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Lauren Booth is a notable UK journalist who has been variously known as “Tony Blair’s sister-in-law,” then “Tony Blair’s sister-in-law who opposed the Iraq war and took the boat to Gaza” and finally “Tony Blair’s sister-in-law who converted to Islam.” (The third version seems by far the most scandalous, at least in the eyes of the tabloid press.)
In her book Finding Peace in the Holy Land: A British Muslim Memoir Lauren Booth tells her side of her own story. And what a radiantly inspiring story it is! Growing up as a spirited and independent British girl who loved Shakespeare and the King James Bible, going to drama school and entering the media, having her life indelibly marked by brother-in-law Tony Blair’s political success…then then bucking Tony and the British establishment by turning against the neocon war agenda, witnessing the atrocious suffering of Palestine, and finally undergoing a spiritual transformation in a mosque in Qom, Iran…hers is a personal tale that illuminates some of the most important, historic events transpiring before our eyes.
Had Lauren Booth become a Buddhist the British media probably wouldn’t have batted an eyelash. But by embracing Islam, the purified and perfected version of monotheism, she set herself up for all sorts of abuse from a culture whose monstrous bigotry belies its pretense of tolerance and respect for human rights.
Lauren Booth is a truth-seeker, politically and spiritually, whose real story is vastly more interesting than the caricature offered by the British scandal sheets. Anyone curious about why highly intelligent, educated, assertive Western women are converting to Islam in droves—or who just wants a good read spiced with plenty of humor—should definitely check out Lauren’s book.