Saddam Hussein, an uncle who served as Iraq's Prime Minister for four decades, and a mother who held a significant government position.

Despite her privileged upbringing and her experiences interacting with Saddam Hussein and Chemical Ali, Mayada's life in Iraq was delicately balanced. However, when her world turned upside down, she found herself locked in a small cell with seventeen other women, known as the shadow women. These women formed a bond, sharing their harrowing tales and drawing strength from each other's experiences in order to survive. As a reminder of their existence, the names of the shadow women were etched onto the cell wall in charcoal, with the hope that one day someone would escape and share their story. This book is not only Mayada's story of courage, but also the story of her sisters in captivity.