Customer Reviews

Escape from Saddam: The Incredible True Story of One Man's Journey to Freedom

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Regardless of your politics, if you've ever given any thought to what's going on in Iraq (and who hasn't?), this is a book you don't want to miss. It's a hair-raising page-turner, and a true story to boot. All of those who enjoy life in a democracy will come away with a new appreciation for how good we have it, and a deeper understanding of what conditions are like for people who live under brutal dictators. I have nothing but admiration for Alsamari. Get this book and recommend it to others!

(Hey, if they make this into a movie, I wonder if they'd offer Alsamari the lead role? Would he take it?)

As would most all Reviewers of this book conclude...this human trafficking adventure is nothing but page turning! A true gripping adventure even well after gaining political asylum in the free Western world. Lewis is his Western name. Sarmed is his Arabic name.

In the beginning, this young man was forced into the Iraqi military due to his age.
However, he became a deserter while in military training camp! From the night of his escape on, he was off...running fearfully in hopes for a taste of freedom, then later desperately trying to free his family from Saddam's iron fist n' oppression, as well.

His uncle, a respected former military officer, made it somewhat financially, yet 'illegally' possible for him to flee Iraq, with the help of smugglers and falsified identifications...claiming (he)Lewis was a citizen of other countries, as Lewis smuggled himself into the West. It was an unbelievable adventure for anyone in his situation, especially if he had been captured then deported back to Iraq as a military deserter!

He promised his uncle one responsibility (goal)... once he made official political asylum in England, he would then arrange to smuggle his family out of Iraq so that they could do the same...claim political asylum. Lewis had no problem with wanting the same freedom for his family as he wanted for himself.
Once (Sarmad) Lewis was granted political asylum there, not only did he send money home to his family, but he also worked at getting them out of Iraq, a feat that overcame him with irrational decision making, falsifying documents, trusting the wrong people, and doing all he could to grant them their freedom. But that was far, far from easy as he decided to put the weight of smuggling them out onto his own shoulders, not always making the correct decisions. Unfortunate decisions would put them behind bars during their travels more than once.
So, the challenges of getting his family firmly set on 'free soil' took much money, false identifications/certifications, false promises and having to take different routes many times, until after years in the making, it came to a end for his family. (I don't want to spill the beans of how the story ends)

I am a human rights activist and having read these types of human trafficking stories before, but I must say that I highly recommend this book on the subject. It's a step by step work in process by the person who walked the path. This book would be a terrific read for young and old. Plus, there is a very cool surprise at the end!
I hope I've convinced many of you to read it. PEACE!

"Escape from Saddam" is almost too remarkable to believe. It reads like fiction (much of the ordeals he faces would be difficult to believe, if they were echoed by countless others who have fled Iraq over the years) and is the definition of a page-turner. Alsamari's writing is swift, clean, descriptive and filled with emotion. There is no agenda on-hand. It is simply a thrilling modern-day escape story (would somebody please make a movie or mini-series out of this book?). My only criticism is that the final chapter of the book fails to deliver the same edge-of-your-seat feeling experienced in the previous 250 or so pages, and almost seems like a bit of a let-down. A small criticism for a very strong book. Highly recommended.