MS. Pranjali Bhat , Librarian, SKN Sinhgad School of Business Management Pune Introduction Not Without My Daughter is a 1987 autobiographical book by Betty Mahmoody detailing the escape of Betty and her daughter, Mahtob, from Betty's abusive husband in
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MS. Pranjali Bhat , Librarian, SKN Sinhgad School of Business Management Pune
Introduction
Not Without My Daughter is a 1987 autobiographical book by Betty Mahmoody detailing the escape of Betty and her daughter, Mahtob, from Betty’s abusive husband in Iran. 420 pp. In 1977, Betty married Dr. Sayyed “Moody” Bozorg Mahmoody.
Summery
(Sally FieBetty Mahmoody ld) is an American woman married to “Moody” (Alfred Molina), an Iranian-American living in the United States. When Moody informs her that he wants her and their daughter, Mahtob (Sheila Rosenthal), to visit Iran with him, Betty is reluctant because of the country’s harsh treatment of women. When the family arrives in Iran, Betty discovers that her husband plans to stay in the country for good, and has no intention of letting her or Mahtob return to the United States.
Analysis
Thus, to be kept in mind is the extremely crucial fact that the book is based in the 1980’s, and the focus is on one family. Many husbands and families in Iran may be quite liberal now, so it would be wrong to form a view of family life in modern-day Iran based on ‘Not Without my Daughter’. After Betty Mahmoody’s book gained publicity, her husband Syed Mahmoody also released his version of the time in a book titled ‘Lost Without my Daughter‘. E‘
Strengthven Betty’s daughter Mahtob has released a book titled ‘My Name is Mahtob
1. Betty, of course! The only apt adjectives for her being gutsy, gritty, persevering and brave.
2. Flow of narration, and the sprinkling of flashbacks.
3. Betty’s outsider’s viewpoint of the customs and laws of Iran.
What should have been :-
Avoidance of generalisation of criticisms applied Iran’s population based on Moody’s family.
Personal reflection
Yes, as did everyone of my friends back in the early 90s.. I also recommend reading the book. She also wrote another book telling similar stories of other parents. I loved the book, but it was much easier to watch back then than now when I have two daughters myself.
Conclusion
Not Without My Daughter is the true story of one woman’s desperate struggle to survive and to escape with her daughter from an alien and frightening culture.There is one language that is understood by each living creature on the planet, that of love. And what love is greater than that of a mother!
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