Desert Flower by Waris Dirie

Desert Flower by Waris Dirie

"Waris's story is one of remarkable courage. From the deserts of Somalia to the world of high fashion, she battles against oppression and emerges a real champion. She is the most beautiful inspiration to anyone." --Elton John

Waris Dirie ran away from her oppressive life in the African desert when she was barely in her teens, illiterate and impoverished, with nothing to her name but a tattered shawl. She traveled alone across the dangerous Somali desert to Mogadishu--the first leg of a remarkable journey that would take her to London, where she worked as a house servant; then to nearly every corner of the globe as an internationally renowned fashion model; and ultimately to New York City, where she became a human rights ambassador for the U.N. 

Poignant and powerfully told, Desert Flower is Waris's extraordinary story.

Cathleen Miller traveled the world to gather information for her new book, Champion of Choice, a biography of UN Secretary-General Nafis Sadik. Desert Flower, an international bestseller that was converted into a feature film, was one of her prior works. The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Times have all published Miller's travel pieces.