Yet another good read book ” Not without my Daugter” by betty Mahmoody.This book is the true story about Betty a american citizen married to Iranian doctor and her plight.
Betty a divorcee having two children falls in love with a Iranian doctor who treats her for the back ache. After a blissfull courtship, Betty marries Moody and settles in US. Theya re blessed with a beautifull daughter-Mahtoub which means a full moon in Arabic.
Things change after few years of marriage. Moody is more and more inclined towards the world politics and things happening in Iran. He loses his job and one fine day he decides to take his family to Iran for visiting his long forgoten relatives whom he has not met for decades.
Betty reluctant to go to gulf country finaly givens in for a two week vacation. Moody is happy as he is finally visting his homeland after so many years.
Once in Iran, Moody informs they are not leaving Iran. He snatches the passports of both Betty as well as Mahtoub.With no hope against fanatic Moody Betty runs to Us emassy only to finfdthat she has right to leave the country alone but cannot take Mahtoub along with her. As per the rules of Iran, the father is the sole owner of the daughter. Betty returns back only more determined and fierce to leave the country with her daughter.
Appalled by the squalor of their living conditions, horrified by what she saw of a country where women are merely chattels and Westerners were 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.
Trapped and unhappy, she is mistreated by both her husband and his family. She is beat and locked inside her rooms for days. She must learn to prepare insect infected food. And even worse, she must watch as her daughter is constantly scolded and punished at the school that she is required to attend. Betty and Mahtob must learn to survive in a country where she knows nothing of the language, customs, or laws.
Betty is watched at all times and there are few opportunities for her to make contact with anyone outside of the house. She is rarely allowed to even call home where her older two sons are living with her parents awaiting her return.
Soon, though, Betty begins to find ways to search for help. Once she is trusted to make short shopping trips, she uses these opportunities to either go to the Embassy or to make phone calls at a local store.
Eventually she is put in touch with a group of people who, for a fee, agrees to hide and smuggle them out of the country. Although dangerous, Betty decides that it may be the only chance for her to leave Iran with her daughter.Travelling form the mountainous regions of iran in sheer midnight on horse back and donkey backthey finally reach Ankara.And from Ankara they take help of US embassy to return back home. Betty and Mahtob begin the long journey back home to the United States…..
