Description:
Overseas for 25 years...the Vietnam War...the international hippy trail...marriage to a Lebanese Muslim...Saudi Arabia for 16 years...the Civil War in Lebanon...2 years in Cairo. A fascinating journey around the world you will not forget.
Brief description: Susan Zarif, an American woman, lived overseas for 25 years, mostly in the Arab world. She worked in Vietnam during the war from 1970-72. After that she traveled down the international hippy trail from India to Istanbul to Thailand to Laos. Then she married her college boyfriend from Lebanon and lived for 16 years in Saudi Arabia. They spent time in Lebanon during the civil war there. More recently she lived in Cairo. This book will take you on a fascinating journey around the world that you won't forget. There are wonderful photos also.
Review Quotes:
"Susan Zarif narrates a captivating life story in her memoir of travels to wartime Vietnam in her youth to the myriad transformations across the Middle East, from her husband's birthplace of Lebanon to Egypt to Saudi Arabia...Riding The Khamseen Wind transmits a rich and colorful experience of a life lived across diverse cultures."
---Alaa Al Aswany, author of "The Republic of False Truths" and "The Yacoubian Building" and "The Automobile Club of Egypt"
"A woman looks back on war, footloose journeys in exotic climes, and rancorous business dealings in this tumultuous memoir...Her first stop was war-torn Vietnam...Zarif's writing features sharply etched characterizations and gorgeously atmospheric prose, whether she's describing the inferno of wartime Saigon...or the boisterous crowd at a public beheading in Jeddah...The author is raptly open to her experiences and conveys them with a vibrant, evocative sensibility that makes for a captivating read. A vivid re-creation of a fearless life full of verve and exquisite travelogue."
"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"...an informative, wide-ranging travel memoir that traipses through dangerous and misunderstood lands...Susan Zarif recalls a lifetime of global adventure and discovery...The book gives witness to the best and worst that the world has to offer, from extreme opulence to desperate poverty...the horrors of the Vietnam War in the early 1970s and the Lebanese Civil War in the 1980s...Her tour of the Far and Middle East with a series of hippies is far different but no less harrowing...In the midst of danger are moments of peace and beauty...Photographs are included to reflect the places, people and conflicts encompassed therein..."
"Clarion Review"
"...This book could essentially be termed a book of history...with the historical events surrounding her stories' timelines....The book was also a soujourn through different cultures and religions...The author gave the readers a solid glimpse of life in the sixties...an apt picture of of the ravages of war...There were many times I felt my heart speed up from the sheer horror...The colorful pictures of the author's travels and the debris left by war made it all the more real...The author herself came through as a very rambunctious and heady character...Above all, the author came across as brave and adventurous. Undoubtedly, many readers...would live vicariously through her as she sojourned the world..."
"Online Book Club Review"
"...Zarif's voice is very distinct, and her stories are wildly interesting. Her side comments and Arabic words added a great allure...Her sharp mouth made me laugh so much...there are parts of the author's story that are emotionally charged, making the book multi-faceted...The pictures will improve the reading experience...I found the book funny, interesting, and even riveting at times..."
"Online Book Club Review"