In a high-energy, adventure-filled romp across four countries and two continents, Four Borders to Freedom follows the adventures of a teenage boy as he escapes the confining political and social system of Iran to freedom.

Ben wants nothing more than to seek educational and professional opportunities in Europe. He dreams of this from the time he’s a young boy. But during the 1980s, after the Islamic Revolution and during the Iraq-Iran war, options for an ambitious and free-thinking young man are severely limited. So Ben opts for escape.

Ben’s journey leads him across borders and forces him into situations in which he must rely on shady human traffickers who specialize in the illegal transfer of people within the Middle East, and from there to Europe, Canada, and the United States. Few of these handlers are competent; most are greedy and dishonest, many even despicable. Besides the untrustworthy traffickers, Ben must also deal with border guards ready to shoot him, police ready to imprison him, and military officials ready to apprehend and deport him.

The journey is framed by a present-day series of counseling sessions that are recommended by Ben’s university professors. The stories of Ben’s escape are told in chapters that illuminate his hardships and small triumphs, interspersed with conversations with his counselor, that provide brief respites from the main narrative and moments to reflect and consider where this counseling path is taking him.

The novel is written in such a way that the listener (adult and young adult) will share the boy’s belief in himself, even as he navigates his way through one danger after another. It’s a harrowing story at times, but, ultimately, a story of courage and survival, both literally and philosophically. One extraordinary young man facing an extraordinary set of circumstances and predicaments: At its heart, this true-life adventure is an uplifting story of unwavering hope and determination.