On May 2, 2011, one of the most feared men in this century, Osama bin Laden, was killed. In the wake of his death, Jean Sasson's book, Growing up bin Laden , gained further momentum and became the one window into Bin Laden's life that wasn't entirely about his political beliefs and actions. Through Sasson, Osama's first wife, Najwa bin Laden, and his son Omar, tell their story of growing up as part of Bin Laden's family. Entirely unique and palpably humane, Sasson's book explores a part of Osama bin Laden that had been forgotten; an important piece of the puzzle without which the picture of this man can never really be complete.
How difficult was the challenge of separating Osama Bin Laden from Osama, a husband and father?
It was not difficult at all. When interviewing and writing, I followed the same routine. I start with their childhood and spend time finding out everything they can remember: from their first memory until the time we would consider him/her an adult. After I write a chapter, I ALWAYS send it to them to read to see if I have misunderstood anything. It happened quite a bit with this book due to emotions or language barrier. I let the story unfold through Najwa's personal memories. It was clear that Osama was a very serious but nice young man. He was not focused on the usual teenage things but had already started to look at how other countries and governments interacted with Islam and with the Middle East. Clearly, he did not like what he saw. I did the same with Omar, asking him to tell me his first childhood memory and life with his father. I was not offended to discover that the Osama Najwa married was a very nice person. I was regretful when it was clear that he was taking his family and the world down a dark path.
What started this project?
I was contacted in February 2008 and asked to write Omar's story. I was unsure if I was the correct person as I write about women and my readers tend to go for books about women. I talked with my literary agent and she spoke to a couple of publishers. While I was hesitating, I received an unexpected letter from Najwa; a letter from a mother's heart telling me about her fine son and his wonderful qualities. She never asked me to write the book, but it was clear that she wanted me to give the book a chance.
Then I got the idea that the book could be something I could write IF Najwa would participate. My literary agent agreed; I never take on a project until my literary agent is convinced. Omar asked his mother and came back to me with a surprising yes.
The book was very difficult to write, but mainly technically. When people have led the kind of lives Omar and Najwa had, a lot of little details are forgotten. When you write about another person's life, you have to have those details... It is imperative. I'm sure Omar and his mother got sick of my digging, as some of these memories were very painful. Najwa said, from the beginning, she would only answer questions about her private life with Osama. She lived in purdah and didn't know much about Osama's life outside the home. Neither did Osama confide in her. In-depth questions and answers required a translator, which made it more difficult because of a third person in the process.
Najwa was wonderful in providing a lot of detail about her childhood and early marriage but, as the years went by and her life with Osama became more complicated, I could tell that it was more difficult for her to relive those memories. Sometimes, instead of answering, she would reply with a cute “Let's remain friends, Jean.” I loved her for that.
Emotionally, the book was not that difficult. Yet, there were certain stories that touched me deeply: Omar's difficulties as a child at school; Najwa's struggle with Osama's request to take a second wife; Omar's misery at finding himself in Afghanistan and being so unhappy, yet so helpless (My heart ached for him); Omar's story about his puppies in Sudan, where one was beaten and buried alive by one of the Al-Qaeda fighters or when the little monkey was killed for no good reason.
Did you ever feel like writing this book might be a risk, since it would explore a more human, personal side of Laden's life?
My literary agent and several publishers expressed this concern. Yet I did not worry about it; whether the book is a best-seller or not, it is an important piece of the puzzle. I knew in my heart it was good to have the information he would not have wanted anyone else to know. So, I will never regret writing this book. Besides, I got to know some very lovely people during the process.
Definitely there was a resistance to the book, due to 9/11 or the other Al-Qaeda inspired attacks. A lot of people don't want to know about Osama's private life. I understand this and do not push. However, I have found that once readers decide to read the book, they really are glad they did. After May 1, there was a huge upsurge in interest in the story and that did not surprise me. I've been told that 100 years from now, this book will be a valuable reference book.
Tell us of your own perception of Omar and Najwa?
I liked them both almost instantly. Although Omar is very quiet and serious, he has a lot of substance. I found Omar to be totally honest and completely kind, yet he is not a push-over. He is a strong person. Najwa is so cute in her ways. She has a sweet expressive voice and always seemed so bright and cheerful when we were on the phone. I had never given a lot of thought to Osama's family. It was a revelation for me how difficult their lives have been because of Osama, yet they still loved Osama as a husband and as a father.
After the book, I was no longer in close contact with Najwa. We can't really chat because of language differences, but I send messages through her son. It is a different story with Omar. There are times we talk weekly and correspond via e-mail a few times a week, and then a couple of weeks will pass and we don't talk. I can't imagine not being friends with Omar. He is a calming influence and when I'm upset with the media or things like that, he calms me!
As you became privy to the private life of Bin Laden's family, did your own perception alter and change as the book and the story progressed?
Yes, I had never considered the Osama before his Al-Qaeda operations. Suddenly I had to confront the fact that he was a very nice young man who was too serious and that seriousness grew until it led to some very bad situations. Omar told his grandmother (Allia) that we were doing the book. He said she was okay with it, which surprised me. In fact, there is a photo of Osama in the book when he is 16. Allia gave it to Omar from her collection and told him, “Tell that American writer that my son was a good boy.”
So, I had a responsibility to write the truth as it was told to me by the family and I knew they were not people would who lie, but told me simply of his youth and his goodness during that time.
