Book Review: RISING FROM THE SHADOWS
Review by Alistair Tolmie
Never does it appear to be as important as it is now for Australians to understand the perspective of foreign speaking immigrants, be they refugees or not, coming to live in Australia. For Australians to understand and empathise with their plight. For us to show compassion.
Rising From The Shadows is an autobiography by Iranian Saeed Fassaie – that is, Iranian by birth but now he loves being an Aussie – at the same time. As the title of his book suggests, Saeed has undergone a rebirth, a painful process of self-discovery and a journey of righting his demons. Born into the time of the Shah, in a family of seven brothers and sisters, Saeed was a teenager when the Islamic Regime rose to power and his left-leaning beliefs and involvement in a soon to be outlawed leftist political party meant that he had to escape from Tehran.
After almost a year away in Southern Iran he returns and wishes for nothing more than a profession, a wife, children and being surrounded by family. However there’s no possibility of University or even a passport without Army service. And this at a time when the Iraq Iran war was happening. Good fortune keeps Saeed from the trenches but this is heavily tainted by the death of his good friend Darius. .Stress difficulties allows him to leave the army and return again to his parent’s place in Tehran. He learns that he must address his teenage left-leaning history and, like others at that time, to appear to be a good Muslim on the outside. Success here leads to University and then to a position as a structural engineer.
Saeed is now happy, he has a profession, a position, a wife and a daughter. Happiness is where the home is. He climbs the mountains around Tehran, he enjoys Persian poetry and music (please click on the link if you wish to taste Persian music).
Discovery that the Islamic Regime have not forgiven Saeed and a growing desire to emigrate leads eventually to Sydney. Here amongst everyday challenges and successes he then awakens abruptly to the nightmare that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be. Now we can understand Saeed’s history better and get an inkling as to the challenge that living in Australia must’ve been. His story continues with his personal growth and successful resolution of PTSD.
We all share the same planet. This is our place together. We are so slowly learning to solve our problems, by understanding each other, by experience, by sharing, by appreciating our differences. Rising From The Shadows is a wonderful book, a real demonstration of how determination can win out against political and personal difficulties, but best of all for the reader, it’s a learning experience of life we know nothing about.