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What if you, as a 24-year-old, suddenly wrongly ended up in a dirty, overcrowded prison in Morocco? How do you resume normal life at home after 4.5 years of innocently being held in such extreme conditions? Read the true story of Joseph Oubelkas in 400 letters from my motherabout the years he spent in prison, and in Health, Love, Freedom about his return to a life of freedom.

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Books

What if you, as a 24-year-old, suddenly wrongly ended up in a dirty, overcrowded prison in Morocco? How do you resume normal life at home after 4.5 years of innocently being held in such extreme conditions? Read the true story of Joseph Oubelkas in 400 letters from my motherabout the years he spent in prison, and in Health, Love, Freedom about his return to a life of freedom.

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400 letters from my mother (21st edition)

Bestseller: more than 80,000 copies sold!

Joseph Oubelkas was born and raised in the village of Raamsdonksveer in Brabant. He has a wonderful childhood and education, finds love and gets off to a flying start as an IT entrepreneur. The world is his oyster and the future looks bright. Until 23 December 2004, when everything suddenly changes.

A visit to a client in Morocco ends with his arrest and a 10-year prison sentence for something that has nothing to do with him. Joseph is innocent, the verdict unproven, his sentence unwarranted. His world falls apart... But Joseph keeps going. He reads, studies, plays sports, works and makes special friendships. Lovingly supported by family, friends and acquaintances, but especially by the 400 letters from his mother.

Paperback € 19.95
E-Book € 9.95
Paperback with personal message € 19.95
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Man, ‘400 letters from my mother’ is keeping me busy. What a page turner! Very intensely written! Deeply impressed.
Jan Peter Jansen | Editor in chief Men's Health Magazine
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If I had the time, I'd be sitting reading the book again now, even though I'm not really a reader. It made me laugh and cry.
Nasrdin Dchar | Actor, winner of the Golden Calf for the film Rabat

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400 letters from my mother

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Readers' reactions

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Aswintha Menk

Speechless, incredible, instructive, inspiring, heartbreaking and heart-warming, relativistic and powerful! An absolute must-read!

Jacqueline Vizee

Joseph's book carries you along with it and plants both your feet firmly on the ground. A book that you can't put down and which stays in your thoughts. A book that you read with a smile and a tear, during which you soon start to feel a little love for Joseph and his mother.

Denise Molenaar

If I had the time, I'd be sitting reading the book again now, even though I'm not really a reader. But I just couldn't put this book down. It made me laugh and cry.

Joanne

The best and most inspiring book I have ever read. No matter how bad the circumstances, you always have a choice about your own frame of mind. I can't recommend it enough.

Anja

I will read this book again with great pleasure and admiration. Joseph describes his experiences with great beauty. Through Joseph's story, you see that a person has more strength inside them than you might think. And if you use all the strength you have, you can achieve a great deal. Keep fighting for yourself! I have deep respect and admiration for Joseph.

Marjon

I almost read the second book in a single breath and think it's great that you wrote it. It moved me deeply once again... It also touched me deeply. You have such a sensitive style of writing...