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Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi woman's journey from the heart of war to the heartland of America | 
| Authors: Don Teague, Rafraf Barrak
Publisher: Howard Books
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $9.00
as of 7/28/2010 15:16 MDT details
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Seller: buybooks2010
Rating:  57 reviews
Sales Rank: 191303
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 321
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.4 x 1.1
ISBN: 1439159106
Dewey Decimal Number: 956.70443092
EAN: 9781439159101
ASIN: 1439159106
Publication Date: March 2, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
For her entire life, Rafraf, a devout Muslim, had been told that Americans were the enemy. Her understanding of the world, of her place in it, and of the United States had been steeped in the culture of Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein. Yet, in the midst of insurgents attempting to kidnap and kill her, she found herself on the receiving end of lifesaving help from those she considered her enemies.Rafraf suddenly finds herself living with a Christian family in the Bible Belt of America. Nothing had prepared her for this new reality—the life of a college student in a vastly foreign culture, in a community as far from her expectations as she could have imagined, and in a family that opens their hearts to enfold her.Saved by Her Enemy is a riveting journey of two very different people from opposite sides of the world, of faith, of experience, and of expectations. The dramatic intersection of their lives and their journey together is an inspiration to those who have ever felt there was more to life than the world they knew. A young Iraqi woman, an American war correspondent, and a true tale of friendship, faith, and family against the backdrop of war and the collision of culturesThis is a story of a very unlikely friendship—between American war correspondent Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak, an Iraqi college girl who won a job as a translator for NBC during the early months of violence in the wake of the American invasion of Iraq.While covering a story together, the two were nearly killed by a bomb, an experience that created a bond between them that led them down a path neither could have imagined.What follows is a story of transformation, as Rafraf—from a devout Muslim family—becomes the target of terrorist threats to kidnap and murder her. Don and his fellow correspondents mobilize to help save her life and suddenly Rafraf finds herself on the receiving end of an offer for safety and a new life in the United States. Dramatically transplanted from the streets of Iraq to the Bible Belt of middle America, Rafraf finds everything that she knew—or thought she knew—about herself, her values, her world, even faith and family, turned upside down. Meanwhile, Don; his wife, Kiki; and their children discover they’ve embarked on an adventure with Rafraf that reshapes their lives. This captivating story inspires us all to join Don and Rafraf in discovering that there is far more to life than the world we know.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 57
 Warning for ebook buyers July 14, 2010
Marita
I normally don't leave reviews but I wanted to warn any ebook buyers about this book. As a book, itself, the story is amazing and I had no regrets spending my limited time reading it. It is not a normal / cliche story from the Middle East and I enjoyed the hope it brought.
That said, I bought it on my Kindle and was very disappointed with the grammer and endless editing errors. Words were not capitalized, punctuation was missing, sentences would just randomly start new paragraphs, etc. I had been warned that some publishers were trying to save money and skip the editing process for ebooks and this was a prime example. I cannot believe and author would leave so many blatant mistakes so I think erros crept up in the various drafts an were never given the last 'once over' before sending it to Amazon. A few mistakes I would overlook but there were several in EACH chapter.
I ended up complaining to Amazon and they very swiftly returned my money (and removed the book from my account). Again, this is a great book and good story but beware when buying the Kindle version. If the price was less, I wouldn't have minded the flaws but for $13 (with tax) this was a disppointment.
 Inspirational June 28, 2010
Alice Berger (North Carolina, USA)
Don Teague, former news correspondent for NBC, was sent to Kuwait, just after 9-11. In his first visit, he spent several months traveling in and out of Iraq, reporting on items of interest. When he reached the end of his tenure there, he returned home, happy to be alive. But NBC still needed him to go back, and this time it would be to Baghdad.
Rafraf Barrak grew up in Baghdad with a strong nationalistic pride in her country, and a respectful fear of Saddam Hussein. She despised the Americans who had invaded, and thought they humiliated Iraq. But Rafraf spoke very good English, and she decided to put aside her prejudices and take a job as translator for NBC, when she was offered it. But then she found herself a target when Iraqi insurgents determined she was working for the enemy.
After one incident where both Don and Rafraf were nearly killed in a school explosion, Don decided he needed to get Rafraf out of Iraq. But this would prove more challenging than he initially expected, and keeping her in America would be even more difficult. But would Rafraf adjust to life in the US after so many years of repression in Iraq?
In Saved By Her Enemy, Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak tell their stories. Rafraf shares her experiences in Iraq, leading up to her decision to come to America, and how she ultimately converts to Christianity. Don explains how he knew God led him back to Iraq on that second tour of duty with NBC for the sole purpose of rescuing Rafraf and bringing her home with him.
Both Don and Rafraf are wonderful story tellers, and the backdrop of violence and fear in Iraq come alive for the reader. It's easy to understand why Don felt protective of this intelligent and unique Iraqi woman, and why he would be willing to put himself out to ensure her survival. And Rafraf is strong and courageous in the face of unknown terrors.
We may never know what good things God has planned for our lives, when we leave ourselves open to His leading. Don followed the direction he knew he had been given, and was able to save Rafraf - both in body and soul. If you're looking for an inspirational read with a great message and a happy ending, I highly recommend Saved By Her Enemy.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Face to Face with the Bogeyman June 25, 2010
Christian Book Reviews (Philadelphia, PA United States)
Rafraf Barak was raised in Iraq believing Americans were the great "other" - the boogeymen of Iraqi childrens' dreams who would do unmentionalbe things. Sure, Iraq was no great party either but generally if you minded your own business and didn't openly criticize the government things would be just fine...right?
In the wake of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Barak ended up being befriended by news correspondent Donald Teague and becoming a target of Muslim extremists. She also learned that Americans were not monsters desiring to kill any Iraqi who strayed into her path and began the process of questioning and separating truth from fiction in her upbringing. Teague worked to secure her entry into the United States where she lived with his family and she experienced firsthand life in the West.
The joint efforts of Barak and Teague in Saved by Her Enemy give a vivid albeit soemtimes disjointed account of the events that led to their lives crossing paths and the profound change that would take place for both of them. Once arriving in the West, Barak confronted the fact that Jews and Christians were not consumed with the desire to destroy Islam and perhaps the fault was where she least expected. Her account of wrestling with her core beliefs her embracing that which she once feared is both touching and compelling. Saved by Her Enemy places current events into sharp focus but also gives hope that some aspirations are universal.
 A rare peek into the lives of two extraordinary people June 22, 2010
Heather (Virginia)
This book tells the story of two extraordinary people: an Iraqi woman who became a translator for NBC news in Iraq and an American news correspondent there to cover events during the war in Iraq. I will say right up front that I become bored easily with books and often don't finish them, but this book was different. This book takes you into a completely different and unfamilar world, and it is facsinating. The story is compelling, exciting, and moving. There is more going on in this true story than many Hollywood action movies ("better than fiction"). I wanted to keep reading and find out what would happen next, and make sure the characters survived and were OK. I never could imagine what it is like in Iraq during the war for a reporter or for an Iraqi civilian, and I've learned a lot from this book. It gives a realistic account from the perspective of regular people and their own story, rather than the "big picture" and political and military perspective we are used to getting on the news. The perspective given from the authors is more personal and intimate, less distant and impersonal. I have not gotten this perspective anywhere else, and I feel much better informed for the experience. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is what I would call a religious "bias". It goes on too much about Christianity. As someone who is not Christian this annoyed me. I respect anyone's choice of religion, and some reference would be absolutely fine because a reader wants to know the people in the story, but I feel there was too much weight given Christianity in this book. But that should not prevent anyone from reading this book because it has so much more to offer. I enjoyed the book to the end.
A fascinating window into two worlds June 17, 2010
Grimmy (MD USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Let me get this straight up front. If you are Christophobic, or are completely clueless about the horrors of life under Saddam AND PREFER TO REMAIN SO, you will hate this book - and this review. However, I invite you to view the video of one of Saddam's torture chambers - easily found by searching on "Saddam torture chamber" - where "savage scenes of decapitation, fingers chopped off one by one, tongues hacked out with a razor blade - all while victims shriek in pain and the thugs chant Saddam's praises." For some inexplicable reason, the American media largely chose to ignore it. And so can you! Unless you're open-minded, that is. Which I'm sure you are.
This book does not describe these horrors. However, the horrors detailed are much more subtle.
Like many Iraqis, she led a miserable, fear-filled life. Family members, even teenagers, could be pulled off the street and imprisoned or killed for saying the wrong thing, then returned in pieces. Speech and conduct are under tight surveillance, not unlike that found in Communist lands. Women were potential sex slaves of Saddam's boys, often in order to advance in life. Infrastructure was almost nonexistent by Western standards, with huge streams of sewage flowing through some neighborhoods. Yet they, even college graduates, also feared George Bush and America, due to extensive censorship and brainwashing (not unlike that found in most American schools, sadly). The things Rafraf believed about Bush will astonish you. The irony is that this is not far from the views of many "liberals".
As you read, we see the war through her eyes, Iraqi eyes. you will see that life in Iraq is hell for young men and women, under the religious police, and even under their own fathers. Women have very little say as to who they marry, or what they want for their future. Although they may willingly choose to wear "the scarf" when young, this becomes a diabolical shackle later which is hard to unlock and which they keep wearing for appearance's sake, when they might want otherwise. This is, ironically, the paradise which the American liberal says is what these women - and all Iraqis - love and deserve, and who are we to take that away from them.
Well, it's half true in this sense. Rafraf and other Iraqis were humiliated by the War. They still expected "their" Saddam to appear in a blaze of glory and wipe out the Americans. They saw Americans as alien monsters.
But her first contact with Americans began to shake that view. She began to experience something totally alien to her own life - being treated with respect. And from that seed, her worldview and life possibilities - or at least her hopes - began to change. It is a fascinating journey.
We also see the journey from the perspective of Don Teague, the CBS newsman, and it is amusing to see points when their perceptions collide. We also learn about the Iraqi-Muslim world and how to avoid offense. At the same time their religious leaves several holes that are not typically filled, and this is where Rafraf also finds, through what we would consider strange means, a different salvation.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 57
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