{"product_id":"9781860497582","title":"Desert Flower by Waris Dirie","description":"Waris Dirie (the name means desert flower) lives a double life - by day she is a famous model and UN spokeswoman on women's rights in Africa, at night she dreams of her native Somalia.  Waris, one of 12 children, was born into a traditional family of desert nomads in East Africa.  She remembers her early childhood as carefree- racing camels and moving on with her family to the next grazing spot - until it came her turn to meet the old woman who administered the ancient custom imposed on most Somalian girls: circumcision. Waris suffered this torture when she was just five years old.  Then, aged 12, when her father attempted to arrange a  marriage with a 60 year old stranger in exchange for five camels - she took flight.  After an extraordinary escape through the dangerous desert she made her way to London and worked as a maid for the Somalian ambassador until that family returned home.  Penniless and speaking little English, she became a janitor in McDonalds where she was famously discovered by a fashion photographer.  Her story is a truly inspirational and extraordinary self-portrait of a remarkable woman whose spirit is as breathtaking as her beauty.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43399259095218,"sku":"9781860497582","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/products\/9781860497582.jpg?v=1698856107","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/9781860497582","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}