The Last Sandstorm: A Memoir

Jasmin’s journey towards personal freedom and self-determination introduced me to a country and culture I had very little knowledge of. Her story rings close to home, as I watch different states around our country pushing government control over personal autonomy. Jasmin shares her very personal story in a warm and welcoming style, inviting the reader in from the word go. I found myself staying up later than I should each night, telling myself “Just one more chapter, just a few more pages.”I am very much looking forward to Jasmin’s future works.

Jasmin is a natural born storyteller and her life is one that is made to be a story. Her experiences growing up as a woman in Saudi Arabia juxtaposed to her vacations in Italy and her development into a young adult wanting more than traditional life would give her is one that takes your breath away. I mean it when I say I couldn’t put it down, eating up every page over the course of 9hrs. Combining the story of childhood tales, romantic endeavors, and harrowing escape…. This story is one that will stay with you long after you put it down. Breathtakingly unbelievable in an amazing way, this book is worth every second of the read!

I really enjoyed this enthralling story. The courage and bravery the author displayed throughout her life growing up as a progressive female in Saudi Arabia was truly inspirational. She is a wonderful storyteller and brings her story vividly to life. When describing her escape from her country of birth, I was nervously on the edge of my seat wondering how it would transpire, since her writing made me feel as if I were right there beside her. I cried tears of joy for her escape as well as tears of sorrow at her heartache of having to leave loved ones behind. It's a story that will stay with you for a long time. I highly recommend it.

Jasmin in her conclusion writes "Because we are now a global community, we can no longer pretend that what happens in one part of the world does not concern us." Jasmin knows this well and shares her escape story with an intimate view behind the façade of Saudi Arabia Westerners see. Morality police, racism, family values, misogyny, humans as property, her truth is an active page turner. Seeing America through her eyes left a tear in mine, for the promise she saw and the pain of gains still to attain.

Jasmin Faulk-Dickerson takes her readers on a vivid and engaging adventure of her life growing up in Saudi Arabia and her daring escape to freedom as a young adult. As a woman who has grown up in the United States, it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to grow up in a Middle Eastern country like Saudi Arabia. Jasmin’s book opened my eyes and invited me into her world. I found her story tender, bold, and relatable. I read it all in two sittings! Highly recommend!

This book was well written and kept me captivated. I actually know this author and knew much about her story. As I read the book a got lost in her tale and at times felt as if I were hearing some of her life for the first time. Read for yourself and experience a funny, sad, informative life experience.

I purchased this book to support a friends wife. I read the book in one day because it was so starkly real. I have not travelled the world yet, but I will do so with my eyes opened to much more than a tourists vision.

An excellent read and an inspiration for all women to keep moving towards their dream. Thanks for sharing your story.

This is not a dry memoir and reads like a good novel. It will have you asking a lot of questions about how cultures support or impede the search for an authentic self.