Secretly asking questions, attending social groups, he put himself in danger and his family but it led him on path that changed his life more than words could ever describe. It opened his heart and mind to learn more about the people he was taught to hate. Then one day, Mohammed was challenged to a promise by a friend to read a bible, something that conflicted with his life, culture and religion. Mohammed is someone who was brought up in a culture that was taught to hate other groups with a long list of reasons to support it. Reading a perspective of someone who’s life was caught in the middle, gave a voice to a vague reality that puts life in perspective. Yes, I follow the news and know that for a long time, that region of the world fought internally against each other but everyone has a story and Mohammed’s was so compelling. The more I read, the more I was drawn into a world that I had no idea existed. I’ll admit, I was expecting a different kind of book. It takes a village but as the tagline sums up so perfectly, The Fox Hunt is “four strangers, three faiths and one extraordinary escape to freedom.” In a region where religious affiliations and cultural divide are prominent and tumultuous, anyone who risks their life by trying to stand up and fight for interfaith relationships is worth talking about. For those who try to bridge the gap between cultures for a better world, we never hear about them. What’s sad is not everyone is bad or has hate in their heart. When conversations arise about the Middle East, I’m sure for many, stereotypes surface and presumptions about the people are spoken generally.

It is one of many silence voices that deserves to be heard. It is relevant, especially considering what is happening right now. I don’t even know where to begin with a book like this.

The fox hunt by mohammed al samawi