Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A young man's moving story of love, war, and hope in which he recounts his harrowing escape from fanaticism and a brutal civil war in Yemen with the help of a daring plan engineered on social media by a small group of interfaith activists in the West.
Born in the Old City of Sana'a, Yemen, to a pair of middle-class Shiite doctors, Mohammed Al Samawi was a devout Muslim raised to think of Jews as his enemy. Everything he believed was thrown into doubt, however, when he secretly received a copy of the Bible at the age of twenty-one. Undergoing a metamorphosis after reading it, Mohammed began reaching out to Jews on social media, joined a peace-building organization, and traveled to international interfaith conferences.
When his activities drew death threats, Mohammed was forced to flee to the southern port city of Aden, only to find his life further endangered when civil war broke out in the spring of 2015. Hiding in the bathroom of his apartment as gunfire and grenades exploded throughout the city, Mohammed--believing these were the final moments of his life--desperately appealed to friends across social media.
Miraculously, Mohammed's plea was heard. Over thirteen days, four ordinary young people with zero experience in international diplomacy or military exfiltration worked across six technology platforms and ten time zones to save this innocent young man trapped between deadly forces--rebel fighters supported by Iran and Al Qaeda operatives supported by Saudi Arabia.
The story of an improbable escape as riveting as the best page-turning thrillers, The Fox Hunt is also an unforgettable story of compassion, friendship, faith, and redemption. Like I Am Malala, A Long Walk Gone, and The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, it sheds light on events roiling the world, and offers hope and inspiration, reminding us that goodness and decency can triumph in the darkest circumstances.
Synopsis
"Nail-bitingly suspenseful. ... Inspiring. ... Essential reading." -- Booklist, starred review
The Fox Hunt tells one young man's unforgettable story of war, unlikely friendship, and his harrowing escape from Yemen's brutal civial war with the help of a daring plan engineered on social media by a small group of interfaith activists in the West.
Born in the Old City of Sana'a, Yemen, to a pair of middle-class doctors, Mohammed Al Samawi was a devout Muslim raised to think of Christians and Jews as his enemy. But when Mohammed was twenty-three, he secretly received a copy of the Bible, and what he read cast doubt on everything he'd previously believed. After connecting with Jews and Christians on social media, and at various international interfaith conferences, Mohammed became an activist, making it his mission to promote dialogue and cooperation in Yemen.
Then came the death threats: first on Facebook, then through terrifying anonymous phone calls. To protect himself and his family, Mohammed fled to the southern port city of Aden. He had no way of knowing that Aden was about to become the heart of a north-south civil war, and the battleground for a well-funded proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. As gunfire and grenades exploded throughout the city, Mohammed hid in the bathroom of his apartment and desperately appealed to his contacts on Facebook.
Miraculously, a handful of people he barely knew responded. Over thirteen days, four ordinary young people with zero experience in diplomacy or military exfiltration worked across six technology platforms and ten time zones to save this innocent young man trapped between deadly forces-- rebel fighters from the north and Al Qaeda operatives from the south.
The story of an improbable escape as riveting as the best page-turning thrillers, The Fox Hunt reminds us that goodness and decency can triumph in the darkest circumstances.
Synopsis
"A gripping account of terror and escape." -- New York Times Book Review
The Fox Hunt tells one young man's unforgettable story of his harrowing escape from Yemen's brutal civial war with the help of a daring plan engineered on social media by a small group of interfaith activists in the West.
A 2019 NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARDS FINALIST
Born in the Old City of Sana'a, Yemen, to a pair of middle-class doctors, Mohammed Al Samawi was a devout Muslim raised to think of Christians and Jews as his enemy. But when Mohammed was twenty-three, he secretly received a copy of the Bible, and what he read cast doubt on everything he'd previously believed. After connecting with Jews and Christians on social media, and at various international interfaith conferences, Mohammed became an activist, making it his mission to promote dialogue and cooperation in Yemen.
Then came the death threats: first on Facebook, then through terrifying anonymous phone calls. To protect himself and his family, Mohammed fled to the southern port city of Aden. He had no way of knowing that Aden was about to become the heart of a north-south civil war, and the battleground for a well-funded proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. As gunfire and grenades exploded throughout the city, Mohammed hid in the bathroom of his apartment and desperately appealed to his contacts on Facebook.
Miraculously, a handful of people he barely knew responded. Over thirteen days, four ordinary young people with zero experience in diplomacy or military exfiltration worked across six technology platforms and ten time zones to save this innocent young man trapped between deadly forces-- rebel fighters from the north and Al Qaeda operatives from the south.
The story of an improbable escape as riveting as the best page-turning thrillers, The Fox Hunt reminds us that goodness and decency can triumph in the darkest circumstances.