Rating: 
Summary: A fabulous and gripping read
Review: This really was the best book I have read in a while. I was torn between not wanting to put the book down and not wanting to finish. I noticed that some reviewers had difficulty following the book - I didn't encounter those problems. I found it very easy to immerse myself in the fascinating and sometimes extremely difficult situations that Mmes Oufkir and Fitousi described. This book has forced me to think about what I value - it has challenged me to be more appreciative of all that I have.
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: Excellent book. At times it gets a little verbose in description but it is a phenomenol story.
Rating:
Summary: Stolen Lives
Review: For Malika Oufkir, childhood was not about Popsicle stands and late games of tag. Instead Malika was introduced to the politics in which she was a victim of. At the
young age of five, Malika was adopted by King Muhammad V. Though her true family
was competent in her care, the King gets what the King wants. For years Malika lived in
the splendor and disrespect of the palace. She was given material goods to her hearts
desire, yet she could never find the love that she needed. Nor did she understand why her
previous family would so easily give her up.
This irony in her life was subsided by the attempted assassination of the King. Her
father, General Oufkir (A well respected, and highly successful military man) put the call
out for Muhammed V's head. With no knowledge of her fathers actions, Malika, her
mother, and five brothers and sisters were sent to prison. Malika's father, was
consequently executed.
Prison was at first easy to swallow. Malika's family was allowed to bring several
articles of their fine clothing, as well as books and toys. Yet as their situation worsened,
these privileges were stolen along with their basic human rights.
Malika's family was moved into a desolate desert prison. Here they were treated
horribly. Malika's account gives the reader a detailed image of the conditions in which
she lived.
Unable to go on, and starved of life, Malika helps put her family members out of their
misery several times. Cutting at her siblings wrist with any sharp object she may find,
Malika realizes that they must escape for good.
Her determination and triumph is the basis for a excellent story about the mistreatment
of humans. This book is a reality check for anyone who has not been opened up to the
deterioration of human morals in this part of the world.
Rating:
Summary: Don't listen to the bad reviews of this book.
Review: This is one of those books that everyone should read. It teaches a valuable life lesson about resilience and the strength of the human soul, and it also teaches us to be thankful for the everyday things that we take so much for granted.
The bad reviews of this book were most, as far as I can observe, based on people's expectation that this would read as a novel, with a straight time line, neat plot twists, happy ending, etc. Keep in mind that this is all coming from the authors memories of these events, and of course at times they are not in order, which is to be expected in a work of this type. The fact that she was able to complete this work at all is amazing.
Rating:
Summary: Incomprehensible but Understandable
Review: How does one love and hate at the same time? How does one hate and love their country, their ruler? How does one make up for lost time? How does a person live after being imprisoned in horrible conditions for twenty years? Mdme. Oufkir's theme seems to be that it is near impossible. But can one do it? Yes, she is working on it. This book will speak to those who find meaning in the smaller things still: "two lovers holding hands, a mother accompanied by her daughter, a dog frisking about, a bird alighting on a branch." Do you find that you are still fascinated by "everyday" things? This book might show you why. Are you a slave to your life? Imprisoned by your job and your responsibilities? Reawaken your sense of the world. This book is about courage, but more so about perseverance and reflection. Feel the need to reflect on your life as well as the life of others? Read this book.
Rating:
Summary: A glimpse into the Islamic World
Review: Malika Oufkir's Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in A Desert Jail is her autobiography about the time she, her mother, five siblings, and two close family acquaintances spent in Moroccan jails. The entire family was unjustly imprisoned for twenty years after Malika's father, General Mohammad Oufkir, attempted to overthrow the reigning monarch, King Hassan II. In the aftermath of the resulting coup, General Oufkir was assassinated himself and by association his family was imprisoned, as the King was fearful that they too might be an internal threat to his legitimacy. The resulting punishment meant that the Oufkir family was imprisoned against their will for a crime that they did not commit, which was a human rights violation.
In writing down her story, Malika Oufkir set out to make the rest of the world aware of what was going on under the Moroccan monarchical regime. After emerging from her years in prison, Malika feared that her unjust case had been unknown the rest of the world. She expressed a desire for others to know and understand her side of the events so that they could react externally and put international pressure upon the Moroccan regime for judicial reform and fairness, as well as a greater tolerance for opposing opinions. In effect, Malika's experiences from both within prison as well as examining her experiences outside it from free and democratic France make her even more attuned to the problems within her native Morocco. She desires that her writing be a catalyst towards reform.
It is obviously very difficult for Malika to write down her prison experiences and reveal herself to the world. What makes this book very special is how she is able to convey this sense of insecurity throughout the book. This is done through her looking back upon her experiences as traumatic. Rather than simply graze over the tough issues that her and her family were forced to confront and endure daily in their prison setting, Malika points to them with a sense of hard-headedness and determination that manages to expose herself from the outside. Despite her determination, the reader is brought into her inner world, along with all of the insecurities and vulgarities that haunt her through the present day.
Their time in prison was one in which the human spirit prevailed. There was an overarching theme of persistence among the Oufkir family as they lived with the false hope that the King would realize their unjust imprisonment and would quickly release them. As General Oufkir was in the inner circle of Moroccan government, his family had a false impression of that government, believing it was free and open because they were among the few that received extensive benefits from it. Due to their (former) prominent status, the Oufkirs believed that their imprisonment was only temporary and their state influence would help them in securing their release. With this small hope, the Oufkirs held on to a diminishing belief that they would be released. Throughout, their spirit was kept alive by this, and continued to be maintained through years in solitary confinement, and ultimately provoked them to plot their escape from prison and survival in the outside world.
Malika's representation of her time in prison brings to the forefront issues that are common throughout the Middle Eastern Muslim world. Repeatedly throughout the region, a ruling monarch who is insecure with his power controls the government, which means that the ruler will do anything in order to hold onto power and stifle all opinion against him. This is precisely what happened with the Oufkirs in Morocco. King Hassan felt that the Oufkirs, even though General Oufkir was the only family member accountable, were a civil challenge to his power and national control; thus he imprisoned them in order to stifle any further political challenges. Hassan II not only imprisoned the Oufkir family, but also several hundred other political prisoners, whose causes are mentioned in the book's postscript. Therefore, the reader comes to realize that political imprisonment is a dominant problem in the Middle East, with the Oufkir case examined in order for the reading audience to understand and reflect on the problem.
Malika Oufkir's biography of her imprisonment is poignant. She is able to recount her traumatic life in vivid detail, not only in a pleasing manner to the reader, but also in a way exposing herself to the horrors she encountered throughout her imprisonment. This is exactly what Malika set out to achieve in writing her biography, and she did so in such a clear and eloquent manner. The reader is engrossed in the story to the point that they have little choice than to show empathy for the Oufkir cause and issue a call for greater human rights and justice, not only in Morocco, but in the rest of the Middle East.
Rating:
Summary: Would have rated this book 5 stars but.....
Review: I would have given 5 stars for Malika Oufkir's story, if it weren't for the fact she shortchanges the ending of the book. Many writers of fiction and non-fiction alike seem to rush the last parts of their work, only to leave you with the feeling they had much more to say. That is exactly the feeling I was left with, even though the story of the Oufkir's survival under the most horrendous conditions is quite compelling. The fault might lie with the publisher's desire to keep the book at a certain length, and also the failure of the editor to excise some of the overly-long descriptions of particular events. The translator's style however, does not take away from the importance of telling this family's story. The most interesting parts are Ms. Oufkir's remembrances of her life before the terrible turn of events took place that changed hers and her family's life forever. I strongly feel that Ms. Oufkir could write another book that delved more deeply into her life inside the palace walls. Perhaps the publisher will take note....
Rating:
Summary: Realizing Your Blessings
Review: When I think about certain parts of Malika Oufkir's book, "Stolen Lives," I still cringe. I can still cry. Such vivid details about a life lived in subhuman conditions and yet a life able to manage despite the hardships.
How much of life's hardships and low points can one, or in this case nine, human beings take before they decide to shut their eyes and call upon death to release them from their miserable existence? How ugly and awful that this story -- hard, cruel and unforgiving -- had to be true. Even more awful is that a man once existed who felt it was his God-given right to torture whom he pleased. It is disgusting -- nearly bordering on demented -- that in the 20th century, these shameful and horrific crimes were allowed to exist against a young mother, her six children and two relatives, for 20 years and that very little, if anything at all, was done to right the wrongs.
In "Stolen Lives" you will see what being at the depths of despiar REALLY means and you will suddenly count your blessings, look around you at your abundance of simple riches and pray that you will never experience what Ms. Oukir and her family did.
For every person who thought their life couldn't get any worse - I ask you to read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting story
Review: FIrst of all, those bitching about the writing, do keep in mind that the story is translated from French to English. Perhaps they just chose the wrong translator. While the writing certainly isn't top-notch, this is a memoir- a genre that rarely sees excellent writing. The story is interesting. Reading about the palace life was insightful (assuming it was fairly accurate) and it creates an excellent contrast to the dreary life she lived in exile with her family. Even though the author and her family managed to survive and seem to have strong will-power, I still did not like the author. She comes across as a self-centered woman who has a very high opinion of herself. Unfortunately that makes me wonder how accuarte her story really is. While it certainly is unjust to be imprisioned for someone else's actions, I wonder how bad her plight really was.
Rating: 
Summary: Propaganda and lies from the daughter of a traitor.
Review: The first thing to look for when you want to read a book is the credibility of the author. And unfortunatly in this case the author has no credibility. Malika Oufkir had without a doubt been traumatised by her experience to a great extent. She portrays herself as a victim and tries to get the sympathy of the reader. I was born and raised in Morocco and familiar with the story of this family. The author omits to mention in her book who her father really was. General Oufkir tried to overthrow the head of the moroccan government but his attempt failed. ....
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