Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #830629 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 285 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Viner, a writer, editor and producer, has interviewed more than 200 women who immigrated from the former Soviet Union to America to find out, in his somewhat strange questions, "what makes them so unique" and "why so many of them [have] taken unusual sexual paths to accomplish their goals." Twenty-three of their firsthand accounts are included, comprising a sad litany of hardship and exploitation, with an emphasis on the harsh lives they left behind and the difficulty of forging a life in America. One woman, raised in poverty and tricked by an ad promising employment in elite New York City restaurants, was forced into stripping for a living to repay the agency that had deceived her. Not all the stories end tragically: one young Kiev woman fled to America when her husband was killed by the mob. After her Brooklyn roommate absconded with her documents, she became a prostitute but eventually married and adopted two children and runs her own escort service. These often tragic stories are moving, but without reporting on the larger context, as others have done, one has no idea how representative these stories are or what exactly they are intended to prove. (May)
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About the Author
MICHAEL VINER is the author of three national bestsellers and has edited more than a dozen New York Times best-selling books. A long-time producer in the movie, television and recording industries, he is currently producing two movies for the Hallmark Channel, set for release later this year, and several films to be released in 2009. He has written and produced several Sidney Sheldon miniseries, and his music is featured in the major motion picture The Departed and has sold over 100 million copies, including the Billboard-charting single, “Hip-Hop Is Dead.”

Customer Reviews

Startling, shocking but optimistic
What these women have experienced will shock, but there is something optimistic in the end about this. Most of the stories do not seem to end well, while a few really do highlight some true success. What makes it worth it is being able to hear them tell their tales in their own voices. They come across as genuine and sincere. A fascinating look into a world that really doesn't really get any play in the media at all.

A MUST READ FOR EVERY WOMAN
Although, our country is going through a rocky period, it's paradise for women compared to the new "enlightened" Russia and the former USSR. Innocent girls, students, workers are regularly treated like slaves there: rapes, beatings and abuse are everyday occurences. The police are indifferent to these crimes and always blame the women. Michael Viner has taken us deep inside the female psyche in this moving book, which details the stories of 24 women who want to come to the US to improve their lives. They are prey to scam artists, marriage brokers and madams,who seduce these young women with fraudulent ads. Many of them are forced into jobs as strippers and prostitutes to repay the devious men and agencies who have misled them with the promise of a Green Card and citizenship. Mr. Viner has the women speak in their own voices without pulling punches. This is a must read for American women who will then count their blessings that they live in a country that treats them with respect and dignity.

When does the follow-up book come out?
Shattered Dreams relates a series of stories told from different perspectives though most shared one thing in common: each was being exploited (usually sexually) or abused--yet very few of them behave or think of themselves as "victims." It was fascinating to be able to step into their shoes, and after each story was over, I found myself wondering what their life must be like today. After reading these tough Eastern European women's stories, you'll find yourself hoping for the sequel, too!