After growing up in a privileged and cosmopolitan Iraq during the 1950s and 1960s, Selma Masson is plunged into a world of despair and intrigue when she discovers first-hand the brutality of her country's dictator. While Iraqi Ambassador to Spain, her husband is imprisoned and tortured by the Hussein government - for Selma, securing his freedom will mean an unforgettable encounter with Saddam Hussein. Now an Australian citizen, Selma is ready to tell her story for the first time. The Kiss of Saddam draws an evocative picture of the political and religious history of Iraq through the story of Selma's family and the role her husband played in Iraqi politics, both before and during Saddam Hussein's rise to power. It also movingly captures the experience of life in Australia for political asylum seekers.