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Living In Hell: A True Odyssey of a Woman's Struggle in Islamic Iran Against Personal and Political Forces
Presents the story of the author's tumultuous childhood during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, her student political activities, her escape to Canada, and her struggles with depression and bipolar disorder.
488 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2005
4 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Ghazal Omid
4 books6 followers*Ranked #4 in Amazon's Top Rated Women's Writers category.*
Ghazal Omid is an author, lecturer, journalist, Islamic scholar, Expert on Iranian Politics and Culture and a Columnist for religious and political blogs. Based in Washington DC, She is a political and cultural consultant on Middle East affairs to major network and cable media and to Congressional and Senate members and staff. She provides more than 100 radio interviews and 50 TV appearances annually on US and Canadian radio and television and speaks to churches, synagogues and mosques on Islam and religious tolerance; working for world peace by bridging the gaps in understanding between cultures and religions.
Iran & Its Future.org is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by Ms. Omid and comprised of a pool of diversified talent with a wealth of knowledge advocating on behalf of the Iranian people. The organization is dedicated to raising a generation of anti-terrorist Allies in Peace through education about Iranian (Persian) Culture, Art, Science, Human Rights and working to eradicate poverty in collaboration with other NGOS, individual philanthropist, international organizations and governments; particularly in poor areas of our world. Education is the key to eliminating poverty and bringing up a generation aware of human values and rights that will ultimately counter brainwashing.
Specialties
Media Analyst, PR expert, worked with congressional staff and has been issued an O1 visa as well as E16 status for extraordinary abilities of analytical skills, networking, management and be able to find the best people for the job.
http://www.amazon.com/LIVING-IN-HELL-...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ghazal...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Book-o...
Ghazal Omid is an author, lecturer, journalist, Islamic scholar, Expert on Iranian Politics and Culture and a Columnist for religious and political blogs. Based in Washington DC, She is a political and cultural consultant on Middle East affairs to major network and cable media and to Congressional and Senate members and staff. She provides more than 100 radio interviews and 50 TV appearances annually on US and Canadian radio and television and speaks to churches, synagogues and mosques on Islam and religious tolerance; working for world peace by bridging the gaps in understanding between cultures and religions.
Iran & Its Future.org is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by Ms. Omid and comprised of a pool of diversified talent with a wealth of knowledge advocating on behalf of the Iranian people. The organization is dedicated to raising a generation of anti-terrorist Allies in Peace through education about Iranian (Persian) Culture, Art, Science, Human Rights and working to eradicate poverty in collaboration with other NGOS, individual philanthropist, international organizations and governments; particularly in poor areas of our world. Education is the key to eliminating poverty and bringing up a generation aware of human values and rights that will ultimately counter brainwashing.
Specialties
Media Analyst, PR expert, worked with congressional staff and has been issued an O1 visa as well as E16 status for extraordinary abilities of analytical skills, networking, management and be able to find the best people for the job.
http://www.amazon.com/LIVING-IN-HELL-...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ghazal...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Book-o...
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 12, 2007
i thought perhaps at first that i was reading an uncorrected proof of this book but it turns out it just did not get edited well.
this was one of the more bizarre books that i have read. i seriously wonder if the author is not suffering from some form of mental illness. at times she is eloquent, insightful and articulate while at other times i don't think she expresses herself well at all.
overall i like that this author did an excellent job of putting her story within the context of iranian history
this was one of the more bizarre books that i have read. i seriously wonder if the author is not suffering from some form of mental illness. at times she is eloquent, insightful and articulate while at other times i don't think she expresses herself well at all.
overall i like that this author did an excellent job of putting her story within the context of iranian history
August 21, 2012
Ghazal Omid Book Description
Publication Date: May 18, 2012
Living in Hell is a true story providing a window into the life of a young woman growing up in Iran. It is also an educational history of Iran and its people. Although this story is entirely mine, it is also the story of too many women in the Middle East who suffer similar fates. Iranian women have come a long way since I grew up in Iran but still much needs to be done for them, as well other women of the Middle East, to become completely independent, able to make their own decisions and stand up for their rights with head held high. If there is a lesson to be learned from my life it is that, even though my past was ruined, my future is entirely in my own hands. Growing up in such a volatile time made me who I am today. What didn’t kill me made me stronger. Without those experiences, I would have glossed over others’ pain. Despite the pain I endured I don’t consider my life as suffering. And, as they say, “Pain is unavoidable, suffering is optional.” I hope you draw from the educational narrative of this book and I look forward to reading your reviews on Amazon. My next nonfiction book will be called Inside the Beltway. You can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter.
http://www.amazon.com/LIVING-IN-HELL-...
Publication Date: May 18, 2012
Living in Hell is a true story providing a window into the life of a young woman growing up in Iran. It is also an educational history of Iran and its people. Although this story is entirely mine, it is also the story of too many women in the Middle East who suffer similar fates. Iranian women have come a long way since I grew up in Iran but still much needs to be done for them, as well other women of the Middle East, to become completely independent, able to make their own decisions and stand up for their rights with head held high. If there is a lesson to be learned from my life it is that, even though my past was ruined, my future is entirely in my own hands. Growing up in such a volatile time made me who I am today. What didn’t kill me made me stronger. Without those experiences, I would have glossed over others’ pain. Despite the pain I endured I don’t consider my life as suffering. And, as they say, “Pain is unavoidable, suffering is optional.” I hope you draw from the educational narrative of this book and I look forward to reading your reviews on Amazon. My next nonfiction book will be called Inside the Beltway. You can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter.
http://www.amazon.com/LIVING-IN-HELL-...
July 22, 2012
Couldn't finish this book. The time line jumped around a lot which I found very confusing. Too much rambling. Too long. Just lost interest in the story. It was interesting reading about a different culture but the same things seemed to be repeated over and over but just in different contexts. The story is her autobiography and I know that she ends up in Canada but I was over halfway through the story and she was still in her mid teens and had been the same age for over 200 pages and the momentum was lost for me. I just couldn't hear any more about her teenage angst. Sorry! Had to give this one up.
January 7, 2008
This woman has a very compelling story, but I remain very skeptical of its authenticity. This is the one book that makes me think, that if she can publish, there is hope for me yet!!!
January 1, 2020
Este livro ficou esquecido na prateleira durante 12 anos e é lamentável como pude cometer tal negligência. Assumindo múltiplas dimensões narrativas, mais parecem vários livros no mesmo livro. É antes de mais uma autobiografia de Gazhal Omid e do seu extraordinário e muitas vezes trágico percurso de vida, que começou no Irão em 1970. Cresceu numa família disfuncional, foi abandonada pelo pai em idade precoce, e abusada sexualmente por parte de um irmão mais velho que lhe causou profundas e irreparáveis sequelas que lhe marcaram psicologicamente para o resto da vida.
Também é um livro que retrata a convulsiva história recente do Irão, pela qual ela passou, desde os tempos do Xá passando pela Revolução Islâmica do Aiatola Khomeini e da destrutiva guerra Irão-Iraque. Gazhal tem uma escrita fluída e rica, e parte do princípio de que os leitores são ocidentais, procurando dar sempre o adequado enquadramento cultural, geográfico e histórico. Apesar do livro ter mais de 700 páginas é fácil percorrermos de uma penada mais de 100 páginas sem que nos apercebamos do tempo a passar.
Este também é um livro feminista e de luta contra a opressão. A autora testemunhou como a sociedade iraniana dos anos 70, onde mais 60% das mulheres trabalhavam, regrediu profundamente a partir dos anos 80 com a Revolução Islâmica passando as mulheres a estarem confinadas ao espaço da casa e a cobrir-se quando tinham de sair à rua. Foi neste contexto e em ambiente estudantil que uma jovem Gazhal procurou corajosamente combater estas novas restrições às mulheres, a que se seguiu uma perseguição pelas autoridades, que a forçaram ao exílio, sabendo que inevitavelmente iria juntar-se aos milhares que foram assassinados pelo novo regime do Aiatola Khomeini.
Este é livro sobre exilados, de quem saiu de uma sociedade repressiva como o Irão de Khomeini e procurou recomeçar a vida num país ocidental, onde as diferenças culturais e as dificuldades de integração constituiram novos e inesperados desafios. Aqui a autora vai perceber a real dimensão das sequelas de uma infância e adolescência traumáticas e cair nas garras de algo que no Ocidente muitos ainda não entendem que é uma verdadeira doença mental: a depressão. Para quem sofre deste mal vai rever-se em muitos dos capítulos deste livro onde Gazhal descreve a sua luta contra algo que lentamente a conduzia a uma espiral sem retorno e que a levaria inevitavelmente ao suicídio se ninguém fosse ao seu socorro.
Embora a autora não reconheça de forma clara no livro, é evidente para o leitor que o trauma do abuso sexual na infância, faz com que ela tenha uma desconfiança exagerada em relação aos homens e das suas intenções, condicionando de forma irreversível a sua abertura a um algum tipo de relacionamento amoroso. Este é um livro de alguém traumatizado e por muito que ela procure demonstrar que ultrapassou muitas dos seus problemas, o leitor percebe em muitos capítulos que as marcas ficaram de forma irreversível e condicionam o seu dia-a-dia.
Concluo referindo que Gazhal decidiu escrever este livro como forma de terapia para si, mas acaba por fazer uma ponte, permitindo a nós, no Ocidente, possamos perceber melhor a vida e as dificuldades de milhões de pessoas que vivem em países distantes de nós. O livro termina com posfácio de 150 páginas que é uma cuidada reflexão de Gazhal sobre o Islão, sobre o terrorismo islâmico, sobre a hostilidade ao Ocidente e inevitavelmente sobre o papel das mulheres no Islão. No Ocidente onde cada vez mais somos impelidos a ver os muçulmanos como terroristas e inimigos, esta última reflexão de Gazhal é uma tentativa de eliminar os preconceitos, de conciliação e de repor a verdade.
Também é um livro que retrata a convulsiva história recente do Irão, pela qual ela passou, desde os tempos do Xá passando pela Revolução Islâmica do Aiatola Khomeini e da destrutiva guerra Irão-Iraque. Gazhal tem uma escrita fluída e rica, e parte do princípio de que os leitores são ocidentais, procurando dar sempre o adequado enquadramento cultural, geográfico e histórico. Apesar do livro ter mais de 700 páginas é fácil percorrermos de uma penada mais de 100 páginas sem que nos apercebamos do tempo a passar.
Este também é um livro feminista e de luta contra a opressão. A autora testemunhou como a sociedade iraniana dos anos 70, onde mais 60% das mulheres trabalhavam, regrediu profundamente a partir dos anos 80 com a Revolução Islâmica passando as mulheres a estarem confinadas ao espaço da casa e a cobrir-se quando tinham de sair à rua. Foi neste contexto e em ambiente estudantil que uma jovem Gazhal procurou corajosamente combater estas novas restrições às mulheres, a que se seguiu uma perseguição pelas autoridades, que a forçaram ao exílio, sabendo que inevitavelmente iria juntar-se aos milhares que foram assassinados pelo novo regime do Aiatola Khomeini.
Este é livro sobre exilados, de quem saiu de uma sociedade repressiva como o Irão de Khomeini e procurou recomeçar a vida num país ocidental, onde as diferenças culturais e as dificuldades de integração constituiram novos e inesperados desafios. Aqui a autora vai perceber a real dimensão das sequelas de uma infância e adolescência traumáticas e cair nas garras de algo que no Ocidente muitos ainda não entendem que é uma verdadeira doença mental: a depressão. Para quem sofre deste mal vai rever-se em muitos dos capítulos deste livro onde Gazhal descreve a sua luta contra algo que lentamente a conduzia a uma espiral sem retorno e que a levaria inevitavelmente ao suicídio se ninguém fosse ao seu socorro.
Embora a autora não reconheça de forma clara no livro, é evidente para o leitor que o trauma do abuso sexual na infância, faz com que ela tenha uma desconfiança exagerada em relação aos homens e das suas intenções, condicionando de forma irreversível a sua abertura a um algum tipo de relacionamento amoroso. Este é um livro de alguém traumatizado e por muito que ela procure demonstrar que ultrapassou muitas dos seus problemas, o leitor percebe em muitos capítulos que as marcas ficaram de forma irreversível e condicionam o seu dia-a-dia.
Concluo referindo que Gazhal decidiu escrever este livro como forma de terapia para si, mas acaba por fazer uma ponte, permitindo a nós, no Ocidente, possamos perceber melhor a vida e as dificuldades de milhões de pessoas que vivem em países distantes de nós. O livro termina com posfácio de 150 páginas que é uma cuidada reflexão de Gazhal sobre o Islão, sobre o terrorismo islâmico, sobre a hostilidade ao Ocidente e inevitavelmente sobre o papel das mulheres no Islão. No Ocidente onde cada vez mais somos impelidos a ver os muçulmanos como terroristas e inimigos, esta última reflexão de Gazhal é uma tentativa de eliminar os preconceitos, de conciliação e de repor a verdade.
January 17, 2020
Ghazal Omid (LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghazalomid/) is a professional fraudster who sought to illegally defraud our educational agency in London and to obtain educational qualifications by deception. DO NOT TRUST.
She is also a pure fantasist.
Call +44 (0) 207 692 8973 for further details.
She is also a pure fantasist.
Call +44 (0) 207 692 8973 for further details.
January 26, 2016
Never judge a book by its cover
I give it 5 stars. It's a lot of courage to come forward with the truth of your life. Especially when it's taboo in your culture and religion. Everything thing is always about what will people think of the family. Who gives a hoot. I can see where problems began as issues in her country. If children aren't reprimanded at a young age for bad behavior , they assume it okay. Then if parents allowed her brothers to mistreat her and not address it, they felt like it's ok to molest our sister. Boys been touching girls inappropriately since 5 years old. Men going around thinking they can take what they want. Those who criticized this woman for HER story should be ashamed. She lives through hell . Why is it so hard to accept Iranian/ Persian Muslim men wouldn't do such a thing. Why not? They can marry a 9-12 yr old. But seriously they are human, they lie ,cheat, steal and pick their noses. This book gives you hope that no matter what God will bring u through. No one knows your pain better than you. I pray this woman never get sucked back into the lives of those blood sucking brothers again. They are leeches.
I give it 5 stars. It's a lot of courage to come forward with the truth of your life. Especially when it's taboo in your culture and religion. Everything thing is always about what will people think of the family. Who gives a hoot. I can see where problems began as issues in her country. If children aren't reprimanded at a young age for bad behavior , they assume it okay. Then if parents allowed her brothers to mistreat her and not address it, they felt like it's ok to molest our sister. Boys been touching girls inappropriately since 5 years old. Men going around thinking they can take what they want. Those who criticized this woman for HER story should be ashamed. She lives through hell . Why is it so hard to accept Iranian/ Persian Muslim men wouldn't do such a thing. Why not? They can marry a 9-12 yr old. But seriously they are human, they lie ,cheat, steal and pick their noses. This book gives you hope that no matter what God will bring u through. No one knows your pain better than you. I pray this woman never get sucked back into the lives of those blood sucking brothers again. They are leeches.
May 25, 2009
When I first started reading the book I had to push myself as I found it a little to political for my taste. The further I got though, the harder it was for me to put the book down.
She describes depression better than I have ever heard it described before and no wonder she was depressed. This book does leave me with the impression that the men in her life turned into a man-hater, and that she is a closet lesbian.
She does admit in part of the book to having a sexual attraction to another female. I think this woman needs to learn to allow herself to be who she is and only then can she find true happiness.
She describes depression better than I have ever heard it described before and no wonder she was depressed. This book does leave me with the impression that the men in her life turned into a man-hater, and that she is a closet lesbian.
She does admit in part of the book to having a sexual attraction to another female. I think this woman needs to learn to allow herself to be who she is and only then can she find true happiness.
July 12, 2008
Interesting read that details the author's experience in growing up in Islamic Iran during the 70's and 80's. The book dragged towards the end. I actually was given this book by the author while at a Social Studies conference in New Haven.
May 29, 2016
Very inspirational
I can't even imagine your struggles and pain. After reading this book I realize even though life throws you unbelievable pain there are people who have gone through worse. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing.
I can't even imagine your struggles and pain. After reading this book I realize even though life throws you unbelievable pain there are people who have gone through worse. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing.
May 18, 2007
Have just started reading this book. It is about an Iranian woman's life in Iran.
March 29, 2008
we are blessed to have what we have
Read
August 2, 2011It took forever to read, an ok book though
October 26, 2016
Interesting but hard to read
Writing is a bit disjointed and hard to follow at times. Still amazing strength of the author to overcome so much.
Writing is a bit disjointed and hard to follow at times. Still amazing strength of the author to overcome so much.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews