Full Circle: Escape from Baghdad and the Return

by Saul Silas Fathi

Full Escape from Baghdad and the return chronicles a prosperous Iraqi Jewish family's escape frompersecution through the journey of one family member, a young boy, who witnesses public hangings and the 1941 Krustalnacht (Farhood) in Baghdad. After a dangerous escape from Iraq, this 10-year-old begins a lifelong search for meaning and his place in the world. This journey takes him to the newly-formed nation of Israel, then to Brazil, and finally to the United States.

632 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

My name is Saul Silas Fathi. I was born to a prominent Jewish family in Baghdad, Iraq. At age 10, my younger brother and I were smuggled out of Baghdad through Iran and eventually reached the newly-found State of Israel. I began writing my diary at age 11.

I enrolled in the Israel Air force Academy of Aeronautics, a 4-year program, where I earned my High-School diploma and became certified in Electrical Engineering. In 1958 I worked my way to Brazil where I nearly starved. Through perseverance and luck, I stated my own electrical business and earned a patent for climate-controlled windows, used in the building of the new capital, Brasilia.

In 1960 I came to the United States on a student visa, studying sculpture at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and American history and public speech at the New School of Social Studies in New York. After 8 months, I volunteered to serve 3 years in the U.S. Army having been promised college education and U.S. citizenship. After basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia, I was sent to helicopter school at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and enrolled at the University Of Virginia. Within a few months I was shipped to South Korea where I served as Chief Electrical Technician with the 1st Cavalry Division, 15th Aviation Company, the famed helicopter division in the Vietnam War.

Back in the U.S. I battled the Immigration department for my citizenship, while studying at the University of Virginia and finally earning my Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. This launched and impressive career as a high-level executive with several Fortune-500 companies. Later, I founded and managed three high-tech companies.

I retired in 2003 and began writing my memoirs “Full Circle: Escape from Baghdad and the return,” and have published 4 other books. Today I live in Long Island, New York with my wife Rachelle. I has 3 American born daughters and 3 grand-children. I am a certified linguist, fluent in English, Hebrew, Arabic and Portuguese.