Growing Up bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their Secret World

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Growing Up bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son Take Us Inside Their Secret World

by Jean Sasson (Goodreads Author), Omar bin Laden, Najwa bin Laden

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 881 ratings · 167 reviews

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published October 27th 2009 by St. Martin's Press

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May 03, 2013 ميّ أحمد rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: سير-ذاتية

كتاب جميل جدا يظهر جوانب خفية من شخصية أسامة بن لادن وعلاقته مع زوجاته وأولاده ولن تخرج من الكتاب دون أن تتأسى على حياة هؤلاء الأبناء وكيف حرموا من الحياة الطبيعية ومن التعليم ومن الحرية تذكرت أبناء الجنرال أوفقير في المغرب وكيف أخذوا بجريرة والدهم وهؤلاء الأبناء حالهم لا يختلف كثيرا فقد عاشوا في ظل حياة العسكر والمعسكرات الجهادية حرموا من طفولتهم ومن الإلتحاق بالمدارس لا أدري كيف رجل ما في هذا الوجود ممكن أن يعرض أبناءه لما تعرض له أبناء أسامة .. ناهيك عن الزوجات المستعبدات الزوجات اللاتي لا يس...more

كتاب جميل جدا يظهر جوانب خفية من شخصية أسامة بن لادن وعلاقته مع زوجاته وأولاده ولن تخرج من الكتاب دون أن تتأسى على حياة هؤلاء الأبناء وكيف حرموا من الحياة الطبيعية ومن التعليم ومن الحرية تذكرت أبناء الجنرال أوفقير في المغرب وكيف أخذوا بجريرة والدهم وهؤلاء الأبناء حالهم لا يختلف كثيرا فقد عاشوا في ظل حياة العسكر والمعسكرات الجهادية حرموا من طفولتهم ومن الإلتحاق بالمدارس لا أدري كيف رجل ما في هذا الوجود ممكن أن يعرض أبناءه لما تعرض له أبناء أسامة .. ناهيك عن الزوجات المستعبدات الزوجات اللاتي لا يستطعن أن يدلين برأي أو يناقشن .. الحقيقة الوضع كان مأساوي جدا وأظن أن السيدة التي سعت للطلاق من أسامة أنقذت نفسها وأولادها في اللحظة الأخيرة
أما السيدة نجوى فعذرها لأن تعيش هذه الحياة أنها تزوجت وهي صغيرة السن شكلها أسامة حسب ما يريد فلم تعد تملك من أمرها شيئا

الكتاب يؤرخ للتاريخ الجهادي الذي قام به أسامة ضد الروس وقصة خروجه من السعودية وطرده من السودان وكيف تراكم الكره للغرب وكيف ترك أثره على حياة الأسرة .. كما يكشف عن طبيعة العلاقة بين الإسلامبولي المحكوم بالإعدام في
قضية السادات وأسامة بن لادن ودور الظواهري وغيرهم في تنظيم القاعدة
كما إنه فجر مفاجأة بالنسبة لي في علاقة بن لادن مع الملا عمر زعيم طالبان

الكتاب تناول قضية إنسانية جدا وهي قضية ابناء أسامة وما خلفته أفكاره من دمار على كيان الأسرة وبظني أن عمر بن لادن أراد
أن يصحح نظرة العالم لإسرة أسامة ويعلن عن أفكاره المختلفة عن أفكار أبيه

كتاب مثير يستحق إطلاع الجميع
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May 06, 2013 Ilhem marked it as to-read · review of another edition

الرجل الذي دوخ العالم بين الوهم والحقيقة o_O
للتحميل
http://www.4shared.com/get/XNTZd_Z7/_...

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Dec 13, 2011 Laurie Stoll rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jean-sasson, favorites

Another exceptional book that I've added to my short list of "favorites".

Due to the sensitive nature of the topic of this book I don't think this factual story could have been told any more perfect. I have so much admiration for Najwa and Omar, especially Omar! After reading Omar's story I wish I could wrap my arms around him and give him a hug. I'd tell him how proud I am of the courage it took to tell his story and I would tell him that the world does NOT hate him or his family, just the actio...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Asma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: women-culture

like always, Jean Sasson always writes on interesting topics and stories. the best of all the stories are real.
i enjoyed reading the book. it is unbelievable how osama left all his wealth for trouble. that's crazy. why would a man with his mentality get married or even have a family if he was so dedicated. i feel bad for his kids and i feel bad for his first wife najwa as mentioned in the book that she doesn't know what happened to 2 of her daughters and some of her sons. the kids suffered becau...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Mark Sequeira added it

Through the looking glass, an insider's account of BinLaden and his personal story/family. Granted coming from his wife and fourth son, it is more about his family/personal life versus his planning/motivation/organization of Al-Qaeda but there are already plenty of those books out there.

The author/translator, Jean Sassoon (of Princess fame) explains in the final comments, "I discovered that no books written about BinLaden or his family had the cooperation of a single BinLaden family member. Car...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Danielle Stoll rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Spoilers

After reading Growing Up bin Laden I found myself hating Ossama bin Laden more while feeling proud of his fourth son, Omar. As told by Omar, Muslims are brainwashed to believe Westerners, especially Americans, hate Muslims and are out to destroy them all. Omar was able to turn away from his father's Jihad based on his humanism and internal instincts that told him violence is not the answer. Omar did not have the luxury of the internet, television, books, or any other way to hear viewpoin...more Spoilers

After reading Growing Up bin Laden I found myself hating Ossama bin Laden more while feeling proud of his fourth son, Omar. As told by Omar, Muslims are brainwashed to believe Westerners, especially Americans, hate Muslims and are out to destroy them all. Omar was able to turn away from his father's Jihad based on his humanism and internal instincts that told him violence is not the answer. Omar did not have the luxury of the internet, television, books, or any other way to hear viewpoints opposite of his father's.

Najwa, Ossama's first cousin and first wife, was a perfect wife in the world of Muslims. She never doubted, questioned, or ignored her husband's words. She never lied to him, though there was some information withheld (unless directly asked) for the sake of her children. In their world, that is impressive. It takes a strong personality to be the perfect wife and mother in one's culture, but as an American I have a hard time releasing the viewpoint that a life was wasted by a weak woman unable to think for herself.
As a child Najwa was in love with Ossama, and after they were married she found him to be tender despite his sternness. She felt flattered at being described as a pearl needing protecting, but the reader can easily see he never had her best interest at heart. The ONLY admirable quality in Ossama was that he never physically abused the women in his life, but sadly he was extremely abusive to the sons he told were no more important to him than any other fighter serving him.

Ossama was an obsessed fanatic who had great survival skills, drive, ambition. He reminds me of Hitler by having possessed amazing qualities that were all used for the worst.

Sasson is a great writer, and I am glad she was able to get over her own prejudices instilled in each of us after 9/11 so that she could help produce insight that may have otherwise never been offered to the world. These insights may help others dismiss prejudices that the entire Muslim world does not deserve. Through Sasson by Oman and Najwa, we can remember a who culture is not the enemy, and bin Laden's family do not deserve our hatred. That hatred should be reserved for Ossama and his fighters whole brought down unnecessary violence and death.

Though the ancient world was never mentioned by Ossama, I believe at some point in his life he must have studied the Spartans, because many of his beliefs echo the Spartan ways, including small potions of bland food, and training those in his life to forego food, water, and shelter as a means to toughen them up.
http://www.history.com/news/history-l... (less)

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Aug 05, 2011 Jessie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-group-books, summer-2011, adult

I didn't think that I would like this book, but I did. It wasn't what I thought it would be. I learned a lot about women and how they feel without freedom living in the Middle East. I also found out more about Osama Bin Laden. **stop here for spoilers*** I learned that he was a devout follower of Islam. He did many of the things he did because of his religion. He changed part way through his life and became bitter and that is when he spoke out against the rulers of Sadi Arabia and he lost his ci...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Khim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, read-in-2011

Zeer interessant boek. In eerste instantie wilde Jean dit boek niet schrijven, omdat ze er een hekel aan heeft om met nabestaanden te communiceren van wie vaders wreedheden op zich hebben. Toch na aandringen van Omar de vierde zoon van Osama bin Laden, besluit ze in eerste instantie te luisteren. Ze is nog steeds niet echt geïnteresseerd. Dan komt ze in contact met Najwa de eerste vrouw van Osama, Jean vraagt of ze ook wat wil vertellen, dit wil ze alleen doen omdat haar zoon dit ook doet. Het v...more

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Oct 03, 2010 Jean rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: not-the-us, power-control, relationship-m-w, relationship-parent-child, social-justice, war

To write this fascinating book, Jean Sasson extensively interviewed both Osama Bin Laden’s first wife and one of the eleven children she bore during their marriage. Osama’s strong will, power, and stoic idealism are brought forward through their direct observations. As Osama was close lipped with all members of his family, there are few details as to how Osama planned and executed the September 11 attacks and with whom he associated in his terroristic acts.

His son does speculate on why his fath...more To write this fascinating book, Jean Sasson extensively interviewed both Osama Bin Laden’s first wife and one of the eleven children she bore during their marriage. Osama’s strong will, power, and stoic idealism are brought forward through their direct observations. As Osama was close lipped with all members of his family, there are few details as to how Osama planned and executed the September 11 attacks and with whom he associated in his terroristic acts.

His son does speculate on why his father acted as he did. One of his theories is that Osama took a turn for the fanatical when the Saudi royal family spurned Osama’s offer to help defend Saudi Arabia from Iraq, and instead welcomed US forces. At the time of Osama’s offer, he was considered a heroic war genius for having ousted the Russians from Afghanistan with his Mujahideen soldiers. To Osama, Saudi Arabia had too much “secular pollution” and their embrace of the US was confirmation that strict Islamism was not being taken seriously.

Osama moved his family to Somalia, where his stoic idealism seemed to be morphing into harshness bordering on insanity, at least in his way of dealing with his family. By this time he had several wives. The wife and son interviewed for this book remember miserable marches overnight in the desert, on Osama’s order. Sometimes all food and water was denied, and no extra clothes or blankets allowed for the freezing night. Instead, Osama insisted all dig shallow grave like holes in the ground and cover themselves with dirt for warmth. And these excursions seemed mild compared to the accounts of family life later on the bleak Afghanistan mountain of Tora Bora. Every “luxury” was absent (by this time Osama considered even running water and heat in the home a luxury).

I was struck by how throughout the book women and children seemed to have no power or voice compared to Osama’s. They routinely filed onto planes or into cars on Osama’s orders afraid to ask where they were bound, or in general to ask any question. Osama’s wife’s philosophy seemed to be to unquestioningly accept whatever hardship or difficult circumstance Osama’s wishes engendered.

The book left me feeling Osama has many legitimate grievances and genuinely wishes to make the world “a better place.” However, his better place would be tightly controlled, patriarchal, and totally Islamic. I give this book 5 stars for readability, interest and its relevance to our world today.
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May 08, 2010 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

The memoirs of Najwa bin Laden, Osama bin Laden's first wife, and Omar bin Laden, Osama's fourth son, make for a fascinating read, especially to someone who is not very familiar with ways of life in the Middle East.

At first, I was put off by Najwa's account of her early life. Her glasses didn't just seem rose-colored; they seemed as if they must have had their own built-in mister of fairy dust. Almost everything in her life up until the point that she had to move to Afghanistan, seemed to be fr...more The memoirs of Najwa bin Laden, Osama bin Laden's first wife, and Omar bin Laden, Osama's fourth son, make for a fascinating read, especially to someone who is not very familiar with ways of life in the Middle East.

At first, I was put off by Najwa's account of her early life. Her glasses didn't just seem rose-colored; they seemed as if they must have had their own built-in mister of fairy dust. Almost everything in her life up until the point that she had to move to Afghanistan, seemed to be from a glorious dream. I kept having to hold back snorts. She rhapsodized over the marvelous man that was Osama. According to Najwa, he seemed able to do no wrong, whether as a husband or a father. This, despite the fact that she was afraid to disagree with him in any way and that he abused his children and deprived them of many normal childhood things, such as toys and medical care. Neither was she allowed to use many modern conveniences, due to Osama's distaste for them. Listening to her account, I couldn't decide whether she was dishonest or delusional.

By the time the book concluded, having listened to Omar and Najwa's stories, I had come to the conclusion that Najwa actually believed the words she expressed. She had been confined to her home for so long, kept from the outside world, dependent on her husband, and tied to him through their children, that I would imagine she had a huge emotional investment in believing the best of her husband. Perhaps the only thing such a powerless woman could do is turn a blind eye to the suffering of her children. I'm sure that her faith in her religion and religious leaders didn't hurt her view of the glory that was Osama, either. I almost cheered when, on the urging of her sons, she finally requested that Osama spend more time with his children; it seemed a huge step for her to criticize her husband in the slightest of ways.

Her son Omar's story was not a description of traipsing through paradise. He resented the normal childhood activities and things that were kept from him and his siblings. He was wounded deeply by his father's harsh treatment and frequent canings. He was horrified that his father would move his mother and her young children to a mountain in Afghanistan, where they lived in squalid stone houses and suffered the area's brutal storms. When he grew older and had come to know his father better, he did not agree with his father's life of violence, and he struggled to build a different life, a life of peace.

Omar and Najwa's stories together provide a much more revealing account of Osama bin Laden's life and the life of his family than either would have alone. I think it is well worth reading.(less)

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Mar 28, 2010 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-nonfiction, biography-memoir, other-cultures

Told in alternating chapters by Osama bin Laden’s first wife, Najwa, and his 4th son, Omar, this well written book gives the reader an unprecedented inside view of life in the family of Osama bin Laden.

Because bin Laden required his wives to live in complete isolation from the world, Najwa’s story revolves around her early marriage to bin Laden and home life with her children. The most powerful account is given by Omar, who was slated to become bin Laden’s second in command. Through their eyes w...more

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Feb 24, 2010 Leeanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Growing Up bin Laden, by Najwa bin Laden, Omar bin Laden, and Jean Sasson

When I started reading this book, I thought I would be most interested in Najwa's perspective, but the more I read, the more I learned from her son, Omar. Najwa's story is limited in that she lived her entire life with her husband in purdah, or isolation, and thus wasn't privy to any details of what was happening. Her role was to be a happy, submissive, sweet, unquestioning wife and she fulfilled that perfectly. I was more...more Growing Up bin Laden, by Najwa bin Laden, Omar bin Laden, and Jean Sasson

When I started reading this book, I thought I would be most interested in Najwa's perspective, but the more I read, the more I learned from her son, Omar. Najwa's story is limited in that she lived her entire life with her husband in purdah, or isolation, and thus wasn't privy to any details of what was happening. Her role was to be a happy, submissive, sweet, unquestioning wife and she fulfilled that perfectly. I was more infuriated with her, for her unquestioning obedience, but I can understand that that is due to a difference of upbringing, life experiences, culture, and religion.

Omar, the fourth son of Najwa and Osama, had a difficult and bewildering childhood. The family went from living in luxury in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to middle-class life in Khartoum, Sudan, to living on the side of a mountain in Afghanistan, each step accompanied by more involvement in al-Qaeda and jihad. Omar is an extreme opposite of his father in every way - never understanding the thirst for violence shown by Osama, Omar instead dreamed of peace, and an ordinary life. But he was constrained by his culture, and suffered emotionally and physically for many years before he developed the courage to get out.

This book is educational, as it provides a narrative timeline of the development of al-Qaeda, and the increasing terrorist activity of the organization. We see how Osama bin Laden changed from a student of economics to the world's most wanted man, and the senselessness of many of the acts he and his group endorse. Omar describes an incident where men killed a monkey, because they were convinced the monkey was a Jew. The book is both terrifying and enlightening, as I don't realize how people could believe such...garbage? Idiocy? But then I saw how so many of the recruits were boys from villages, who were easily swayed by powerful speakers and religious authorities, and who had no real opportunities in life other than the fighting offered by jihad violence.

4/5.(less)

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Jun 02, 2011 *•.♥.•*Sabrina Rutter*•.♥.•* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-eastern-women

Although I have read several books about women living under the oppression of the taliban I must admit I was still very confused believing the mujahideen, taliban, and al-qaeda to be different factions of the same group. After reading Growing Up bin Laden I now realize how ignorant I was about each of these different groups.
The mujahideen were the Afghani warriors who fought the Russians when they tried to take over Afghanistan. This battle was Osama's first taste of the ways of war.
The taliban...more Although I have read several books about women living under the oppression of the taliban I must admit I was still very confused believing the mujahideen, taliban, and al-qaeda to be different factions of the same group. After reading Growing Up bin Laden I now realize how ignorant I was about each of these different groups.
The mujahideen were the Afghani warriors who fought the Russians when they tried to take over Afghanistan. This battle was Osama's first taste of the ways of war.
The taliban is a very fanatical muslim group with the objective to force all muslims into a very repressive form of Islam.
The al-qaeda is a lot like the taliban in it's fanaticism, but this group founded by Osama has the objective to force the entire world to convert to Islam through Jihad which is muslim holy war.
I'm really glad I'm no longer confused! One of the things I love about Jean Sasson is the way she writes about Middle Eastern polotics. She shares the information in the story she's telling making it easy to understand instead of writing a big chapter on the polotics of another culture which someone would have a hard time following unless they were already familiar with that cultures polotics.
One thing that bothered me in this book however was that sometimes it felt as though I were reading from the bible. With terms such as "and so it came to pass", and "so it came to be" being used throughout the book. This probably wasn't the intended effect, but this is how it left me feeling.

This was a very eye opening look into the personal life of Osama Bin Laden. This man was a mad man for sure. I felt so sorry for his wives, and children as they had no choice but to follow this man into his created chaos. The more Osama did to bring about his jihad dreams the more destitute his family became.
This book often left me feeling angry, but a lot of books about muslim women do that to me. It really bothered me that Osama felt seventeen was the right age for a man to be married, but that eleven or twelve (once a girl hits puberty) was a valid age for girls to be married.
One interesting point that Jean Sasson brought to light is that Osama's name has always been misspelled, his name is actually spelled Ossama Binladen. She wrote his name the way it has always been written in publications to make it easier for us who are not used to seeing it written correctly. She explains all of this toward the end of the book.
Another thing I like about this book is that at the end Jean Sasson gives an update on each of Osama's children, and wives. I only wish we could have another more accurate update now that this mad man has been sent to meet his maker!(less)

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Jan 14, 2010 Yoonmee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, middle-east, guilty-pleasures

Written by Osama bin Laden's first wife and one of his sons with the help of Jean Sasson, this is an interesting peak into Osama bin Laden's family/personal life. I found it to be an easy read, but, to be honest, I'm a little bit wary of how reliable the narratives are. I've read a couple of Sasson's other books and they always seem very sensationalized. Sasson's making money by almost exploiting women's personal stories. Another criticism is that Sasson doesn't offer much cultural context. Occa...more

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Dec 26, 2009 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mideast, biography, nonfiction, totally-unexpected

This book was interesting. I did not expect that it would be. I learned things I didn't know about Arab culture--hearing from Osama's first wife and the fourth son of his first wife gave two distinct points of view into an Arab household. More to the point, perhaps, we see into Osama bin Laden's household. As I was reading, my early comments may have reflected my perplexity that a son would discuss internal family affairs so publicly. The more I read, however, the more I understood that Osama bi...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: culture, nonfiction, reviewed

Listened to this on audio CD, which was pleasant.

This book actually surprised me. In several ways it delivered much more than I was expecting. This gives you a very good look inside the world of Osama, showing you how he evolved into the person he is. Written by Najwa, the first of Osama's four wives, and Omar, his fourth son (with Najwa), this covers Osama's life from childhood, through early marriage, and into 2001. Earlier parts of the book are more about home life, but as Omar gets older and...more

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Jan 28, 2010 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

i finally finished the book and i am so happy i did. while it was an easy read, I spent a lot of time going back and re-reading things to help me understand more thoroughly the lives that the bin ladens were forced to lead. i have not read other books about this subject so I do not have anything to compare it to, but i would definitely recommend this book. i would definitely recommend it for teenagers/young adults who are interested in politics but sometimes get lost in the way the newspapers wr...more

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Nov 23, 2009 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, really-loved-it

AMAZING! This book educates readers on who the BinLaden family was/is through Osamma's first wife and her first son. It tells the story from their perspective. Her's as a traditional Saudi wife who loved her husband though due to warnings did manage to leave him and return to syria with a coiuple of her youngest children just before the Trade Center bombings. His, as the first son who was born different; grew up trying to achieve peace at a personal and family level; and who ultimately made the...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Hala rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fascinating nonfiction detailing the lives of Osama Bin Laden's first wife and favorite son. A very interesting view of Bin Laden and his growing up in luxury and privilige and his giving it all up so he could hide his devious so-called religious activities. His first wife Najwa is an amazing Middle Eastern woman who dedicates herself entirely to her children and to her husband despite her fear and suffering.
Omar, one of many sons of Bin Laden, loved his father unconditionally until he figures o...more

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Aug 25, 2010 Lynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

What an eye opener!! It would appear that Osama was a very loving husband and devoted father in his early years but was overcome by his loss of position with the Saudi government and began to blame all Western culture for his failings, particularly Americans. There is a great deal of insight into how his hatred was formed as witnessed by his son Omar. His family has suffered as much as those in the Western world from the prejudices and misinformation that plagues all Muslims. This book should be...more

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Aug 16, 2010 Isabella rated it 3 of 5 stars

This wasn't quite as awe-striking with juicy details as I thought the book would be, but given Najwa's and Omar's positions I felt it was as revealing as it could possibly be without risking their safety or respect. I love to read memoirs and found this one to be interesting and full of great anecdotes. Like Jean Sasson says in her epilogue the only way to reach peace and understanding with one another is through educating our youth and simply expanding our knowledge of the world and those in it...more

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Dec 30, 2009 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought that Omar and Najwa's perspectives were fascinating. It was especially interesting to read about the times in which Osama bin Laden barely escaped being assassinated, like in Khartoum and after the embassy bombings. The personal details were amazing. I was finishing the book around the time that news about the bin Laden family came out. Iman escaped to the Saudi Embassy in Iran. I will definitely be keeping up with this story. Other good books about Osama bin Laden or terrorism in gene...more

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Jan 03, 2010 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was surprised at how this book sucked me in. I think it really added an interesting layer that the story is told from two perspectives - both bin Laden's first wife and his fourth son. As opposed to bin Laden himself, both of them came across as sympathetic and human. I felt like by reading this book I gained a greater understanding of Muslim culture in general and definitely of bin Ladin's history. It's quite depressing to contemplate the role of women in a culture like this one, but overall...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Daisy C rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading Growing Up Bin Laden and it was very well written. It was a very hard book to read since the September 11 attacks because I really do not like to hear anything about Osama, but I was curious as to how he was with his family and if he had always been such a monster...you will find those answers in this book. I do recommend it even if it leaves you with kind of a sour taste in the end.

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Jan 31, 2011 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really found this book interesting and educational. The family of this terrible man never asked for him to take the path he took, and they suffered along the way as he did more and more that was radical and extreme and showed that he cared more about his perceived "revenge" on the West than he did the safety and happiness of his own wives and innocent children. The book was an interesting insight into a different culture and into a particular family and the culture of radical Islam. I definitely...more

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May 03, 2013 Alaa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

- اقري هدا الكتاب
- حلو ، بس كأنه تجاري .

رغم محاولتنا لمقاومة العناوين التجارية التي تثبت لنا أننا لسنا داخل المكاكنة الرأسمالية ، إلا أننا في كثيرٍ من الأحيان نفشل في هذا (الخروج ) المطهِّر .

حين بدأت قراءة الكتاب ، وجدت اسم الكاتبة " جين ساسون " ، تذكرت بشكل عفوي الفلم الوثائقي الذي شاهدته عبر بي بي سي " Death of a Princess "
في هذا الفلم ظهرت امرأة لم أتذكر اسمها ، و كانت تناور المخرج على المعلومات التي بحوزتهاو يمكن أن تشكل إضافة لفلمه الذي يسعى لإخراجه ، و حين انتقلت إلى الصفحة التالية كان...more - اقري هدا الكتاب
- حلو ، بس كأنه تجاري .

رغم محاولتنا لمقاومة العناوين التجارية التي تثبت لنا أننا لسنا داخل المكاكنة الرأسمالية ، إلا أننا في كثيرٍ من الأحيان نفشل في هذا (الخروج ) المطهِّر .

حين بدأت قراءة الكتاب ، وجدت اسم الكاتبة " جين ساسون " ، تذكرت بشكل عفوي الفلم الوثائقي الذي شاهدته عبر بي بي سي " Death of a Princess "
في هذا الفلم ظهرت امرأة لم أتذكر اسمها ، و كانت تناور المخرج على المعلومات التي بحوزتهاو يمكن أن تشكل إضافة لفلمه الذي يسعى لإخراجه ، و حين انتقلت إلى الصفحة التالية كان أحد عناوين كتب المؤلفة يشبه عنوان الفلم . إذن هي !
( لم يكن هذا مدخلا جيدا ؛ إذ الكتاب تجاري بامتياز ، و الكاتبة بلا قضية )
تدعي جين ساسون ، أنها نقلت كل ما قالته زوجة بن لادن دون تدخلات سوى في ملاحظاتها هي ، و لكن الحقيقة أن خطاب جين ساسون بدا واضحا و طاغيا على صوت نجوى بن لادن في عدة نقاط :

- تستخدم جين ساسون مصطلحات غريبة و تعبيرات يبدو من الصعب أن تكون تعبيرات نجوى السعودية : " فمن المعروف ان الورعين بسخون عندما يتعلق الامر بالمبررات السلامية ./ اقرا التعاليم الدينية./ راعت اولادي فكرة عجائب الله ./ الا انني صليت ليعم السلام العالم باسره / ( و على لسان أسامة بن لادن يروي عمر أنه قال ): مفجرين انتحاريين !" ، كنتُ مستفزة غالبا من هذه المصطلحات و أشعر أن الحنجرة المستعارة تريد صوتا ما بعينه ، لا صوت الحقيقة الممكنة . و الأسوأ ( صليت لأجل ) ، يبدو هذا التعبير غريبا بامتياز ، و ربما هي مشكلة الترجمة ، إذ الدعاء و الصلاة بذات المعنى ( praying) .

- تقدم المؤلفة عالم بن لادن على أنه عالم غرائبي ، من وحي أسطوري بعيد - كما تقدم الروايات المثيرة فقط - ، انها لا تقص حكاية - بشكل جاد - بل تكتب لمجتمع مهتم بالاثارة ، بمعرفة المجهول كي يستمتع و يكتشف ، لا ليعرف !فلقد تكررت هذه العبارة بأكثر من شكل خلال الكتاب : " و هذا روتين في العالم الاسلامي "، و هي بذلك تحدد قارئها النموذجي الذي يبدو غربيا غير معني بالتفاصيل ، بقدر سحر الحكاية ، فالخطاب ليس موجها للقارئ العربي ..

- الحديث عن قضية إشكالية بهذه الخفة ( خفة الإثارة الروائية ) تجعل الموضوع سطحيا أكثر مما يجب ..

- الحبكة الروائية لم تكن غائبة ، فهي ليست سيرة تماما ، لأن سلطة ( الخطاب الروائي ) كان يجب أن تفرض نفسها ، و هي ما جعلت النص يبتعد عن كونه سيرة تماما .

و لكن هل استمتعت بقراءة الكتاب ؟
لحسن الحظ لم أكن أعرف شيئا عن ( عمر بن لادن ) حتى منتصف الكتاب ، و هذا ساعدني على أخذ روايته بنوع من الجدية ، ثم بدت الأبعاد الأخرى أكثر ظهورا .. لقد تعرفت على بعض الخطوط العريضة في حياة بن لادن ، لم ألقِ بالا للتفاصيل ( حاولت خلال القراءة التمييز بين ثلاث حدود :الواقعي و التخيلي و التحليلي ) .. وجدت الكثير من المعلومات التي كانت ملتبسة علي : التمييز بين القاعدة و الطالبان على سبيل مثال !

يمكن لأي راغب في رواية حول أسطورة أن يقرأ الكتاب ..

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Feb 08, 2013 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, afghanistan, saudi-arabia

After a long silence, two Bin Ladens have stepped up to tell an historically significant story. Prior to this, the best glimpses of Osama Bin Laden's personal life were provided by Carmen Bin Laden in "Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia" and Steven Coll's "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century". Neither comes close to drawing a personal portrait of Osama Bin Laden. In this book, we can see the horrors this very broken man inflicted on not only the world, but his fami...more After a long silence, two Bin Ladens have stepped up to tell an historically significant story. Prior to this, the best glimpses of Osama Bin Laden's personal life were provided by Carmen Bin Laden in "Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia" and Steven Coll's "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century". Neither comes close to drawing a personal portrait of Osama Bin Laden. In this book, we can see the horrors this very broken man inflicted on not only the world, but his family.

After the first chapter, I was hooked. I could not put this book down. Though deeply curious, I did not look at the appendix where there is a chart telling "where they are now" until I was done. I did not want to spoil the well paced timing of the story.

This drama is not new. It is played out in families who do not make history. It is similarly described in Paul Theroux's novel The "Mosquito Coast". Like victims of abuse everywhere, youth, dependency and limited access to information strip the abused of the tools needed to stand up. Omar is to be saluted for finding it within himself to get himself, his mother and two siblings "out". It is unusual.

I grieve for all the years young Omar has lost. He must also bear trauma and grief for all that he and his siblings have lost. His experience has given him wisdom. His actions are nothing short of heroic and they can give him confidence in his integrity as a person. How can it now be applied? He has lost years of formal education. He has lost knowledge from socializing in school and making real friends. He has to live down his notorious father. He may be the perfect person for a peace initiative, but as his father's son, he bears a heavy burden.

There are a few things I found interesting. First is the second wife's divorce. I would imagine this was something that had to be carefully put before Osama. There is no sign of anything but a ready agreement, but there must be more to this episode. Second, as I remember the Coll book, he seemed to think that Osama was still getting support from his family after Sudan. Omar shows that this is clearly not the case. Also, Osama's mother only offered an invitation to Saudi Arabia to Osama, not to any one else. The Coll book points to frequent mother and son contact, which implies she should have known what he was foisting on his family. How much did she know of the rationed food, the beatings, or the Tora Bora home with the precipitous cliffs and animal skins hung for window openings? Was she not concerned that her grandchildren were not being educated? Finally, Najwa's sequestering gave her children's abuser very powerful tools. Her stoicism and religion enabled her husband to duck responsibility for his treatment of his family.

This must have been very difficult for Omar to write. Najwa, surely did this for her son, her losses are staggering. Thank you Omar and Najwa Bin Laden and Jean Sasson for telling this important story. (less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Violet Crush rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own

Having read and loved most of Jean Sasson’s books, I’m always happy when I discover she’s written a new book. This book was more interesting to me because it was written on Osama Bin Laden, the elusive ‘self-proclaimed’ jihadi. Although I have intense hate for him, there is a part of me that wants to know why and how does a man become the Osama. How does a guy have so much control over so many people that they were willing to die for him? Also, What kind of family life did he have? All this and...more

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Nov 26, 2011 اویس rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fascinating inside view from a son of Bin Laden..I especially enjoyed the section on how the Taliban insulted Osama bin Laden.Osama was very strange in many ways e.g. He completely avoided using electricity or modern electric appliances as he thought it was a western invention.He used to reprimand his sons on laughing and actually used to tell them how many teeth they used to show when they laughed and not do it again.I was also suprised to know he could speak perfect English and Pushto.

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Aug 17, 2011 Renay Appleby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Renay's review of:
"Growing up bin Laden: Osama's Wife and Son take us inside their secret world"
This was a look at Osama bin Laden's life and how he became the radical leader of Al Quaeda. The story was told by Najwa bin Laden, Osama bin Laden's first wife and their fourth son, Omar bin Laden. It was a timeline of events that led up to Omar's desire for a world without war. These events caused him and his mother to leave Osama's world of jihad. This was a very interesting biography.

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About Jean Sasson

Jean Sasson was born in a small town in Alabama. An avid reader from an early age, she had read all the books in her school library by the time she was 15 years old. She also began her book collection at age 15. When given the chance to travel, Sasson accepted a position at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, and lived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 12 years. She...more

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Books by Jean Sasson

Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia

Princess Sultana's Circle (Princess Trilogy)

Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein

Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan: The True Story of a Freedom Fighter's Escape from Iraqi Vengeance

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Quotes from Growing Up bin Laden: ...

“When we look back, it becomes clear that the acts and accomplishments of human beings are the signatures of history. Human signatures have created an enormous chasm between the joyeous light of the age of the Renaissance to the dark shadow of September 11, 2001. Those of us living on that fateful day experienced the lower depths of mankind. As an author, avid reader, world traveler, and person of enormous curiosity, my life experiences have taught me that discord often erupts from a lack of knowledge and education. To discourage future dark moments, I believe we must nourish the minds of our young with learning that creates understanding between ethnic and religious groups. Perhaps understanding will lead to a marvelous day when we take a last fleeting look at violence so harmful to so many. I sincerely believe that nothing will further the cause of peace more than the education of our young. I would like for readers to know that a percentage of the profits from the sale of this book will be devoted to the cause of education.

May all roads lead to peace.” — 2 people liked it

“Life can be very perplexing.” — 1 person liked it

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