In 1968, a naïve 19 year old Midwestern girl marries an older Pakistani man and moves to Lahore where she lives as a Muslim wife for almost two years. She did not realize that her new husband married her to gain American citizenship and return to the United States. Her life in Pakistan is adventure-filled: shopping bazaars, dancing girls, an Islamic red light district, historical Moghul architecture, and social turmoil. Over time thes Pakistani real life experience reveals how Muslims control and mistreat their women. The danger of fanatic Shiite religious practices and exciting travel are all balanced with her status as a blond American woman in a foreign land at the mercy of her Muslim husband. This true story unveils an informed observation of Muslim women's status in Pakistani society. The Punjabi's Wife is a book that asserts itself as a true American odyssey, a brave young woman's adventure story and lessons for western women contemplating relationships with a Muslim man.
About the Author: Lara was born in a small town in southeast Missouri to a middle class family. During her childhood her mother worked as an English teacher and her father a salesman. The family moved to Carbondale Illinois in 1965. After attending one year at Southern Illinois University, at eighteen years old, Lara met and then married a Pakistani man who was in his mid 30's. Within six months after the wedding, she traveled to West Pakistan and lived for almost two years as a Pakistani bride in Lahore. She returned to America in 1970, gave birth to twin daughters in 1972 and divorced her Muslim husband in 1975. After her divorce she returned to school and finished her Master of Science Degree in Education. Her 30 year career as Director of Development and Executive Director for several large non-profit organizations has developed her skills in writing, public speaking and management of organizations. She has studied world religions including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism in an effort to understand why people use religion to justify their actions toward others. Throughout her life she has traveled internationally and lived in St. Louis, Chicago and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lara is currently living on her ranch and raising money for a large hospital in a western state. She enjoys fishing, target shooting, farming and raising horses. The Punjabi's Wife is her first book.