I, an Iraqi

Paradise Lost. A family uprooted twice. Originally from Mecca and tracing their lineage back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the aristocratic Al Gailani family settled along the banks of the Tigris River. Born in Baghdad, little Amel Al Gailani did not realize that her family's patrician lifestyle would be subjected to untimely death, perfidy, and exile. When, during World War II, German assistance failed to arrive in time to assist the Iraqis in their struggle against British, the family was forced into exile, as Amel's father was the Iraqi prime minister. Their home in Germany would not prove permanent either, and they were forced to leave again after the war. After spending months in concentration camps in Italy, Amel and her family were reunited with her father, who managed to escape to Saudi Arabia.