Shyima Hall

What an utterly compelling and inspiring memoir. Shyima Hall tells the story of how she was sold into slavery at the age of 8 in Egypt. Her captors smuggled her into the US when they moved to California. After two more years of servitude, an anonymous call from a neighbor brought an end to slavery. However, Shyima's journey of survival was really just beginning. This inspiring memoir of courage makes you believe that anything is possible.

Shyima recounts her story of working in bondage for a wealthy Egyptian family both in Egypt and later in the United States. While not always eloquent, the story is powerful, compelling, and eye-opening. Shyima recounts the abuse she endured and the work she did until someone finally reported her to the authorities. But even after she was "free", Shyima struggled in the aftermath of slavery and to find a family and support system that would help her heal. An important and eye-opening story, show more Shyima's journey is openly told and a testament to her resilience. show less

At eight years old, most kids are playing outside, riding bikes, playing with friends, not a care in the world. When she was eight, Shyima Hall was sold into slavery by her parents. Shyima was one of eleven kids from an impoverished Egyptian family; her older sister had been working for a wealthy family but had been discovered stealing and was dismissed. To repay the debt and bring honor back to the family, Shyima's parents sold her to the family. Shyima was not a paid servant; she was a show more slave. Called only "stupid girl" and forced to work for up to 18 hours a day, Shyima could not believe her parents wanted her to live this way. When her captor family moved to the US in 2000, they trafficked Shyima with them. And life was worse when they got to the US. The family had to get rid of all of the other servants, so Shyima had an extra burden to do all of the other work those servants had completed. She had to live in a closet in the garage without heat or a bathroom. She was beaten and berated every day. She was not allowed to go to school. Then one day the police came and rescued her. She was put into foster care and went to several homes before finding one that was a reasonable home for her. She was able to go to school and finally learn to read and write at the age of 14. This book is eye-opening. Human trafficking is a big problem, but it seems to get swept under the rug. While Shyima had a happy ending to her captivity, many modern slaves don't. I can't imagine being in this kind of situation, being forced to work without food or medical care, and not being able to go to school or learning to read and write until I was 14. Slavery still exists, and this book brings some of those details to light. show less

Shyima Hall was eight years old when her parents sold her into slavery. Before this, she lived with them and her ten siblings in poverty in a small town near Alexandria, Egypt. She worked 18 to 20 hours a day for her captors, receiving no compensation, medical care or schooling. When her owners moved to the United States, Shyima was illegally transported to California, where she lived in a garage and was forbidden to have outside contacts. This memoir follows her experiences from her early show more childhood and captivity to her life after she was rescued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. An engrossing, moving memoir of modern domestic slavery that fortunately ends on a hopeful note. show less