Fauziya Kassindja

Fauziya courageously escapes the horrible fate that awaits her--a prison constructed by culture and tradition. She hopefully seeks political asylum in the U.S., and her nightmare actually begins as she's bound in a prison of steel, brutality, and bureaucracy. I read this candid autobiographical story in one night, and I'm not a speed reader! It's suspenseful, depressing, and thought-provoking. Fauziya has a lot to show us about culture, human rights, the nonsensical & hypocritical politics show more of the U.S., human nature, and "freedom." Fauziya fights for the right to be recognized as human, and ultimately succeeds.
Julie show less

Born into a happy middle class family in Togo, the author's life suddenly undergoes a horrific change when her beloved father suddenly dies. His siblings - hostile to his wife- seize the property, evict her, and arrange for the teenage author to be removed from school and become fourth wife to a much older man...and undergo FGM first. But her escape to Germany, and later the US brings a lengthy spell i grim American detention centres and jails until human rights workers can get the ruling show more against her overturned.
There are a number of autobiographies on this theme, and I found this more readable and engrossing than some others. It certainly gives a depressing slant on the whole topic of how immigrants are treated.
I did find it (at almost 700 pages) a tad long. show less

This is an excellent, powerful and disturbing memoir/true story about a Togolese woman's escape from genital mutilation at the hands of her decades-older husband (of which, she is the fourth wife) and cruel aunt ~ all on the heels of her Father's death (whom she loved greatly). Ms. Kassindja's story is harrowing enough right there, but most of her story, in fact, takes place in U.S. prisons, where asylum seekers live out their days. As with most people, how horribly these already persecuted show more refugees are treated is one of the biggest eye openers in decades of reading. At times, they are treated more cruelly and worse than American prisoners in for murder or other felonies. The ending is ultimately uplifting, as it says on the cover, as Ms. Kassindja does get asylum, but at a very, very steep price. This is a well written book and the law was fascinating (I am a lawyer though), the hearings and process frighteningly realistic and as they often are, futile and frustrating. I do feel this book was a bit long and could have been edited down some, but that is a small complaint. A lot happened and Kassindja paved the way way for other women seeking asylum based on gender-based persecution (rape, FGM and torture). Highly recommended for a reader who would like to seek change in the world on a global level and to find out what really happens to asylum seekers once they enter the United States, and the legal system as well. show less

I was so ashamed of the U.S. reading this book! This is such a personal and vivid account of what Fauziya went through in order to live freely. I was inspired and awed by her strength as well as the strength of those who worked in the legal system on her behalf. I'll never forget this book. I highly recommend.