The Book
For the first time, two of Osama’s closest family members, his first wife Najwa and their fourth son Omar, go behind the headlines to reveal the truth about the character and life of a man feared and revered around the globe.
In gripping detail, they recount the drama, tensions, and everyday activities of the man they knew as a husband and father. Married at fifteen, Najwa describes the transformation of the quiet, serious young man she fell in love with into an authoritarian husband and stern father, an entrepreneur, and – finally – the leader of a complex international terrorist network. Uprooted from a life of extraordinary luxury and privilege in Saudi Arabia, they suddenly found themselves living life on the run, fleeing from country to country under assumed names and fake passports. Omar describes how he and his siblings were brought up in remote ranches and fortified Afghani mountain camps, handling Kalashnikovs and learning desert survival skills. Their eventual escape from Afghanistan would come just days before the terrible events of 9/11 changed the world forever.
With unprecedented access and exclusive family photographs, Jean Sasson, author of the bestselling Princess, presents the story that we were never meant to hear.
Additional Information
| Pages | 448 |
|---|---|
| Imprint | Oneworld |
Reviews
“A compelling look at the intimate family life of a notorious man, as told by his wife and son.”
"Despite her neutrality, her story is still an indictment -- showing us a terrorist leader who is embarrassed easily, obsessed with a long-dead father, terrified of women, and who thinks of his children as nothing more than cannon fodder."
"Despite her neutrality, her story is still an indictment -- showing us a terrorist leader who is embarrassed easily, obsessed with a long-dead father, terrified of women, and who thinks of his children as nothing more than cannon fodder."
“A compelling look at the intimate family life of a notorious man, as told by his wife and son.”
”Always interesting and highly readable, this is recommended for the many people who will wish to learn more about this man.”
"The psychological portrait of the world's most wanted man is all the more devastating for being written by two people who apparently once revered him."
"The psychological portrait of the world's most wanted man is all the more devastating for being written by two people who apparently once revered him."
“Lifts the lid on the secretive life of the world's most wanted man… It is certainly fascinating, if deeply unnerving, to read such vivid first-hand accounts about life within Osama bin Laden's family.”
“The most intimate portrait yet of the al Qa’eda leader.”
“Fascinating”
“The thrill of being a fly on the wall of the bin Laden family.”
"Their accounts cannot be subject to normal verification. Even so, they have been woven into a fascinating narrative by an American writer, Jean Sasson"
"this thoughtful, well-researched book"
”Always interesting and highly readable, this is recommended for the many people who will wish to learn more about this man.”
