Between Two Worlds

Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam

By: Zainab Salbi, Laurie Becklund

Narrated by: Josephine Bailey

Zainab Salbi was 11-years-old when her father was chosen to serve as Saddam Hussein's personal pilot, her family often forced to spend weekends with Saddam where he watched their every move. As a palace insider, Zainab offers a singular glimpse of what it is like to come of age under a dictator and provides an intimate portrait of the man she was taught to call "uncle". She watched as Saddam pitted friends, spouses, and even children against each other to compete for his approval. She was sent to donate her mother's jewelry to one of the world's richest men, asked to erase her memory as she heard of crimes she was not supposed to hear of, and witnessed her mother hiding her tears lest it upset Saddam. Her mother eventually sent Zainab to America for an arranged marriage, to spare her from Saddam's growing affection, but the marriage intended to save her turned out to be another world of tyranny and abuse.

Despite extraordinary psychological challenges, Zainab started over. She forged a new identity as a champion of female victims of war, dedicating her life to speaking out on behalf of oppressed women around the world. Her unique nonprofit organization has been featured in the media numerous times, including multiple appearances by Zainab on The Oprah Winfrey Show. But until now, Zainab has never told this very personal tale. In this intimate portrait, she reveals the tyrant through the eyes of a child, a secretly rebellious teenager, an abused wife, and ultimately a professional woman coming to terms with the horror of secrets her mother revealed only on her deathbed. Through her ability to come to terms with the child she used to be and the dangerous world in which she managed to survive, Between Two Worlds emerges as a story of heroism like no other.

©2005 Zainab Salbi (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This may be the most honest account of life within Saddam's circle so far." (Publishers Weekly)
"This compelling memoir is not only a story of personal success but also a fascinating glimpse at a fanatical leader." (Booklist)

A window to the reality so many don’t see

This book is such a compelling story and it is told in such a way that it puts you in the front row of Zainab’s life. I so appreciate reading a picture of the Iraqi experience that is from a perspective other than an American soldier and also feel that her narrative should be shared to so many women who have experienced what she has in their own journey of finding themselves. The only part I struggled with was the narrator because some of the Arabic words were not pronounced in the familiar Iraqi accent. I would’ve preferred to hear those blips of Iraq in a more organic voice.

A must read for all women!

Zainab’s Strength to write this book pours on to each page and with each word read here in audible. I read and listened to this book, sometimes reviewing chapters. I am so grateful for her transparency and feel fortunate to be able to have read/listened to her early life. Ready to read her next one!!

Riveting$

this story touched my heart and gave me a view of life and perspective I had never considered. thank you Zainab Salbi for sharing your story with me.

Great Listen!

it was so fascinating to hear about life in Iraq from the perspective of someone whose family was quite literally held hostage as forced friends of Sadaam Hussein.

Naked truth

Full of compassion and wisdom and love and courage and spirit and joy. I wish every girl, woman and man would read this. She is a peacemaker and truth teller.

Amazing imagery, great story, awesome book!

It was a great read and will be listening again soon! This is a book with such detail that it's hard to put down.

Between two worlds

This is a really interesting story and well read. I think most people will learn a lot about what it was like to live under Sadam's thumb..

An excellent history lesson

Zainab Salbi was the daughter of Saddam Hussein's pilot. By being his pilot he was now part of Saddam's "inner circle" and because of that his family has to follow suit. Zainab was just a young girl when she was made to call Saddam "Amo", which meant uncle. Through his tyranny, he expected people to show their affection for him by forcing them to give him gifts of gold, kiss him, call him endearing names and be at his beck and call, which included rape if he so desired. Zainab's parents were very loving, and it was that love for her and fear of Saddam that forced her mother to make a mistake that would plunge Zainab into a hell even she did not know under Saddam's regime. Her emotional journey from childhood to womanhood led her on her path to start an organization called Women for Women International, an organization that empowers women victims of war, to not only survive their ordeal, but to become whole again. Zainab turned her family's oppressive life experiences into a positive action. A few months back I joined WFWI and am now sponsoring a woman in Rwanda. It was particularly interesting for me to see how this organization came to be. Through the eyes of a frightened child, a confused teenager and then an abused woman, Zainab Salbi rose to the top and turned it all around for herself and other victims.
Josephine Bailey did an excellent job of narrating the novel as well. An eye opening read that should not be missed.

Near true evil . . .

This is as close as most of us may ever come to understanding Saddam Hussain, and the culture that bred him. Told in first person it has a strong mother-daughter theme that shows how similar we are to women of the East; yet how disparate. From her childhood to her 20s; it is heart-wrenching and enlightening. Like Hitler, Hussain was an evil despot. In simply telling her life story, she reveals 'Uncle' and those trapped close to him.

wonderful listen

absolutely wonderful on every way. every woman should have this book in her wish list. a moving memoir about the truth and savagery of war.