Uday Hussein was the ace of hearts in the US military’s deck of playing cards that was provided to the soldiers soon after the second war with Iraq began in 2003. Uday was known by everyone in Iraq as a murderous thug who learned his trade from his father, Saddam. His tyrannical career began with his first killing when he was in college, and his deadly ways continued remorselessly throughout his life.This historical novel follows both the tragic events that preceded Operation Iraqi Freedom and the courageous life and times of Lara. Born in Mosul, Iraq, and raised in Michigan as an all-American girl, she became entrapped in the near-fatal grasp of Uday and his henchmen.Surviving Dreamland is a thrilling story that captures the hard-boiled realities of living under a brutal authoritarian regime and the terror of being caught in a helpless situation when war looms and the bombs begin to fall. Lara’s triumphant survival and her tip to the US special operators succeeded in assuring the demise of two of the top three most-wanted killers during the early days of the Iraq war.Convincing in its accuracy of detail and thought provoking, Surviving Dreamland races through the frequently fatal dangers that the Iraqi people faced while living under Saddam Hussein and his Ba'athist regime. It is a story of survival and bravery, but also a story of tragedy and the resilience of the human spirit.Praise for SURVIVING DREAMLAND: … a tantalizing novel from the first page all the way to the end. The story is based on true facts that actually happened and some of the fictional content happened as well but in a different manner. I point that out only because I am an Iraqi native who knows more about these facts than others do. It is a great story! Lee Jacob, Advisor to the Department of State in Iraq 2008 - 2011 …a harrowing tale of an Iraqi-American young lady that survived an abduction by Uday Hussein…I highly recommend it! Sean Goad, Served in Al Anbar Province, Iraq as a U.S. Marine and State Department Diplomat for five years between 2004 and 2011 … a wonderful, powerful book. ..the author is able to hook you with his first few lines. Excellent research, and deep insights—all in a gripping read… strikes the perfect balance as moving testimony to the writer’s talent… Jim Watson, Retired Diplomat, USAID …a remarkable achievement… I felt like I was there with an M-4 in my hands. You will not want to put this book down. Dr. Kevin A. Rushing, Deputy Team leader, embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team (ePRT), Camp Baharia, Fallujah, Iraq 2008-2009.
