Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody

Synopsis: Televised story of an American mom’s 2-week vacation to Iran, turning into a dreadful extended stay.

Writing Style: Traditional. Remarkably Moving.   

Pacing: FAST.

Personal Highlights: As is commonly expressed about ‘the book’ versus ‘the movie’, this book definitely was better; 1000xs better by my view.

In the book, the details were sharper. The Iranian homes, parks, stores, streets, even cabs…as in the way riders crammed in cars together, and of course the culture and lifestyles were explained in specifics impossible to capture in an hour and a half long film. Yes, Betty was distraught by her circumstance (another point not captured in the film as described in the book), and thus complained a lot, but there were times when she shared faucets of her experience that provided fleeting moments of relief. One celebration in particular stood out; the one where Betty begrudgingly went along, encouraged that she would get to ask one prayer, all to get in the place and be as surprised as I was about the revealing dress and order of events. Of course, most memorable…and incredible to boot,  were the precise steps it took to make it back to America. This book is as informative as it is amazing, engaging and a number of other captivating adjectives. There truly is a lot in here. A page-turner for sure! Highly recommended, even if you’ve seen the movie. Read 1987 mass-market paperback.