Not Without My Daughter (book)

Not Without My Daughter
First edition
AuthorBetty Mahmoody, with William Hoffer
LanguageEnglish
GenreBiography
PublisherSt. Martin’s Press
Publication date
1987
Publication placeUnited States
Pages420 pp.
ISBN0-312-01073-7

Not Without My Daughter is a 1987 biographical book by Betty Mahmoody detailing the escape of Betty and her daughter, Mahtob, from Betty's abusive husband in Iran.

In 1977, Betty married Dr. Sayyed "Moody" Bozorg Mahmoody. In 1984, when their daughter was four years old, Betty reluctantly agreed to accompany her husband on a two week vacation to Iran in order for his family to meet Mahtob. However, at the end of the two weeks, Moody decided that he, his wife and daughter would remain in Iran. Betty was trapped in Iran and could not return to the United States. The rest of Not Without My Daughter recounted Betty and Mahtob's escape from Iran and their return to the United States.

While the story was true, the author changed certain aspects of the story in order to protect those who aided her and her daughter in their escape. She wrote the following:

This is a true story.
The characters are authentic, the events real. But the names and identifying details of certain individuals have been disguised in order to protect them and their families against the possibility of arrest and execution by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. These are: Hamid, the owner of a menswear store; Judy, an American woman married to an Iranian; Judy's brother-in-law, Ali; Judy's friends, Rasheed, Trish, Suzanne; the schoolteacher Mrs. Azahr; the mysterious Miss Alavi; Amahl and the smuggler, Mosehn.[1]
  1. ^ Mahmoody, Betty (1987) [First published 1987]. Not Without My Daughter. St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 0-312-01073-7.