Fatima Shihabi grew up in a small town in Iraq. She was lucky enough to receive an education and was passionate about words and the truth. After her beloved father’s death, she was pushed into a loveless and abusive marriage by one of her brothers. Her husband divorced her after she gave birth to a daughter. She turned to another brother, who was high up in the government for help. He got her a job writing for a newspaper and she is warned when she writes a piece that is critical of the government. After that, she writes “fluff” pieces for the newspaper and continues to write the truth for the underground movement.
Charles Sherman is a high powered attorney in New York City who is in the middle of a huge deal when he receives a desperate phone call from a professor at Columbia University. The professor’s sister, Fatima, has escaped from Iraq to Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are planning to send her back to Iraq and certain death.
For some reason, Charles decides to take on the case and becomes obsessed with it and Fatima. He calls everyone he can think of and finally gets her asylum in France. Charles and Fatima’s brother fly to Paris to meet her and discover that she has been followed by the Iraqi Secret Police. They try to allude the Secret Police and get caught up in a story that reads like an action packed thriller. The story really heats up when Charles and Fatima sneak into Iraq to retrieve Fatima’s daughter.
A Thousand Veils by D. J. Murphy is the exciting story of Fatima and Charles. It is hard to believe, but it is a work of fiction that was inspired by a true story. I really enjoyed this book, even though I thought the ending was a little bit long. For another review, go to A Lovely Shore Breeze.
D. J. Murphy is a retired lawyer who represented refugees seeking asylum in this country. He donates 10% of the net royalties from A Thousand Veils to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees.
15 Comments
November 20, 2008 at 8:06 am
Sounds like a good read. And I like the donation of profits too.
November 20, 2008 at 9:02 am
Thanks for the review!
November 20, 2008 at 9:10 am
This sounds like an exciting book. Sometimes hard-to-believe works. Great review!
November 20, 2008 at 9:34 am
I like reading books on M.E.
This one sounds fab, I hope i get to read it someday…
November 20, 2008 at 10:30 am
Thanks for the link…
I liked this book a great deal.
And I like the fact that the author seems really more concerned that the message of hope that he sees this book containing gets aired, more than just selling more copies. Although the fact that a part of the proceeds of sales go to a good cause is excellent too.
November 20, 2008 at 10:50 am
It’s hard for me to imagine what it is like for these women. That is why I pick up books like these once in awhile. It’s a reality check for me. I’m glad some of the royalties are donated to the refugee commission.
November 20, 2008 at 12:16 pm
This sounds like a really good book!
November 20, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I agree with Ti. It is always such a reality check. I can’t imagine Fatima’s life. I like reading books like this that give me insight. I think the last book I read was the Book Seller of Kabul. Thanks for the review.
November 20, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Great Review! I like books that are based on actual stories and that make you think about life and how you would survive in a similar situation. That’s awesome that the author is giving some net profits to a good cause related to his book.
November 20, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Sounds interesting…and good for the author for sharing his profits!
November 21, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I hear the Saudis are pretty awful to their women. I think I’d like to try this one!
November 22, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this book. I had not heard of it until now!
November 22, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Sounds like an interesting book, especially taking the author’s real life into account.
November 23, 2008 at 3:47 am
I have a copy of this one waiting in the wings and am looking forward to reading it. I am glad you enjoyed it, Kathy! The more I read about it, the more excited I am about reading it for myself.
November 25, 2008 at 8:41 am
I’ve added this to my tbr list on good reads…looks like a good one.