Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Beyond the Veil by Rami Al Tobgy is a memoir that shows the full gamut of life’s experiences, including pain, suffering, reflection, healing, and an understanding of purpose and direction. The author is Egyptian by birth but was raised in Kuwait and later Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. As a young man, he experienced the tremendous vitality and growth of Dubai, a city on the rise. In that city, he became intimately involved in the growing event scene and party lifestyle, where he quickly discovered that the heights of success can very easily become the depths of despair, as people and events repeatedly caused his financial downfall at various times. We follow the author through all the stages of his tumultuous early adult years, his relationships, his failed marriage, his incarceration, and his most prized gift: his son. Through all his turmoil, we begin to understand his powerful and unerring intuition that, at times, almost begins to resemble a superpower.

Beyond the Veil is a frank, unadulterated self-examination of a life of struggle, confusion, and uncertainty that ultimately allows readers to understand, empathize, and learn from the author’s experiences. Author Rami Al Tobgy had been relentless in his quest for success in the extremely competitive and, at times, dangerous world of event planning in the United Arab Emirates and other parts of the Middle East. What I appreciated most about this memoir was the author’s willingness to self-examine, self-criticize, and be prepared to modify his behavior and expectations when circumstances went awry. At times, readers will find his naivety both galling and endearing as he attempts to navigate friendship, love, and family with a backdrop of his own personal physical and emotional pain. It is refreshing to read this level of self-awareness in a memoir, and readers will be able to take many of the events that caused the author angst and recognize and apply those solutions in their own lives. His constant ability to rise above circumstances and remain positive, especially for the benefit of his son, is what stands out the most. This is an enjoyable read and one I highly recommend.