Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail

I purchased this book a second time, for a friend. Absolutely worth it. And an unbelievable account of their lives.

I saw an interview with Malika Oufkir on Oprah Winfrey's show and was so taken by her courage, her incredible spiritual strength and the unbelievable horror of her tale, that I felt I had to read this book. I found it to be an inspiring testimony to the human spirit but also an honest account of the terrible toll of this family's ordeal, leaving one brother "a permanent child" in Malika's own words, a brother who found adjusting to a normal, free life nearly impossible and who is still suffering the effects of his imprisonment.For their part, Oufkir and her sisters were left suspicious of men, emotionally scarred by what they survived...and yet they also managed to find the strength to serve as witnesses to their injustice and to find the courage to speak out. This is one of the most inspiring true-life accounts I've read in the last year and one I'd put on any "must read" list. If you dont know the details of Oufkir's story, here's a brief summary: At the age of 5, Malika Oufkir, eldest daughter of General Oufkir, was adopted by King Muhammad V of Morocco, a man who wanted an available playmate for his young daughter. While in the palace, Oufkir led a life of a fairy princess, in total luxury --- until her father was found guilty of treason as part of a coup to overthrow the new regime (led by King Hassan II). Malika's father was executed and she, her mother and her brother and sisters were immediately imprisoned. From one day to the next, Oufkir went from luxury to a struggle for her very existence, living in conditions that you can't believe until you read about it. There were times when one or the other would try and commit suicide (her brother when he was only 7) or be forced to eat food drenched in rat urine. And yet they DID persevere and manage to escape to tell their tale. Please don't assume that the grim details in this book (and I won't pull any punches; there are parts of this book that are difficult to read0 take away from the inspiration to be found here. After finishing this book, I actually felt uplifted and was amazed that I did, buoyed by the fact that this family went through such horror and yet managed to find the courage to survive - and then to tell about it.

I wasn't even aware that human rights violations existed in Morocco until I read this book. Malika Oufkir was separated from her family and raised in the palace of the king of Morocco at age 5. Malika was separated from her family, because she was seen as an ideal playmate for the king's daughter who was about the same age. She lived a pampered life with servants. However, Malika dreamed of freedom and suffered from profound loneliness. She got so lonely to the point where she tried to committ suicide as a child. She was imprisoned at age 18 with her entire family after her father General Oufkir attempted to kill the king Hassen II in an effort to depose him.Deprivation was a fact of life. They lacked everything from adequate food, books, health care, and even human contact. One sibling suffered from anorexia. Another sibling suffered from epileptic fits. It was Malika who took care of everyone who got sick. The youngest of 7 siblings was deprived of everything being only 3 years old when imprisoned. The family even experienced solitary confinement for long periods of time. I was amazed at how well Malika and her oldest brother Raouf educated their younger siblings early in their incarceration material was taken away She taught her young siblings how to read and write in French, Arabic and English. Brother Raouf helped with math and geography. They entertained themselves by making up stories and putting on shows for one another. They made toys for the little ones of wood and cardboard. They used Tide detergent to wash themselves with.The Oufkir family escaped from jail and such poor conditions in 1987 after 15 years. They were to be imprisoned again in a nice house but still surrounded by guards for more 5 years. I learned from reading this book that true freedom does not always mean a change in surroundings. True freedom happens when people are free to choose how they want to live their lives. This is an excellent read.

I enjoyed reading "Stolen Lives." I can't imagine losing 20 years of life stuck in one prison situation after another and under such harsh conditions. It is hard to visualize man's inhumanity to man. I was somewhat disappointed in the first part of the book. The story seemed to jump from one childhood event to another and back and forth in time periods. After this part the book moves along in a chronological order and has a great deal of detail and emotion. I think the book does a good job portraying the culture of Morocco during that time period as it pertains to the monarchy and social/political standings.

This the 2nd time I read this book it is an amazing true story. I recommend u read it

One of my favorite all time reads.

Whether it is Robert Caro or not this biography tells its story with enough political context to be of use to anyone researching a wide range of political, ethnic, desert and psychological topics: noisy chewing p.19, 73-75; sandalwood smudge p. 39; sweats 117; Jews 74, 78, 111, 168, 262, 267; jinns 45; virginity 72, 77; Berbers; nudity 50; beatings 52-53; weight 53, 147; infidelity 79; 1971 coup 80-81; dislike of luxury 85; Gaddafi 86; slaves 40,52-53; servants 89; women blamed 97; assassination attempts 88; guards 125-126. There is another detailed description of slave roles in palace life I am not finding now. Excellent writing is always a nice plus but trust and willingness to work together are more valuable in the telling of this story than excellent writing would have been. Plenty of relevant topics are touched upon, and it is readable. It is obnoxious to protest that the subject of the biography was a spoiled brat when she constantly points that out herself. There is an inconsistency as follows: After many years of starvation diet her sister, not the anorexic one, has a weight problem. How? It isn't starvation bloat, that problem surfaces during the escape.

I was looking for this book for a long long time finally I found it on Amazon

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down, amazed at the courage of this family under such dire circumstances.

Unglaublich, was dieser Frau und ihrer Familie vom marokkanischen Herrscher angetan wurde.Ein ganz toll geschriebenes Buch, sehr berührend, aber leider auch sehr wahr. Eine Heldin und eine ganz tolle Frau ist Malika Oufkir. Ich wünsche ihr nur das Beste.

I warmly recommend this book, a true and beautiful story. Easy reading for a beginner in English.Enjoy the reading!

you can't complain about your life after reading this book!